Forget Chain Protein Coffee — A Dietitian Recommends This Instead

The protein diet boom has been trending for years but really exploded in 2025. You can buy everything with added protein these days, from Legendary's protein pastries to protein water. If you are a regular coffee drinker, you've probably seen protein-infused coffee drinks at Starbucks, Dunkin' Donuts, Dutch Bros, and other chains. Options range from matcha to lattes to cold foam, all with added protein. With so many choices, it can be hard to figure out which one is going to give you the maximum protein boost for your buck. Your best option may be to skip them altogether and take the DIY path.

Tasting Table spoke to Angel Luk, a registered dietitian, to get her insight into the trend. "Protein coffee is essentially coffee mixed with protein powder, or sometimes it comes in a premade, shelf stable shake format," she said. "Coffee does not naturally contain protein unless you add it in via milk or dairy alternatives. By adding protein powder, the fortified coffee, if you will, helps provide 4 calories per gram of protein added."

These drinks can cost a pretty penny at coffee chains, and Luk offers a simple solution: "I would suggest making this at home simply by combining protein powder, coffee, and ice together." Starbucks uses 27 to 36 grams of whey protein isolate per drink, so you could buy your own powder and add a similar amount at home. There are plenty of other ways to add protein to your coffee, too.

In addition to the extra calories and the caffeine boost you get, there are some other benefits in protein coffee. "This may help people who skip breakfast but still have a morning cup of coffee to train their digestive tract to tolerate small amounts of food," Luk explained, "and potentially help others meet their protein needs more easily." UCLA Health says most adults need between 0.8 and 1.6 grams of protein per pound of body weight.

One thing to remember is that different chains use different kinds of protein. For instance, Dunkin' Donuts doesn't use whey protein isolate like Starbucks. Dunkin' uses protein milk, which is regular milk fortified with ultra-filtered skim milk. This formula would be harder to duplicate at home.

Recreating any  chain coffee drink at home, protein-infused or not, is often difficult to do, so this may not be a deal-breaker. We have some tips to help make your home brew as close to the real thing as possible. If you're mainly focused on getting that extra protein and want to save money, Luk's advice of making it at home is your best bet. You can buy protein powder in bulk to help keep costs down, but make sure you check the type or protein and the cost per ounce to ensure the best deal. An added bonus is that many protein powders are flavored. You could try your coffee plain, or with flavors like chocolate, vanilla, or even cookies and cream to see what tastes best.