Is This New Starbucks Drink Vegan?

As someone with a food allergy, I understand how hard it can be to find certain items you're craving. For vegans, a very restrictive diet, the limits expand beyond food to drinks. According to Food Navigator, as of 2015 approximately seven percent of the United States' population was vegan. This is a higher number than some might expect, but, what may be even more surprising is that 36 percent of consumers say that, even though they are not vegan, they still prefer milk and meat alternatives.

On Monday, Starbucks announced two limited time additions to their menu to celebrate the upcoming arrival of spring: the Iced Cinnamon Almondmilk Macchiato and the Coconut Milk Mocha Macchiato.

While your first thought might be that the use of coconut milk guarantees a vegan product, this is not quite the case. The sauces and flavorings used to create the Coconut Milk Mocha Macchiato are unfortunately not vegan. This might not come as a surprise to some as this beverage was originally introduced last summer in iced form. While this time around its featured as a hot beverage, the similar makeup heeds the same result. The new Iced Cinnamon Almondmilk Macchiato is also not vegan due to the addition of sauces and flavorings.

Don't fret too much, Starbucks still has plenty of vegan options to ensure your coffee fix is met.