04 DEC 2024

The Oral Health Foundation has examined five of the most well-known coffee chains in the UK to determine just how much sugar can be found in our favourite festive drinks.

The charity’s findings reveal that some coffee shop Christmas drinks contain alarming amounts of sugar, far exceeding the recommended daily intake. For instance, certain drinks have as much as 50g of sugar, which is over 12 teaspoons – significantly more than the daily recommended amount for adults.

To try to make the comparison fair, we have looked at all coffees of medium/regular size and used whole milk to make them.

Starbucks

Starbucks has released a selection of Christmas drinks including the popular Gingerbread Latte, Eggnog Latte and Fudge Brownie Hot Chocolate.

The Gingerbread latte has 28g of sugar, which is seven spoons of sugar. The Fudge Brownie Hot Chocolate has 33.7g of sugar, that’s eight spoons of sugar.

Taking the Starbucks top spot for the drink with the most sugar is the Eggnog Latte with 41.1g of sugar. That is over ten spoons of sugar, more than the recommended amount for an adult to be consuming a day.

Costa

Costa is back this year with its famous Christmas drinks selection. The Gingerbread & Cream Latte has the least sugar content of the Christmas drinks with 13.4g of sugar. That is just over three spoons of sugar.

The Caramel Nutcracker Latte has 26g of sugar, totalling six and a half teaspoons of sugar per serving.

A Caramel Nutcracker Hot Chocolate contains 44.5g of sugar, over eleven teaspoons of sugar in one drink.

Café Nero

Returning for another year, Café Nero has brought out its Pistachio Hot Chocolate that has 47.5g of sugar per serving. It has the most sugar in their Christmas drinks selection. Nearly twelve teaspoons of sugar in just one cup.

Their Millionaire's Hot Chocolate contains 46.5g of sugar per serving. Coming a close second with eleven and a half teaspoons of sugar.

Finally, their Tiramisu Latte with 32.2g of sugar per serving, slightly less with eight teaspoons of sugar per cup.

Greggs

Greggs is one of the most popular lunchtime retreats. Bringing back their Gingerbread Latte containing 25g of sugar. That is five grams under the recommended daily allowance of an adult with six teaspoons of sugar.

Containing the same amount of sugar their regular Mint Mocha and regular Mint Hot Chocolate contains 31g of sugar. Nearly eight teaspoons of sugar per serving, respectively.

Pret A Manger

Pret a Manger is joining the Christmas drinks with their Caramelised Almond Latte containing 27.9g of sugar, that’s nearly seven teaspoons of sugar

Next, their Maple Pecan Latte contains 27.2g roughly the same as above with nearly seven teaspoons of sugar.

Finally, their Festive Orange Hot chocolate has 50.4g of sugar, the highest amount of any on this list.

10 most sugar-filled coffees this Christmas
Chain	Drink	Sugar (g) per 100ml
Pret a Manger	Festive Orange Hot Chocolate	14.2
Café Nero	Millionaire’s Hot Chocolate	14.5
Costa	Caramel Nutcracker Hot Chocolate	12.5
Café Nero	Pistachio Hot Chocolate	11.9
Café Nero	Tiramisu latte	9.4
Starbucks	Eggnog Latte	8.16
Greggs	Mint Mocha	8
Greggs	Mint Hot Chocolate	7.6
Starbucks	Fudge Brownie Hot Chocolate	7.3
Starbucks	Gingerbread latte	4.8

What does all that mean for your teeth? 

Dr Nigel Carter, CEO of the Oral Health Foundation says: "Festive coffees may bring cheer, but many are packed with shockingly high amounts of sugar – sometimes the equivalent of five chocolate bars in a single drink.

“It's important to remember that the sugar listed on menus is often for 100ml, but with medium sizes ranging from 300-500ml, you're actually consuming up to five times that amount.

“Too much sugar too often increases your risk of tooth decay and serious health problems like diabetes. Enjoy these treats occasionally, and consider smaller sizes, sugar-free syrups, or swapping whipped cream for a lighter option to keep your smile – and your health – merry and bright."

The current recommendations on sugar

Depending on your age, the recommended maximum daily amount of free sugar is:

• Age 4-6 – 19g of sugar or 5 teaspoons per day
• Age 7-10 – 24g of sugar or 6 teaspoons per day
• Age 11+ – 30g of sugar or 7 teaspoons per day

Free sugars are the sugars that are added to foods and drinks by manufacturers, cooks, or consumers, as well as sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices. These are different from the sugars found naturally in whole fruits, vegetables, and milk, which are not considered free sugars.

In simple terms, free sugars are the extra sugars that we add to our food and drinks or that are added during processing. They can be found in things like sweets, cakes, biscuits, sugary drinks, and even some sauces and ready meals.

One teaspoon contains four grams of sugar and 16 calories.