McDonald's has launched a new beverage-focused chain called CosMc's. This chain offers a menu with popular drink options that are similar to those found at other coffee chains like Starbucks and Dunkin'. However, it's important to consider the nutritional information when comparing these drinks.
Many of these drinks contain more sugar than you might expect. To help you make informed choices, we have compared the nutrition information for similar beverages across the three chains. This comparison includes data on sugar and calories.
Although the sizes of the drinks may vary slightly between the brands, we will be using the medium size coffee cups (16 ounces) for our comparisons below.
The American Heart Association recommends limiting added sugar to 9 teaspoons (or 36 grams) per day for men and 6 teaspoons (25 grams) per day for women.
"Many people consume more sugar than they realize. It's important to be aware of how much sugar you consume because our bodies don't need sugar to function properly," states the association's website. "Added sugars contribute zero nutrients but many added calories that can lead to extra pounds or even obesity. That can reduce heart health."
Note: A coffee chain known as CosMc's has confirmed that their standard coffee recipes use whole milk. To ensure accurate comparisons, we have used the whole milk recipes for Dunkin's nutritional breakdowns. Starbucks, on the other hand, does not provide a whole milk option in their nutritional guide for all drinks, so we have based their breakdowns on 2% milk. The sugar amounts listed below are total sugars, with any exceptions noted.
Medium cappuccino
CosMc's: 160 calories, 11 g sugar
Starbucks: 120 calories, 10 g sugar
Dunkin': 120 calories, 0 g sugar (without sugar added) or 220 calories, 35 g sugar (with sugar added)
Blended frozen coffee
CosMc's Cold Brew Frappe: 430 calories, 48 g sugar
Starbucks Coffee Frappuccino: 240 calories, 50 g sugar (with whole milk)
Dunkin' Frozen Coffee: 410 calories, 84 g sugar
Hot chai latte
CosMc's: 370 calories, 60 g sugar
Starbucks: 240 calories, 42 g sugar
Dunkin': 290 calories, 40 g sugar
Hot chocolate
CosMc's: 380 calories, 35 g sugar
Starbucks: 290 calories, 41 g sugar
Dunkin': 330 calories, 46 g sugar (milk type not specified)
Mocha latte
CosMc's mocha: 380 calories, 34 g sugar
Starbucks "Caffè Mocha": 260 calories, 34 g sugar
Dunkin' "Mocha Swirl Hot Latte": 330 calories, 47 g sugar
Other CosMc's drink options
CosMc's also offers some beverages unique to the chain, including "Signature Galactic Boosts" and fruity-flavored iced teas and lemonades.
No size of the former provides customers with a drink below the AHA's daily recommended amount of sugar for women, with the lowest total sugar being 27 grams for a small "Blueberry Ginger Boost," according to their nutritional guide.
Healthy Drink Options at a Popular Cafe
A popular cafe offers a variety of drink options, but some of them are packed with sugar and calories. Among the options, there are four drinks that fall under the daily recommended amount of sugar for men. These include a small "Sour Cherry Energy Burst" with 30 grams of sugar, a medium Blueberry Ginger Boost with 31 grams, a large Blueberry Ginger Boost with 35 grams, and a small "Sour Cherry Energy Burst" with 30 grams.
However, there are a couple of drinks that are extremely high in calories and sugar. The large Island Pick-Me-Up Punch contains 500 calories and 103 grams of sugar, while the large Berry Hibiscus Sour-ade has 500 calories and 108 grams of sugar.
There are also some other drink options that exceed the 500 calorie mark. These include the large Cold Brew Frappe with 550 calories and 62 grams of sugar, and the large Churro Frappe with 610 calories and 76 grams of sugar. Additionally, all of the medium and large shakes have high calorie and sugar content, with the large Strawberry Shake topping the list at 850 calories and 107 grams of sugar.
Options with the Lowest Sugar and Calories
If you're watching your sugar and calorie intake, there are still some options available. Besides water and diet sodas, the cafe offers unsweetened tea and straight coffee options. These include iced coffee or cold brew with no milk or sugar, which have 0 grams of sugar and 0 to 25 calories.
