Summertime approaches, and we’re sure you’re planning to trade out your hot coffee for a more refreshing iced equivalent. But, you also want to stay in shape for beach season, right? Fear no more! In this article, we compare the nutrition facts of five of the most common iced coffee brands to help you choose the best pick-me-up for your Summer 2k17.
Dunkin’ Donuts
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Pros: Most bang for your buck with caffeine, low sodium
Cons: High fat, mostly saturated
As a Bay State native myself, I’m very biased towards Dunkin’ Donuts. After reading through their nutrition facts, I’m not overjoyed but I’m not horrified either. A Dunkin’ iced coffee is about average compared to its peers for nutrition. This is definitely a good iced coffee for your summer if you crave caffeine; with 267 mg per serving, it has the highest caffeine content of any coffee in this article by a large margin. The down side? Fat. In just one serving of Dunkin’ iced coffee there are 9 grams of fat, 5 grams of which are saturated. Overall, a fine go-to coffee at an okay price.
Source: https://www.dunkindonuts.com/en/food-drinks/iced-drinks/iced-coffee
Starbucks
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Pros: By far the lowest fat and cholesterol
Cons: Low caffeine, high sugar, and a pretty high price
Ah, Starbucks. Although it has become an icon for being basic, this is arguably the best choice for your go-to summer coffee. One venti has only 170 calories which is pretty good, and there is less than one fourth as much fat as a Dunkin’ or Caribou Coffee equivalent. Where this brand falls short is caffeine (unless you want to cut back) and a pretty high sugar content. Also, at $2.95 for 24 oz. you’re not exactly saving money. Oh well, at least you can get a cute Instagram of your cup.
McCafe
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Pros: Price!
Cons: Just about everything else
Listen, I’ve been there. You’re in a rush, and it’s the cheapest option at only $1.99 for a 24 oz. cup. But while it’s great for your wallet, a McCafe iced coffee is definitely not the move for your body. At a whopping 240 calories, this is probably the least healthy option on the list. Worse yet, each cup also contains seven grams of fat (4.5 of which are saturated) and 41 g of sugars (the highest of any coffee on this list).
McCafes are very convenient with their many locations and quick service, but we’d have to advise against this one.
Source: https://www.mcdonalds.com/us/en-us/about-our-food/nutrition-calculator.html
Tim Horton’s
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Pros: Low calories, low sodium, very low sugars
Cons: Higher fat, not that cheap
Think Tim Horton’s is the best coffee for the summer, eh? Well, you might not be wrong. A 20 oz. (Tim Horton’s doesn’t have a 24 oz.) iced only has 110 calories, 9 g of sugar (the lowest of the five brands in this article) and 30 mg of sodium. If you have a Tim Horton’s near you, it might be time to embrace Canadian culture and make that your perk stop.
The biggest flaw with this brand is the price, costing $2.13 for only 20 oz. McCafe is cheaper even though it’s a full 4 oz. larger!
Source: http://www.timhortons.com/us/en/menu/iced-coffee.php#?
Caribou
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Pros: Lowest calories for its size, very low sugars, low caffeine
Cons: Ridiculous amount of sodium, high cholesterol and by far the highest cost
This coffee is the odd one out, as it’s not your traditional iced coffee. A Caribou Iced Crafted Press takes Caribou brand’s cold press and adds a sugar, salt, and cream mixture. This design is why the sodium content of a crafted press is so much higher than any other brand at 250 mg, over eight times as much as a Dunkin’ or Tim Horton’s coffee. A cup also has 35 mg of cholesterol, a whole 5 g larger than second place Dunkin’.
However, Caribou redeems itself by having only 150 calories and 14 g of sugar. If you’re willing to shell out $3.29 each day for a crafted press, this sweet blend makes a delicious coffee for Summer 2017.
Comparison Chart:
Dunkin Donut’s | Starbucks | McCafe | Tim Horton’s | Caribou | |
Serving Size: | 24 fl oz | 24 fl oz | 24 fl oz | 20 fl oz | 24 fl oz |
Calories: | 200 | 170 | 240 | 110 | 150 |
Total Fat: | 9 g | 2 g | 7 g | 7 g | 9 g |
Saturated Fat: | 5 g | 1.5 g | 4.5 g | 4.5 g | 5 g |
Cholesterol: | 30 mg | 10 mg | 30 mg | 25 mg | 35 mg |
Sodium: | 30 mg | 65 mg | 80 mg | 30 mg | 250 mg |
Sugars: | 26 g | 35 g | 41 g | 9 g | 14 g |
Caffeine: | 267 mg | 170 mg | 200 mg | 170 mg | 170 mg |
Price: | $2.49 | $2.95 | $1.99 | $2.13 | $3.29 |