If you’ve ever left Starbucks feeling bloated, sluggish, or… ahem… blocked up for days, you’re not imagining things.
In this episode, I dive deep into why Starbucks hits your gut differently than your local coffee shop. From dark roasted beans and ultra-pasteurized milk to highly processed plant-based alternatives and the whole A1 vs A2 milk debate, I break down exactly what’s going on — and why it matters for your digestion, energy, and even your waistline.
I also explain why even if you don’t think you’re lactose intolerant, you might still react to certain dairy proteins — and how a simple milk swap could make a world of difference.
This topic comes straight out of my Tight28 program’s dairy module, so if you’ve been struggling with gut discomfort, unexplained puffiness, or sluggish digestion, you’ll definitely want to listen in.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode
☕ The Coffee Factor
Why Starbucks uses very dark roasted beans — and how this affects bitterness, bile release, and gut motility.
How ultra-high volume roasting and older beans can increase oxidized oils — and why oxidized oils = gut irritation.
Why your local café’s medium roast and fresher beans are usually gentler on digestion.
🥛 The Dairy Factor
The difference between regular pasteurization and ultra-pasteurization — and how extreme heat denatures milk proteins like casein.
Why casein (especially A1 beta-casein) is already hard to digest — and how ultra-pasteurization makes it worse.
Why large latte servings = large dairy hits that can trigger bloating and constipation.
🌱 The Milk Alternative Trap
Why Starbucks oat, almond, and soy milks are highly processed and full of gums and emulsifiers.
How gums/emulsifiers can damage gut lining, worsen leaky gut, and trigger bloating or sluggish digestion.
Why oat milk’s beta-glucans and residual enzymes can ferment in the gut and cause discomfort.
🐄 A1 vs A2 Milk Explained
A1 milk (common in U.S. dairy from Holstein cows) contains a beta-casein variant that releases BCM-7 during digestion.
BCM-7 slows gut motility, irritates the gut lining, and can trigger histamine release → bloating, puffiness, water retention.
A2 milk (from Jersey/Guernsey cows, goats, sheep, buffalo) produces minimal BCM-7 — often eliminating symptoms entirely.
Why switching to A2 can be a game-changer for digestion, even if you’re not lactose intolerant.
Key Takeaways
Starbucks’ combination of dark roast bitterness, ultra-pasteurized A1 milk, and/or processed plant milks can be a “perfect storm” for gut issues.
If you want to keep enjoying coffee without the digestive misery:
Switch to medium roast, freshly ground beans.
Use A2 dairy or goat/sheep/buffalo milk.
Skip processed plant milks with gums/emulsifiers.
Try smaller coffee sizes or Americano-style drinks instead of milk-heavy lattes.
Gut irritation isn’t just about discomfort — it can contribute to systemic inflammation, histamine buildup, and even changes in body composition.
Want to Go Deeper?
This episode barely scratches the surface of what I teach in Tight28, my 28-day program designed to uncover hidden food sensitivities, calm inflammation, and get your digestion — and your body composition — working in your favor.
Check it out here: www.jlcstrong.com
Resources & Links Mentioned
5-Amino-1MQ: www.5amino.com
My upcoming SLU-PP-332 release — stay tuned!
Email me anytime with questions: jo@theshrinkshop.com
If you enjoyed this episode, please subscribe, leave a review, and share it with someone who’s still wondering why their Starbucks habit might be causing their gut drama.
