With summer around the corner, the return of iced coffees is imminent.
However, while the temptation to sip on a cool caffeinated beverage may be too much to resist, experts have warned that some frozen drinks from popular coffee chains can contain more sugar and calories than a regular-sized candy bar.
During an Eat Real Food rally in Austin in February, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. blasted Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts for their iced caffeinated beverages as he questioned the health risks.
‘We’re going to ask Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, “Show us the safety data that show that it’s okay for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it,”‘ he said on February 26.
‘I don’t think they’re going to be able to do it.’
While the nutritional information of Starbucks and Dunkin’ Donuts is available online, many customers are unaware of the actual amount of sugar in the drinks.
Experts are now warning caffeine addicts that they may be flooding their bodies with sugar their bodies can’t process.
‘Walking into a chain coffee shop in 2026 isn’t a morning ritual, it’s an invitation to metabolic disaster,’ Dan Miller, the founder of Eternum Longevity Center, told the Daily Mail.
‘For perspective, the recommendation on added sugar consumption is between 25-36 grams per day depending on age, activity level, etc.,’ Lisa Moskovitz, RD, founder of The NY Nutrition Group, told the Daily Mail.
But options at both Starbucks and Dunkin’ far outstrip this figure.
‘That said, consuming these beverages regularly can increase risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and contribute to various other preventable health issues,’ she concluded.
For a less sugary option for a frozen coffee, Moskovitz suggested a DIY version, by simply combining iced coffee, milk and a pump or two of flavoring or Stevia.
‘You’ll cut the added sugar by up to 95 percent and it will be much better in the long run for your health and energy levels,’ she said.
Starbucks
A Grande Frappuccino from Starbucks contains 230 calories, 45g of sugar and 3g of fat.
Similarly, a Grande Caramel Starbucks Frappuccino boasts 380 calories, 54g sugar and 16g of fat.
‘[The amount of sugar in a] Grande Starbucks Frappuccino is the equivalent of devouring two full-size Snickers bars before 9am,’ Miller said.
However, Miller warned that the ‘true danger’ of consuming sugar in the drinks is in the delivery.
‘Because you aren’t chewing, you are bypassing the body’s primary digestive defense mechanism,’ he explained.
A Grande Frappuccino from Starbucks contains 230 calories, 45g of sugar and 3g of fat
‘Solid food requires mechanical breakdown, but this sugar floods the bloodstream with zero resistance.
‘This glucose spike forces your pancreas into a state of emergency, triggering inflammation that acts like a slow-burn fire and accelerating the aging process.’
Dunkin’ Donuts
As per the nutritional information available online, Dunkin’s iced coffees contain more sugar than Starbucks.
A medium Dunkin’ Frozen Coffee with Cream comes in at 590 calories, 129g sugar and 26g of fat.
Additionally, a medium Caramel Creme Frozen Coffee is 860 calories, 132g of sugar and 30g of fat.
‘The Dunkin’ Caramel Creme Frozen Coffee is a 24-ounce ‘longevity killer,’ Miller explained.
‘With a staggering 130+ grams of sugar, you would have to eat five glazed donuts to hit that same toxic threshold,’ he added.
As per the nutritional information available online, Dunkin’s iced coffees contain more sugar than Starbucks
Miller called the drinks ‘liquid poison.’
‘It hijacks your reward system while simultaneously depositing visceral fat directly onto your liver,’ he said.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the leading sources of added sugars in the US diet are sugar-sweetened beverages, desserts, and sweet snacks.
Between 2017 and 2018, the average daily intake of added sugars was 17 teaspoons for adults aged 20 or older, which is two to three times more than the recommended daily allowance for men and women.
