Free UK delivery on all orders · At-home saliva test · Secure checkout
Free UK delivery on all orders

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small): calories and sugar by portion, age and sex

Boone’s analysis puts McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) at 8% of an adult’s daily calories, 3% of the daily sodium limit for a child aged 4 to 8 and 7.5 teaspoons of added sugar.

How many calories are in a McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)? It contains 170 calories, 0g of fat (0g saturated), 30g of added sugar and 40mg of sodium.

Build a full meal with our nutrition calculator

Use the Boone meal calculator to build a full meal rather than view this item on its own. Add fries, a drink, dips and a dessert, then choose your age and sex, and switch between US and UK guidance, for a more accurate view of how a Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) fits into a day.

‍

Nutrition information

Nutrition information: McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)

Calories170
Total fat0g
of which saturated0g
Trans fat0g
Carbohydrate40g
Total sugars35g
Includes added sugars30g
Fibre1g
Protein1g
Sodium40mg
Caffeine45mg

Nutrition figures are McDonald’s USA 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.

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) contains 170 calories, which is 8% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels. It provides 0g of total fat, of which 0g is saturated, 35g of total sugars (30g added), 40mg of sodium, 1g of protein and 1g of fibre.

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components, combined at the point of sale. The blackberry passion fruit refresher mix alone carries 6 different classes of additive. Across the whole item the ingredient list names thickeners and gums, flavourings, colours, preservatives, emulsifying and buffering salts and firming agents. None of these add nutritional value. They exist to make the item survive industrial production, storage and transport.

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) is over the US per-meal added sugar limit

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) contains 30g of added sugar, 3.0 times the 10g per-meal limit in the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The same guidelines recommend no added sugar at all for children aged 10 and under.

FDA Daily Values (2,000-calorie diet)

Calories2,000
Total fat78g
Saturated fat20g
Carbohydrate275g
Added sugars50g
Fibre28g
Sodium2,300mg
Protein50g

Added sugar vs total sugar

Where the sugar comes from: McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)

30g of the 35g counts as added sugar, or about 7.5 teaspoons. The other 5g is naturally occurring. Under UK rules, sugar from juice, purée and concentrate is counted too, which makes 33g of free sugar.

Added sugars come from

  • sugar, white grape juice concentrate, passion fruit juice concentrate in the blackberry passion fruit refresher mix
  • sugar, lemon juice concentrate in the lemonade base

Naturally occurring sugars come from

  • sugars naturally present in the blackberry passion fruit refresher mix
  • sugars naturally present in the lemonade base
  • sugars naturally present in the freeze dried dragonfruit

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030: no more than 10g of added sugar per meal from age 11 and none for children aged 10 and under. FDA Daily Value: 50g a day. Sources are read from the published ingredient list for each component.

Ultra-processed food: what is really in it

Processing and additives: McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components, combined and served at the point of sale. Reading the ingredient list closely, it contains thickeners and gums, flavourings, colours, preservatives, emulsifying and buffering salts and firming agents. These are not there to add nutritional value. They make industrial production and distribution possible.

Thickeners and gums

Thicken sauces, fillings and drinks and stop them separating. Found in the blackberry passion fruit refresher mix.

Flavourings

Add or restore taste lost during processing. Found in the blackberry passion fruit refresher mix and lemonade base.

Colours

Restore or standardise appearance after processing. Found in the blackberry passion fruit refresher mix.

Preservatives

Slow the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds in centrally prepared components. Found in the blackberry passion fruit refresher mix and lemonade base.

Emulsifying and buffering salts

Let processed cheese and cream melt smoothly, or hold the acidity of drinks steady. Found in the blackberry passion fruit refresher mix.

Firming agents

Keep processed vegetables and fruit pieces firm after packing. Found in the blackberry passion fruit refresher mix.

Boone classifies McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) 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, September 2026.

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) contains at least 18 distinct ingredients: 8 raw and 10 manufactured. Ordered as a full meal with a dip and a dessert that reaches 66, of which 35 are manufactured. Raw means something you could buy and cook with at home; manufactured means a substance that only exists as an output of industrial processing.

Ingredient count by order: McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)

What you orderRawManufacturedTotal% manufactured
McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) on its own8101856%
McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) + medium fries13142752%
McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) + fries + a dip22204248%
McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) + fries + dip + a medium Coca-Cola23224549%
McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) + fries + dip + drink + an OREO McFlurry31356653%

The 10 manufactured ingredients

calcium chloride, citric acid, coffee fruit extract, green coffee extract, natural flavor, pectin, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, sodium citrate, xanthan gum.

The 8 raw ingredients

blackberry puree, freeze dried dragonfruit, fruit and vegetable juice, lemon juice concentrate, passion fruit juice concentrate, sugar, water, white grape juice concentrate.

What those ingredients are, by type

Fruit, vegetables and nuts6
Other additives and processing aids5
Flavourings and extracts3
Water1
Sugars and syrups1
Acids and acidity regulators1
Salt and minerals1

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 “leavening (baking soda)” counts baking soda once. Ice and water added at the counter are not counted. 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. Every figure here is a minimum. The build uses a Sweet ’n Sour sauce.

Ingredients

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components.

Ingredients by component: McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)

Water

Water.

Ice

Ice.

Blackberry passion fruit refresher mix

Water, Sugar, Blackberry Puree, White Grape Juice Concentrate, Contains Less Than 2% Of Natural Flavor, Passion Fruit Juice Concentrate, Fruit And Vegetable Juice (color), Citric Acid, Coffee Fruit Extract, Sodium Benzoate (preservative), Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Sodium Citrate, Green Coffee Extract, Pectin, Xanthan Gum, Calcium Chloride.

Lemonade base

Sugar, Water, Lemon Juice Concentrate, Citric Acid, Natural Flavor, Potassium Sorbate And Sodium Benzoate (as Preservatives).

Freeze dried dragonfruit

Freeze Dried Dragonfruit.

Ingredients taken from the McDonald’s USA product pages, retrieved September 2026, with obvious spelling errors corrected. Recipes change - always check in restaurant before ordering if you have an allergy.

Allergens at a glance

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) does not declare any of the nine major US allergens.

Allergen information: McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)

AllergenStatus
MilkNot declared
EggsNot declared
FishNot declared
Crustacean shellfishNot declared
Tree nutsNot declared
PeanutsNot declared
WheatNot declared
SoybeansNot declared
SesameNot declared

Contains caffeine (45mg, as published). Contains = declared by McDonald’s USA. May contain = McDonald’s states the allergen may be present. McDonald’s prepares food in shared kitchens, so no item can be guaranteed allergen free. UK rules also require barley, oats, mustard, celery and sulphites to be declared; these are shown where the ingredient list names them. Retrieved September 2026.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)?+

Boone calculates that McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) contains 170 calories, which is 8% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value and 11% of the daily needs of a moderately active child aged 4 to 8.

How much added sugar is in a McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)?+

Boone calculates that McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) contains 30g of added sugar, about 7.5 teaspoons, which is 60% of the 50g FDA Daily Value.

Is McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) within US sugar guidance for children?+

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 recommend no added sugar for children aged 10 and under and no more than 10g per meal from age 11. With 30g of added sugar, McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) is over both.

How much sodium is in a McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)?+

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) contains 40mg of sodium. Boone calculates that as 3% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 8 and 2% of the 2,300mg adult limit.

Is McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) ultra-processed?+

Boone classifies McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) as NOVA group 4. Reading the published ingredient list, it is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components and contains thickeners and gums, flavourings, colours, preservatives, emulsifying and buffering salts and firming agents. NOVA group 4 describes how far a food is from its whole-food form, not how nutritious it is.

How much fibre is in a McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)?+

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) contains 1g of fibre. Boone calculates that as 4% of the 28g Daily Value and 5% of the 21g target for a child aged 4 to 8. Fibre is a target to reach rather than a limit to stay under.

Is McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) suitable for children?+

Boone’s analysis flags that its 30g of added sugar is above the Dietary Guidelines advice of no added sugar for children aged 10 and under; it contains caffeine. That does not make it off limits, but it does mean a Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) uses up a large share of a young child’s day in one item.

How much protein is in a McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small)?+

McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) contains 1g of protein, which Boone calculates as 2% of the 50g Daily Value.

Does McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small) contain caffeine?+

Yes. McDonald’s USA publishes 45mg of caffeine for McDonald's US Blackberry Passion Fruit Refresher (Small), from the coffee fruit and green coffee extracts in the refresher base.