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Is there anything more delightful than sipping on an icy, sweet coffee beverage during the summer? I absolutely love ice blended or frappuccino-style drinks. However, you might as well indulge in a piece of cake with some of the sugar content in these drinks. “These coffee beverages could easily pass for a dessert due to their high sugar levels, and some also contain lots of fat depending on the sugar type or milk used,” notes Tara Collingwood, MS, RDN, CSSD, LD/N, ACSM-CPT, a Board Certified Sports Dietitian and co-author of the Flat Belly Cookbook for Dummies. Some options are worse than others. Here are the 6 most sugar-laden iced coffees.
Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino (Grande)
The Grande Starbucks Mocha Frappuccino contains 51 grams of sugar. This popular drink is sweetened with a variety of sugary components, including Frappuccino syrup, whipped cream, vanilla syrup, and mocha sauce. “Request if it can be made with sugar-free syrups if they’re available, and consider replacing the cream or whole milk with low-fat milk,” advises Collingwood.
Peet’s Carmel Frappe Mocha (Medium)
Peet’s Caramel Frappe Mocha is a favorite among many. However, the medium-sized drink contains 59 grams of sugar. Their menu describes it as “Rich caramel provides indulgence to our robust Baridi Blend cold brew, topped with whipped cream and a caramel sauce drizzle.” To cut down on sugar, Collingwood suggests, “Opt-out of the whipped cream and extra drizzles of chocolate or caramel syrup.”
Starbucks Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frappuccino (Grande)
It’s no secret that Starbucks Frappuccinos are the ultimate sugary treat. A medium Caramel Ribbon Crunch Frapp has a whopping 60g and 470 calories . “Buttery caramel syrup blended with coffee, milk and ice, then topped with a layer of dark caramel sauce, whipped cream, caramel drizzle and a crunchy caramel-sugar topping—oh-so-beautifully delicious,” says Starbucks.
Starbucks Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha
Starbucks Iced Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha is deceptively elegant, but drink hides a whopping 66 grams of sugar in a medium sixe order. It also has a whopping 480 calories, making it a meal in itself.
Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf Caramel Ice Blended(Medium)
A 16-ounce caramel ice blended at the Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, the chain’s version of a Frapp, is totally delicious, but is the ultimate sugar bomb. It has a whopping 87 grams of sugar.
Dunkin’ Frozen Coffee with Mocha Swirl (Medium)
Beware of the frozen coffee drinks at Dunkin’. For example, a frozen coffee with whole milk and butter pecan swirl is a whopping 129 grams of sugar, according to the chain’s website. And that is a medium! “Our energizing Frozen Coffee is smooth, creamy and full of real Dunkin’® flavor—making it the perfect way to cool off,” they say. The bottom line? “If you really want a decadent drink, just own it and go in knowing what you’re ordering. You are really ordering dessert and not a ‘coffee’ drink!” says Collingwood.
