Here’s what a dietitian—and the science—has to say.
Reviewed by Dietitian Mandy Enright, M.S., RDN, RYT
Key Points
- Sugary coffee drinks can exceed daily sugar limits, raising concerns about long-term health risks.
- Teens should limit caffeine and sugar intake to avoid potential sleep and metabolic health issues.
- Opt for smaller dietitian-approved coffeehouse drinks to enjoy flavor while reducing sugar and caffeine.
If you regularly pull into a drive-thru for a massive, frozen, syrup-swirled coffee, you are far from alone. For many people of all ages, a trip to Starbucks or Dunkin’ is a daily ritual. However, these popular beverages recently landed in the crosshairs of a national health discussion, sparking a debate about what exactly goes into our morning cups.
At the recent Eat Real Food Rally in Austin, Texasan event supporting the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, Health & Human Services secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., voiced strong concerns about the health effects of heavily sweetened coffee shop drinks. He suggested a push to investigate the safety data of these beverages, specifically calling out the idea of teens drinking iced coffees loaded with too much sugar.
“We’re going to ask Dunkin’ Donuts and Starbucks, ‘Show us the safety data that show that it’s OK for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it.’ I don’t think they’re gonna be able to do it,” Secretary Kennedy said.
This raises a few immediate questions. Are these drinks actually a safety hazard? How much sugar and caffeine is too much? And if you have a teenager who loves to make a Starbucks run, what should they order instead?
How Much Sugar and Caffeine Is Too Much?
To understand the concern, we need to look at what health experts actually recommend when it comes to sugar and caffeine, particularly for young people.
According to the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), avoiding caffeine is the best choice for all children, noting concerns over how the stimulant may impact a child’s sleep as a major concern. As for adults, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration suggests sticking to 400 mg of caffeine or less each day.
Then there’s the sugar. The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans provide a clear stance on adding the sweet stuff to our food and drinks. The guidelines state that while no amount of added sugars or non-nutritive sweeteners is recommended or considered part of a nutritious diet, a single meal should contain no more than 10 grams of added sugar. When a single coffee drink packs in a significant amount of sugar, it can drastically exceed the recommended limit for an entire day, let alone a single sitting. For example, a large frozen coffee with almond milk at Dunkin’ is made with a whopping 111 grams of added sugar—far exceeding that 10 grams maximum suggestion.
What Are the Risks?
While the numbers regarding sugar and caffeine are undeniably high in some of these mega-sized beverages, framing a sugary coffee drink strictly as a “safety” issue may be overstating the situation.
In public health terms, a safety issue usually implies an acute, immediate threat, like food poisoning or a contaminated ingredient. A high-sugar frappuccino will not cause immediate harm to a healthy individual without an underlying medical condition, especially if you treat it as an occasional splurge, eat a balanced and healthy diet, participate in regular physical activity and get quality sleep.
However, the real concern lies in chronic consumption. Drinking massive amounts of liquid caffeinated sugar every single day contributes to long-term health problems, including type 2 diabetes, dental issues and overall poor metabolic health. So, while a single sweet coffee is not inherently dangerous, making a daily habit out of drinking 50-plus grams of sugar certainly creates a very real risk to long-term well-being.
What to Order at Starbucks and Dunkin’
You don’t have to give up coffeehouse runs completely—in fact, you can still enjoy a great beverage without overloading your system with sugar and caffeine. Here are a few dietitian-approved orders for both Starbucks and Dunkin’ that keep the sugar low and the flavor high.
Smart Orders at Starbucks
- Cold Brew with a Splash of Milk: Cold brew offers smooth, refreshing flavor without any added syrups. Ask for a splash of whole or almond milk. If you desperately need a flavor boost, ask for just one single pump of vanilla syrup instead of the standard four to six pumps. Note: Cold brew is higher in caffeine; one tall (12 oz) has about 155 mg, so it’s best to order the smallest size or choose cold brew only on occasion.
- Iced Passion Tango Tea: If you want something refreshing but want to skip the caffeine entirely, this herbal tea is a great choice. Order it unsweetened for a bright, fruity drink with zero grams of sugar.
- Mixed Coffee: This drink is half freshly brewed coffee and half steamed milk. It provides a comforting, creamy texture with no added sugar and a moderate amount of caffeine—though it still offers a little jolt.
Smart Orders at Dunkin’
- Iced Coffee with a Flavor Shot (Not Swirl): Dunkin’ offers two ways to flavor your coffee. “Swirls” are sweet, heavier syrups with more sugar. “Flavor shots,” however, are unsweetened and sugar-free. Order an iced coffee with a splash of milk and a toasted almond or French vanilla flavor shot. Note: A small iced coffee at Dunkin’ is 16-ounces and has almost 200 mg of caffeine.
- Hot or Iced Latte: A latte blends milk with espresso. Enjoy hot or iced and add a dash of cinnamon at the condiment bar for extra flavor. Note: Both the hot and iced small latte contains around 118 mg of caffeine.
- Hot Tea: Dunkin’ offers a variety of standard teas, like chamomile or green tea, which contain zero sugar. Bonus: Herbal teas like chamomile are caffeine-free.
Our Expert Take
Ultimately, the conversation around sugary coffee drinks serves as a helpful reminder. While the occasional sweet coffee drink isn’t a direct safety threat, we should absolutely remain mindful of what we consume regularly. By paying attention to sugar and caffeine levels, you can easily make choices that keep you energized and support your long-term health.
Comments are closed.