McDonald's UK publishes total sugar for every item, but total sugar includes the lactose in milk, which is not what health guidance limits. Boone separates free sugars, the added and syrup sugars SACN sets a daily cap on, and ranks all 151 items on that basis. The difference matters: a large Vanilla Milkshake has 77g of total sugar but 60g of free sugar, and it is the 60g that counts against a 30g daily limit. Set the age below and each figure recalculates as a share of that person's day.
All 14 McDonald's UK desserts ranked by free sugar. The Galaxy Caramel McFlurry leads at 38g, which is more than an adult's 30g daily limit in one dessert and twice the limit for a four to six year old. Three of the regular McFlurries pass the adult limit outright, while the mini versions sit between 13g and 18g, roughly half.
The full McDonald's UK breakfast menu ranked by free sugar. Pancakes and Syrup tops it at 41g, above the adult daily limit before nine in the morning, and Porridge with golden syrup is 34g against 0g for plain Porridge. Most savoury breakfast items sit under 10g, so in this section the sugar comes almost entirely from what is added rather than the food itself.
The McDonald's Happy Meal and kids range ranked by free sugar, measured against a child's limit rather than an adult's. The Cheeseburger Happy Meal is highest at 7.5g, around 39% of the 19g daily limit for a four to six year old. Note the gap between total and free sugar here: the same meal has 20.5g of total sugar, most of which is lactose from milk and naturally occurring sugars rather than added sugar.
McDonald's UK hot drinks ranked by free sugar. Hot Chocolate is highest at 24g, four fifths of an adult's daily limit and more than a whole day's worth for a four to six year old. A Toffee Latte is 13g. Six of the nine contain no free sugar at all, including a plain Latte, which still has 14g of total sugar from milk lactose.
All McDonald's UK sides, dips and sauces ranked by free sugar. The Hot Honey Dip is highest at 19g, an entire day's free sugar limit for a four to six year old in one dip. Several BBQ and sweet chilli dips sit at 14g. Fries themselves contain none, which makes this the clearest section where the sauce matters more than the food.
Every McDonald's UK burger, chicken item and wrap ranked by free sugar. The Hot Honey McCrispy leads at 16g and the Big Arch at 15g, which is around 80% of a four to six year old's daily limit from a savoury item. Most of it comes from sauces and buns rather than anything obviously sweet, which is why savoury food is the easiest place for free sugar to go unnoticed.
