Chai tea lattes are typically made with black tea, milk, and spices such as cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. They’re also usually sweetened with sugar or honey. But how many calories are in a chai latte? And how can you lower the calorie content of this tasty beverage?
Most of the calories in a chai latte come from the milk and sugar. A 16-ounce chai latte contains about 240 calories. You can decrease the calories by using skim instead of whole milk, ordering fewer pumps of syrup, having your latte made with brewed tea instead of syrup, or making your own at home.
Let’s take a closer look at how many calories are in the average chai tea latte and where those calories come from. We’ll also go over some tips for making a lower-calorie chai tea latte that’ll taste just as good.
How Many Calories Are in a Chai Latte?

A 16-ounce chai latte from any popular coffee chain is likely to contain around 240 calories. Most of these calories come from the milk and sugar that’s added to the tea.
A 16-ounce chai latte has around the same number of calories as:
- Two scrambled eggs with cheese
- One slice of cheese pizza
- 1/2 a turkey and Swiss cheese sandwich
As you can see, a chai latte isn’t an especially high-calorie drink, but it’s not exactly low-calorie either. So, if you’re watching your weight or trying to eat fewer calories, you might make some changes to your chai tea latte.
Where Do the Calories in a Chai Latte Come From?
As we mentioned above, a chai latte typically contains black tea, milk, spices such as cinnamon and cloves, and sweeteners such as honey or sugar. While the exact ingredients vary depending on the recipe, a typical chai latte will have around 240 calories.
The bulk of the calories come from the carbohydrates, fat, and protein in the milk, followed by the sugar content.
A chai latte with whole milk and two tablespoons of sugar can have up to 150 calories from carbohydrates alone. The fat content in milk adds another 50 calories or so, and the protein contributes some more on top of that.
So, if you’re watching your calorie intake, it’s important to know what goes into your chai latte. Opt for skim milk instead of whole milk, and limit the amount of sugar or honey you add. You can also make your own chai tea at home using lower-calorie ingredients.
How to Cut Back on Calories in a Chai Latte
If you’re trying to cut back on calories, you can do a few things to lighten up your chai latte. Here are a few tips:
Use Skim Milk or a Milk Alternative
Skim milk has about half the calories of whole milk, so it’s a good choice if you’re watching your calorie intake. Milk alternatives such as almond or soy milk (both on Amazon) are also lower in calories than dairy milk.
Limit the Sweeteners
A typical chai latte is made with two tablespoons of sugar, which adds up to around 100 calories. You can cut back on the sugar by using a zero-calorie sweetener like stevia (on Amazon) or adding only a half tablespoon of sugar. You can also try using honey instead of sugar, which adds some additional nutritional benefits.
Make Your Own Chai Tea
You can also save calories by making your own chai tea at home. This way, you can control the ingredients that go into your tea and use lower-calorie options.
Most chai lattes from coffee chains use pre-made syrup or powder that contains a lot of sugar. Making your own chai tea latte will allow you to reduce the amount of sugar or use a sugar substitute. You can also experiment with different kinds of milk and sweeteners to find a combination you like.
A home-brewed chai tea latte made with skim milk and stevia can have around 150 calories, compared to over 200 calories for a cafe-bought latte.
Use Less Milk
Another quick way to cut calories is by diluting your latte with a bit of water. That will reduce the calorie content but it will also make the drink less creamy. A chai latte made with one cup of skim milk has around 85 calories. Adding just a quarter cup of water can reduce that to 65 calories.
You can also try using lower-fat milk, such as 1% or 2%. That will slightly increase the calorie content but can still be a good option if you’re trying to limit calories.
Experiment with ratios until you find a consistency that you like. Try adding more water for a lighter drink or less water for a richer latte.
Ask for Less Syrup
If you prefer not to make your own chai tea, you can still order a latte from a cafe. When ordering, ask for less syrup to be added. Doing this will reduce the sugar and calorie content of the drink.
For instance, one pump of chai syrup from Starbucks has 34 calories. A tall latte has three pumps of syrup, a grande has four, and a venti has five pumps. So, ordering a grande with one pump of syrup instead of the three pumps will save you 102 calories.
If you want to cut the sugar entirely, you can order your chai tea latte with a brewed bag of tea instead of syrup.
Choose a Smaller Size

The size of your drink can also make a big difference in calories. For example, a grande chai latte from Starbucks has 240 calories, but a tall has only 180 calories. So, if you’re trying to cut back on calories, it’s best to stick to the smaller size.