Nutrition information
Nutrition information: McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small)
| Calories | 520 |
| Total fat | 14g |
| of which saturated | 9g |
| Trans fat | 0.5g |
| Carbohydrate | 85g |
| Total sugars | 67g |
| Includes added sugars | 54g |
| Fibre | 0.6g |
| Protein | 12g |
| Sodium | 250mg |
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. Fibre is derived from the % Daily Value because the published gram figure rounds to zero or is missing.
McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small) contains 520 calories, which is 26% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels. It provides 14g of total fat, of which 9g is saturated, 67g of total sugars (54g added), 250mg of sodium, 12g of protein and 0.6g of fibre.
The saturated fat content of 9g represents 45% of the 20g Daily Value.
McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small) is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components, combined at the point of sale. The chocolate shake syrup alone carries 5 different classes of additive. Across the whole item the ingredient list names corn syrups and invert sugar, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, flavourings, colours, preservatives and humectants. None of these add nutritional value. They exist to make the item survive industrial production, storage and transport.
McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small) is over the US per-meal added sugar limit
McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small) contains 54g of added sugar, 5.4 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
Ultra-processed food: what is really in it
Processing and additives: McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small)
McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small) is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components, combined and served at the point of sale. Reading the ingredient list closely, it contains corn syrups and invert sugar, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, flavourings, colours, preservatives and humectants. These are not there to add nutritional value. They make industrial production and distribution possible.
Corn syrups and invert sugar
Sweeten and control texture more cheaply than sugar alone. Found in the vanilla reduced fat ice cream and chocolate shake syrup.
Emulsifiers
Help oil-based and water-based ingredients blend and stay blended. Found in the vanilla reduced fat ice cream and whipped light cream.
Thickeners and gums
Thicken sauces, fillings and drinks and stop them separating. Found in the vanilla reduced fat ice cream and whipped light cream.
Flavourings
Add or restore taste lost during processing. Found in the vanilla reduced fat ice cream, chocolate shake syrup and whipped light cream.
Colours
Restore or standardise appearance after processing. Found in the chocolate shake syrup.
Preservatives
Slow the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds in centrally prepared components. Found in the chocolate shake syrup.
Humectants
Keep syrups and fillings moist and stop them drying out. Found in the chocolate shake syrup.
Boone classifies McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (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 Chocolate Shake (Small) contains at least 17 distinct ingredients: 8 raw and 9 manufactured. Ordered as a full meal with a dip and a dessert that reaches 56, of which 30 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 Chocolate Shake (Small)
| What you order | Raw | Manufactured | Total | % manufactured |
|---|
| McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small) on its own | 8 | 9 | 17 | 53% |
| McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small) + medium fries | 12 | 13 | 25 | 52% |
| McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small) + fries + a dip | 21 | 20 | 41 | 49% |
| McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small) + fries + dip + a medium Coca-Cola | 22 | 22 | 44 | 50% |
| McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small) + fries + dip + drink + an OREO McFlurry | 26 | 30 | 56 | 54% |
The 9 manufactured ingredients
carrageenan, cellulose gum, corn syrup, glycerin, guar gum, mono and diglycerides, natural flavor, potassium sorbate, vitamin a palmitate.
The 8 raw ingredients
cocoa, cream, fruit and vegetable juice, milk, processed with alkali, salt, sugar, water.
What those ingredients are, by type
Other additives and processing aids7
Meat, fish, dairy and eggs2
Sugars and syrups2
Fruit, vegetables and nuts2
Flavourings and extracts1
Vitamins and fortification1
Water1
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 Chocolate Shake (Small) is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components.
Ingredients by component: McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small)
Vanilla reduced fat ice cream
Milk, Sugar, Cream, Corn Syrup, Natural Flavor, Mono And Diglycerides, Cellulose Gum, Guar Gum, Carrageenan, Vitamin A Palmitate.
Chocolate shake syrup
Sugar, Corn Syrup, Water, Glycerin, Cocoa (processed With Alkali), Fruit And Vegetable Juice (color), Salt, Natural Flavors, Potassium Sorbate (preservative).
Whipped light cream
Cream, Nonfat Milk, Milk, Liquid Sugar, Contains 2% Or Less: Mono And Diglycerides, Natural Flavors, Carrageenan. Whipping Propellant (nitrous Oxide).
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 Chocolate Shake (Small) contains milk.
Allergen information: McDonald's US Chocolate Shake (Small)
| Allergen | Status |
|---|
| Milk | Contains |
| Eggs | Not declared |
| Fish | Not declared |
| Crustacean shellfish | Not declared |
| Tree nuts | Not declared |
| Peanuts | Not declared |
| Wheat | Not declared |
| Soybeans | Not declared |
| Sesame | Not declared |
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.
