It's no secret that mornings can be a rush, and for those who manage to shower, dress up, have breakfast and brew a cup of coffee before leaving the house on time, they are nothing less than superheroes in my opinion. However, for many people like myself, there isn't always enough time, and sometimes we end up grabbing our morning coffee from a fast-food joint. Although these places offer quick and cheap coffee, they don't always have the healthiest options. In fact, we recently found out that some of these fast-food coffee drinks have more sugar than an entire pint of ice cream.
Popular chains like McDonald's, Starbucks, and Dunkin' Donuts serve certain coffee drinks that contain a staggering 57 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to the amount of sugar in a pint of Breyer's Natural Vanilla ice cream. While it's okay to indulge in sweet treats once in a while, studies suggest that consuming excessive added sugar can lead to various health problems. For instance, a study published in Circulation revealed that higher sugary drink consumption increases the risk of death from cardiovascular diseases and other health complications.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend limiting sugar intake to around 50 grams per day, which is approximately 10% of the total daily calorie intake. Unfortunately, the pint of ice cream and some of the fast-food coffee drinks mentioned below exceed this limit by just one cup. Therefore, it's best to consume these drinks occasionally. Keep reading to discover which fast-food coffees to limit.
1) The Caramel Swirl Frozen Coffee from Dunkin' Donuts
If you're planning on making a stop at Dunkin' Donuts to grab a frozen coffee for your morning commute, you might want to reconsider and opt for a different beverage. Surprisingly, a medium frozen caramel coffee from Dunkin' Donuts contains an alarmingly high amount of sugar that surpasses the recommended daily intake. In fact, indulging in two pints of Breyer's vanilla ice cream would still result in consuming less sugar compared to this one coffee.
However, this is not to suggest that you should avoid this drink altogether. It's okay to treat yourself to a sweet beverage once in a while, but drinking a frozen caramel coffee from Dunkin' Donuts can provide you with 244% of your recommended daily sugar intake. Starting your day off with such a high sugar intake may not be the healthiest choice.
2) The Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino at Starbucks
Indulging in a Starbucks Peppermint White Mocha can provide a sweet and festive flavor all year round, but it's essential to consume this beverage in moderation. Opting for this beverage occasionally may be beneficial for your overall health. A 16-ounce grande size of this drink contains a staggering 73 grams of sugar, which is 16 more grams than an entire pint of ice cream. Furthermore, if you decide to splurge on a 24-ounce venti size, you'll be consuming a whopping 88 grams of sugar in a single cup.
If you enjoy the taste of the Peppermint White Mocha but want to reduce your sugar intake, you can try a short size (8 ounces) Peppermint White Mocha latte instead, which contains 37 grams of sugar.
3) The Iced Mocha at McDonald's
When we're in a rush, grabbing a quick coffee and breakfast at McDonald's may seem like a convenient solution. However, if you're trying to limit your sugar intake, you may want to avoid ordering the Iced Mocha. A large size of this drink contains a staggering 62 grams of sugar, which is more than the amount of sugar present in a pint of vanilla ice cream. Additionally, this drink has 9 grams of saturated fat, representing 44% of your recommended daily value. If you combine your Iced Mocha with a breakfast item such as a Bacon, Egg & Cheese Biscuit, your daily saturated fat intake could easily exceed the recommended limit.
4) The Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino at Starbucks
For those of us with a sweet tooth, the Starbucks Mocha Cookie Crumble Frappuccino can be a perfect choice to satisfy our caffeine and sugar cravings. Unfortunately, a venti size (24-ounce) contains a whopping 75 grams of sugar, which is nearly 20 grams more than the sugar present in an entire pint of ice cream. Not only that, but this drink also has the same amount of fat and saturated fat as a pint of Breyer's vanilla ice cream, which is a concerning combination of sugar and fat.
To clarify, we are not suggesting that you should completely abandon your Mocha Cookie Crumble habit because we understand the importance of indulging in a chocolatey treat. However, if you're looking for a drink with less sugar than an entire carton of ice cream that you can enjoy more frequently, you might want to try a tall size Caffè Mocha instead.
5) The Caramel Craze Signature Latte at Dunkin' Donuts
While the Dunkin' Caramel Craze Signature Latte may be a better option than their Frozen Caramel Coffee, it still contains the same amount of sugar as a pint of vanilla ice cream, even in a medium size. Opting for their Cafe Mocha instead may be a slightly better choice, containing 52 grams of sugar. However, both latte flavors exceed the recommended daily sugar intake limit.
6) The Iced Toasted White Chocolate Mocha at Starbucks
The Starbucks Iced Toasted White Chocolate Mocha is a variation of the classic White Mocha that includes "caramelized white chocolate." Although this fancier version of the classic drink adds a unique and delightful twist, it may be best to limit consumption or even reserve it as an occasional indulgence. The drink contains 72 grams of sugar, which can result in a sugar crash later on. Additionally, this drink has 60% of the recommended daily intake of saturated fat, which is a lot for a single cup of morning coffee.