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McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper, a cola-brown soft drink over ice topped with cream-coloured cold foam

McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Large) nutrition

Figures from McDonald’s US nutrition information , collected by Boone, checked 11 September 2026

Your order
Who is eating
430calories22% of the day
Where the calories come from
0%86%19%
ProteinCarbsFat
!Added sugar is the one to watch: 170% of her Daily Value in one drink.
CaloriesEnergy430 cal22%
Estimated need 2,000 calories (USDA)
Added sugarOver 10g a meal85g170%
Daily Value 50g; 10g a meal (DGA)
Saturated fatLow0.5g2%
Daily Value 20g
SodiumLow85mg4%
Limit 2,300mg (CDRR)
FibreTarget0g0%
Target 28g (14g per 1,000 calories)
ProteinTarget0g0%
Daily Value 50g

Dirty Dr Pepper (Large), as published. High and Low follow FDA’s 20% and 5% Daily Value marks. Calorie split calculated by Boone. How

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What it means for you

The Dirty Dr Pepper (Large) as published, seen four ways.

Adult

1 of 3 is 20% of the Daily Value or more in one drink, FDA’s mark for high.

22%of 2,000 calories (430 calories)
Low2%saturated fat: 0.5g of 20g DV
Low4%sodium: 85mg of 2,300mg DV
High170%added sugar: 85g of 50g DV

Added sugar is the biggest issue: 85g is 170% of the Daily Value in one drink.

Honest Kids Appley Ever After Organic Juice DrinkLower added sugarHonest Kids Appley Ever After Organic Juice Drink →0g added sugar (0% DV), 35 calories

Allergens

1 contain0 may contain8 not declared
MilkContains
EggsNot declared
FishNot declared
Crustacean shellfishNot declared
Tree nutsNot declared
PeanutsNot declared
WheatNot declared
SoybeansNot declared
SesameNot declared
The 9 major US allergens. As declared by McDonald’s USA. McDonald’s USA prepares food in shared kitchens, so no item can be guaranteed allergen free.
Total sugars86gPublished by McDonald’s USA
Added sugars85gPublished by McDonald’s USA. 21.2 teaspoons
  • 85g added sugar: high fructose corn syrup in the Dr Pepper, cane sugar, corn syrup in the cold foam
  • 1g not added: lactose in the cold foam

Sugar naturally in milk, fruit and vegetables is not added sugar. Dietary Guidelines →

85g of added sugar against US guidance
Daily Value 50g a day170%
Age 11 and over 10g a meal850%
Age 10 and under none advisedOver

Nutrient density: what you get per 100 calories

For smaller portions: the most nutrition per calorie, against all 247 McDonald’s US items.

Calculated by BooneHow
More protein per calorie than 0% of the menu, but less fibre per calorie than the menu average (0.00g against 0.28g).
Protein0.00g per 100 calories
This item
0.00g
Menu average
2.67g
Best: 1% Low Fat Milk Jug
8.00g

More protein per calorie than 0% of the 247 items on the menu.

Fibre0.00g per 100 calories
This item
0.00g
Menu average
0.28g
Best: Strawberry Banana Smoothie (Medium)
1.25g

More fibre per calorie than 0% of the 247 items on the menu.

Vitamins and minerals

McDonald’s USA does not publish vitamins or minerals for this item, so Boone does not estimate them.

FDA ‘healthy’ test

Fails1 of 3 limits exceeded
as a drink

Would not meet FDA’s ‘healthy’ criteria for a drink: over the added sugars limit.

43 of 247 McDonald’s US items are within the limits for their category.

Judged as a drink: limits are 2%, 10% and 5% of the Daily Value (the fruit and vegetable limits) for added sugars, sodium and saturated fat. Boone applies them to the serving as sold; McDonald’s USA makes no ‘healthy’ claim.
The three limits2 of 3 met
Sodium limit 230mg85mg within
37% of the limit
Saturated fat limit 1g0.5g within
50% of the limit
Added sugars limit 1g85g over
8500% of the limit
Food groups at least 1 equivalentNot checked
Not needed: it already fails a limit.

FDA final rule, December 2024. Food makers must comply by 25 February 2028.

What is in it

27 ingredients across 3 parts; 16 are additives or processed (orange).

11 basic, 16 orange
Dr Pepper9 ingredients, 5 orange
carbonated waterhigh fructose corn syrupwatercaramel colorphosphoric acidcaffeinesodium benzoate (preservative)natural and artificial flavorsdimethylpolysiloxane
Ice1 ingredient, 0 orange
ice
Cold foam17 ingredients, 11 orange
watercanola oilcane sugarcorn syrupnatural flavorssodium caseinate (a milk derivative)microcrystalline cellulosecellulose gumcarrageenansorbitan monostearatemono & diglyceridessaltdipotassium phosphatepolysorbate 60polysorbate 80and propylene glycolpropellants: nitrous oxide and nitrogen

Quick answers

How many calories are in a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Large)?+

430 calories as published. That is 22% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels.

Is a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Large) suitable for children?+

For a child aged 4 to 8 it is 6% of the day’s 1,500mg sodium limit in one item. It has 85g of added sugar, and the Dietary Guidelines advise none for children aged 10 and under. A DASANI Water has 0mg of sodium, 0% of that limit.

How much sugar is in a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Large)?+

86g of total sugars, of which 85g is added sugar as published. That is 21.2 teaspoons and 170% of the 50g Daily Value. The Dietary Guidelines advise no more than 10g of added sugar a meal from age 11.

How much protein is in a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Large)?+

0g, 0.0g per 100 calories. It ranks #190 of 237 items on the menu for protein. The 1% Low Fat Milk Jug gives the most protein for the calories, 8.0g per 100 calories.

Is a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Large) healthy by FDA’s definition?+

No. Judged as a drink, it is over FDA’s limit for added sugars. This is Boone’s reading of the FDA criteria; McDonald’s USA makes no ‘healthy’ claim.

Is a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Large) ultra-processed?+

Yes, NOVA group 4. The ingredient list includes emulsifiers, preservatives, colours and flavourings.

Which allergens are in a McDonald's US Dirty Dr Pepper (Large)?+

Of the 9 major US allergens, it contains milk.

Where the figures come from

Source. McDonald’s US nutrition information , per item as sold.

Collected. Copied by Boone from McDonald’s USA’s published figures. Data checks are led by Murray Dare.

Calculated by Boone. Labelled where it appears.

References. FDA Daily Values; USDA estimated calorie needs; Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025 to 2030; sodium limits by age from the National Academies; FDA ‘healthy’ claim criteria.

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