Figures from McDonald’s US nutrition information , collected by Boone, checked 11 September 2026
Hot Caramel Sundae, as published. High and Low follow FDA’s 20% and 5% Daily Value marks. Calorie split calculated by Boone. How
The Hot Caramel Sundae as published, seen four ways.
2 of 3 are 20% of the Daily Value or more in one serving, FDA’s mark for high.
Added sugar is the biggest issue: 34g is 68% of the Daily Value in one serving.
Lower added sugarSausage McMuffin with Egg →1g added sugar (2% DV), 480 caloriesSodium limits by age: 7% for an adult, 10% at age 4 to 8.
For age 4 to 8, 150mg of sodium is 10% of the day’s 1,500mg limit in one serving. The Dietary Guidelines advise no added sugar at this age; this has 34g.
Lower-sodium swapVanilla Cone →80mg sodium, 5% of the 1,500mg limitFor age 9 to 13, 150mg of sodium is 8% of the day’s 1,800mg limit in one serving.
Lower-sodium swapVanilla Cone →80mg sodium, 4% of the 1,800mg limitFor age 14 to 18, 150mg of sodium is 7% of the day’s 2,300mg limit in one serving.
Lower-sodium swapVanilla Cone →80mg sodium, 3% of the 2,300mg limitProtein counts in your favour here, but the saturated fat is still 22% of the Daily Value.
7g of protein, #106 on the menu. Per calorie the McCrispy Strips (smaller) gives more: 7.8g per 100 calories against 2.1g.
Most protein per calorieMcCrispy Strips (smaller) →31g protein in 400 caloriesHere the 150mg of sodium counts as useful after sweaty exercise.
58g of carbohydrate, with 19% of the energy from fat.
Sugar naturally in milk, fruit and vegetables is not added sugar. Dietary Guidelines →
For smaller portions: the most nutrition per calorie, against all 247 McDonald’s US items.
More protein per calorie than 52% of the 247 items on the menu.
More fibre per calorie than 44% of the 247 items on the menu.
McDonald’s USA does not publish vitamins or minerals for this item, so Boone does not estimate them.
Would not meet FDA’s ‘healthy’ criteria for a mixed product: over the saturated fat and added sugars limits.
43 of 247 McDonald’s US items are within the limits for their category. Portion weight estimated by Boone from similar items.
FDA final rule, December 2024. Food makers must comply by 25 February 2028.
20 ingredients across 2 parts; 10 are additives or processed (orange).
Group 4 because of the additives or industrial ingredients listed above. How NOVA works →
Vanilla Cone 5g protein, 80mg sodium200
Baked Apple Pie 2g protein, 100mg sodium230
Egg McMuffin 17g protein, 770mg sodium310
Hot Fudge Sundae 8g protein, 170mg sodium330Hot Caramel Sundae 7g protein, 150mg sodium330
Sausage McMuffin 14g protein, 760mg sodium400Sausage McMuffin with Egg 20g protein, 830mg sodium480
Caramel Apple Pie Frappé (Small) 7g protein, 220mg sodium530330 calories as published. That is 16% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels.
For a child aged 4 to 8 it is 10% of the day’s 1,500mg sodium limit in one item. It has 34g of added sugar, and the Dietary Guidelines advise none for children aged 10 and under. A Vanilla Cone has 80mg of sodium, 5% of that limit.
41g of total sugars, of which 34g is added sugar as published. That is 8.5 teaspoons and 68% of the 50g Daily Value. The Dietary Guidelines advise no more than 10g of added sugar a meal from age 11.
7g, 2.1g per 100 calories. It ranks #106 of 237 items on the menu for protein. The McCrispy Strips (smaller) gives the most protein for the calories, 7.8g per 100 calories.
No. Judged as a mixed product, it is over FDA’s limit for saturated fat and added sugars. This is Boone’s reading of the FDA criteria; McDonald’s USA makes no ‘healthy’ claim.
Yes, NOVA group 4. The ingredient list includes emulsifiers, emulsifying salts, flavourings and stabilisers and thickeners.
Of the 9 major US allergens, it contains milk.
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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