Boone’s analysis puts McDonald's Sugar Donut at 10% of an adult’s daily calories, 11% of the daily salt limit for a child aged 4 to 6 and 1.4 teaspoons of free sugar.
How many calories are in a McDonald's Sugar Donut? It contains 197 kcal, 11g of fat (4.6g saturated), 5.7g of sugar and 0.33g of salt.
Build a full meal with our nutrition calculator
A Sugar Donut is ordered at the end of a meal, on top of everything already eaten. Use the Boone meal calculator to build a full meal rather than view this item on its own — add a main, fries, dips and a drink, then choose your age and sex for a more accurate view of how it fits into a day.
Nutrition information
Nutrition information: McDonald's Sugar Donut
| Energy | 197 kcal |
| Fat | 11g |
| of which saturates | 4.6g |
| Carbohydrate | 21g |
| of which sugars | 5.7g |
| Fibre | 0.8g |
| Salt | 0.33g |
| Protein | 3.5g |
Nutrition figures are McDonald’s UK published data, per item as sold and before any optional sauces or extras. Boone converts them to the portion and age comparisons on this page.
A McDonald's Sugar Donut contains 197 kcal, which is 10% of the 2,000 kcal adult daily reference intake. It provides 11g of total fat, of which 4.6g is saturated, 5.7g of sugar, 0.33g of salt, 3.5g of protein and 0.8g of fibre.
The saturated fat content of 4.6g represents 23% of the adult daily guideline of 20g.
McDonald's Sugar Donut is assembled from 1 separately manufactured component. The sugar ring donut alone carries 4 different classes of additive. Across the whole item the ingredient list names antioxidants, dextrose, emulsifiers and raising agents. None of these add nutritional value. They exist to make the item survive industrial production, freezing and transport.
McDonald's Sugar Donut sits at the lighter end of the menu
At 197 kcal and 5.7g of free sugar, McDonald's Sugar Donut stays well inside every daily guideline Boone checks. Few items on this menu do.
Adult daily reference intakes (Reference Intake, RI)
Calories2,000 kcal
Total fat70g
Saturated fat20g
Carbohydrate260g
Sugars90g
Fibre30g
Salt6g
Protein50g
Sugar in McDonald's Sugar Donut
McDonald's Sugar Donut contains 5.7g of free sugar per standard serving (1.4 teaspoons). Low sugar
The NHS free sugar limit is 30g per day for adults, 24g for children aged 7 to 10, and 19g for children aged 4 to 6. Free sugar excludes the sugars naturally present in milk and whole fruit. The table below shows how this compares across all age groups.
Free sugar by portion: McDonald's Sugar Donut
| Portion | Adult (female)
30g | Adult (male)
30g | Age 11 to 17
30g | Age 7 to 10
24g | Age 4 to 6
19g |
|---|
| Per portion | 5.7g
19% | 5.7g
19% | 5.7g
19% | 5.7g
24% | 5.7g
30% |
| Teaspoons | 1.4 tsp |
Boone calculates these percentages from McDonald's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under; fibre is a target to reach, so a high percentage there is a good thing. For guidance only.
Salt in McDonald's Sugar Donut
McDonald's Sugar Donut contains 0.33g of salt per standard serving. Low salt
Children have lower salt limits: 3g per day for ages 4 to 6, 5g for ages 7 to 10. The table below shows how this serving compares to daily limits for adults and children.
Salt by portion: McDonald's Sugar Donut
| Portion | Adult (female)
6g | Adult (male)
6g | Age 11 to 17
6g | Age 7 to 10
5g | Age 4 to 6
3g |
|---|
| Per portion | 0.33g
6% | 0.33g
6% | 0.33g
6% | 0.33g
7% | 0.33g
11% |
Boone calculates these percentages from McDonald's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under; fibre is a target to reach, so a high percentage there is a good thing. For guidance only.
Calories in McDonald's Sugar Donut
McDonald's Sugar Donut contains 197 kcal per standard serving. Low calorie share
Daily calorie needs vary by age and sex. The table below shows how this serving compares to typical daily reference intakes.
Calories by portion: McDonald's Sugar Donut
| Portion | Adult (female)
2000 kcal | Adult (male)
2500 kcal | Age 11 to 17
1936 kcal | Age 7 to 10
1553 kcal | Age 4 to 6
1291 kcal |
|---|
| Per portion | 197 kcal
10% | 197 kcal
8% | 197 kcal
10% | 197 kcal
13% | 197 kcal
15% |
Boone calculates these percentages from McDonald's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under; fibre is a target to reach, so a high percentage there is a good thing. For guidance only.
Saturated fat in McDonald's Sugar Donut
McDonald's Sugar Donut contains 4.6g of saturated fat per standard serving. Moderate saturated fat
The saturated fat guideline is 20g a day for women and 30g for men, and lower again for children. The table below shows how this serving compares.
Saturated fat by portion: McDonald's Sugar Donut
| Portion | Adult (female)
20g | Adult (male)
30g | Age 11 to 17
20g | Age 7 to 10
18g | Age 4 to 6
16g |
|---|
| Per portion | 4.6g
23% | 4.6g
15% | 4.6g
23% | 4.6g
26% | 4.6g
29% |
Boone calculates these percentages from McDonald's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under; fibre is a target to reach, so a high percentage there is a good thing. For guidance only.
Fibre in McDonald's Sugar Donut
McDonald's Sugar Donut contains 0.8g of fibre per standard serving. Very little fibre
Fibre is the one figure here that is a target to reach rather than a limit to stay under. UK guidance is 30g a day for adults, 25g for ages 11 to 17, 20g for ages 7 to 10 and 15g for ages 4 to 6. Most people in the UK fall well short. The table below shows how much of a day’s fibre this serving provides.
Fibre by portion: McDonald's Sugar Donut
| Portion | Adult (female)
30g | Adult (male)
30g | Age 11 to 17
25g | Age 7 to 10
20g | Age 4 to 6
15g |
|---|
| Per portion | 0.8g
3% | 0.8g
3% | 0.8g
3% | 0.8g
4% | 0.8g
5% |
Boone calculates these percentages from McDonald's UK published nutrition data against UK Dietary Reference Values and NHS free sugar and salt limits. Free sugar, salt, calories and saturated fat are limits to stay under; fibre is a target to reach, so a high percentage there is a good thing. For guidance only.
Ultra-processed food: what is really in it
Processing and additives: McDonald's Sugar Donut
McDonald's Sugar Donut is assembled from 1 separately manufactured component. Reading the ingredient list closely, it contains antioxidants, dextrose, emulsifiers and raising agents. These are not there to add nutritional value. They make industrial production and distribution possible.
Antioxidants
Slow the natural oxidation of fats, so components keep their colour and flavour. Found in the sugar ring donut.
Dextrose
A simple sugar used for browning, bulk and mild sweetness. Found in the sugar ring donut.
Emulsifiers
Help oil-based and water-based ingredients blend and stay blended. Found in the sugar ring donut.
Raising agents
Make doughs and batters rise without a long ferment. Found in the sugar ring donut.
Boone classifies McDonald's Sugar Donut as NOVA group 4, ultra-processed, based on the additives named above. NOVA groups foods by how far they are from their whole-food form, not by how nutritious they are. A group 4 food is not automatically unhealthy, and a group 1 food is not automatically healthy. Read from the published ingredient list, 17-18 August 2026.
A McDonald's Sugar Donut contains at least 10 distinct ingredients: 8 raw and 2 manufactured.
Ingredient count by order: McDonald's Sugar Donut
| What you order | Raw | Manufactured | Total | % manufactured |
|---|
| McDonald's Sugar Donut on its own | 8 | 2 | 10 | 20% |
The 2 manufactured ingredients
dextrose, soya flour.
The 8 raw ingredients
free range whole egg powder, palm oil, rapeseed oil, salt, sugar, water, wheat flour, yeast.
What those ingredients are, by type
Sugars and syrups2
Oils and fats2
Grains and flours2
Salt and minerals1
Meat, fish, dairy and eggs1
Boone counts every distinct named ingredient on McDonald’s published component lists, including sub-ingredients, and removes duplicates, so salt appearing in four components counts once. Additive class names are dropped and the named substance kept, so “stabiliser (guar gum)” counts guar gum once. Raw covers whole foods and basic kitchen staples such as flour, sugar, salt and oil. Manufactured covers substances that only exist as an output of industrial processing. Where McDonald’s lists more than one approved supplier recipe only the primary one is counted, so every figure here is a minimum. The build uses a Sweet and Sour dip.
Allergens at a glance
McDonald's Sugar Donut contains wheat, soya and eggs.
Allergen information: McDonald's Sugar Donut
| Allergen | Status |
|---|
| Wheat | Contains |
| Rye | Not present |
| Barley | Not present |
| Oats | May contain traces |
| Sesame | Not present |
| Soya | Contains |
| Milk | May contain traces |
| Eggs | Contains |
| Fish | Not present |
| Crustaceans | Not present |
| Celery | Not present |
| Mustard | Not present |
| Molluscs | Not present |
| Lupin | Not present |
Contains = declared as an ingredient. May contain traces = McDonald's states the allergen cannot be excluded. McDonald's prepares food in kitchens where all 14 major allergens are present and equipment is shared, so no item can be guaranteed allergen free, even when ingredients are removed on request. Buns, rolls and tortilla wraps are toasted in the same toaster as sesame-topped buns. Retrieved 17-18 August 2026.
