Nutrition information
Nutrition information: McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium)
| Calories | 320 |
| Total fat | 8g |
| of which saturated | 5g |
| Trans fat | 0g |
| Carbohydrate | 52g |
| Total sugars | 38g |
| Includes added sugars | 25g |
| Fibre | 0.3g |
| Protein | 10g |
| Sodium | 115mg |
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 French Vanilla Latte (Medium) contains 320 calories, which is 16% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels. It provides 8g of total fat, of which 5g is saturated, 38g of total sugars (25g added), 115mg of sodium, 10g of protein and 0.3g of fibre.
The saturated fat content of 5g represents 25% of the 20g Daily Value.
McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium) is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components, combined at the point of sale. The french vanilla syrup alone carries 5 different classes of additive. Across the whole item the ingredient list names corn syrups and invert sugar, 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 French Vanilla Latte (Medium) is over the US per-meal added sugar limit
McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium) contains 25g of added sugar, 2.5 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 French Vanilla Latte (Medium)
McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium) 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, 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 french vanilla syrup.
Flavourings
Add or restore taste lost during processing. Found in the french vanilla syrup.
Colours
Restore or standardise appearance after processing. Found in the french vanilla syrup.
Preservatives
Slow the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds in centrally prepared components. Found in the french vanilla syrup.
Humectants
Keep syrups and fillings moist and stop them drying out. Found in the french vanilla syrup.
Boone classifies McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium) 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 French Vanilla Latte (Medium) contains at least 11 distinct ingredients: 4 raw and 7 manufactured. Ordered as a full meal with a dip and a dessert that reaches 58, of which 32 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 French Vanilla Latte (Medium)
| What you order | Raw | Manufactured | Total | % manufactured |
|---|
| McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium) on its own | 4 | 7 | 11 | 64% |
| McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium) + medium fries | 9 | 11 | 20 | 55% |
| McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium) + fries + a dip | 18 | 18 | 36 | 50% |
| McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium) + fries + dip + a medium Coca-Cola | 19 | 20 | 39 | 51% |
| McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium) + fries + dip + drink + an OREO McFlurry | 26 | 32 | 58 | 55% |
The 7 manufactured ingredients
caramel color, citric acid, corn syrup, glycerin, natural flavor, potassium sorbate, vitamin d3 added.
The 4 raw ingredients
espresso, milk, sugar, water.
What those ingredients are, by type
Sugars and syrups2
Other additives and processing aids2
Meat, fish, dairy and eggs1
Vitamins and fortification1
Water1
Flavourings and extracts1
Acids and acidity regulators1
Colours1
Fruit, vegetables and nuts1
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 French Vanilla Latte (Medium) is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components.
Ingredients by component: McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium)
Whole milk
Milk, Vitamin D3 Added.
French vanilla syrup
Sugar, Water, Corn Syrup, Glycerin, Contains 2% Or Less: Natural Flavor, Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Citric Acid, Caramel Color.
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 French Vanilla Latte (Medium) contains milk.
Allergen information: McDonald's US French Vanilla Latte (Medium)
| 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 caffeine, but McDonald’s USA does not publish a figure. 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.
