Figures from McDonald’s US nutrition information , collected by Boone, checked 11 September 2026
Hot Chocolate (Medium), as published. High and Low follow FDA’s 20% and 5% Daily Value marks. Calorie split calculated by Boone. How
The Hot Chocolate (Medium) as published, seen four ways.
2 of 3 are 20% of the Daily Value or more in one hot drink, FDA’s mark for high.
Added sugar is the biggest issue: 36g is 72% of the Daily Value in one hot drink.
Lower added sugarAmericano (Large) →0g added sugar (0% DV), 5 caloriesSodium limits by age: 9% for an adult, 14% at age 4 to 8.
For age 4 to 8, 210mg of sodium is 14% of the day’s 1,500mg limit in one hot drink. The Dietary Guidelines advise no added sugar at this age; this has 36g.
Lower-sodium swapHot Tea (Medium) →5mg sodium, 0% of the 1,500mg limitFor age 9 to 13, 210mg of sodium is 12% of the day’s 1,800mg limit in one hot drink.
Lower-sodium swapHot Tea (Medium) →5mg sodium, 0% of the 1,800mg limitFor age 14 to 18, 210mg of sodium is 9% of the day’s 2,300mg limit in one hot drink.
Lower-sodium swapHot Tea (Medium) →5mg sodium, 0% of the 2,300mg limitProtein counts in your favour here, but the saturated fat is still 45% of the Daily Value.
14g of protein, #51 on the menu. Per calorie the 1% Low Fat Milk Jug gives more: 8.0g per 100 calories against 3.2g.
Most protein per calorie1% Low Fat Milk Jug →8g protein in 100 caloriesHere the 210mg of sodium counts as useful after sweaty exercise.
62g of carbohydrate, with 31% 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 66% of the 247 items on the menu.
More fibre per calorie than 58% 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 dairy drink: over the saturated fat and added sugars limits.
43 of 247 McDonald’s US items are within the limits for their category.
FDA final rule, December 2024. Food makers must comply by 25 February 2028.
35 ingredients across 4 parts; 16 are additives or processed (orange).
Group 4 because of the additives or industrial ingredients listed above. How NOVA works →
French Vanilla Latte (Large) 12g protein, 150mg sodium400
Caramel Macchiato (Large) 14g protein, 490mg sodium400Caramel Apple Pie Latte (Medium) 11g protein, 330mg sodium410
Mocha Frappé (Small) 7g protein, 120mg sodium430
Hot Chocolate (Medium) 14g protein, 210mg sodium440
Mocha Latte (Large) 14g protein, 210mg sodium460Caramel Apple Pie Latte (Large) 14g protein, 390mg sodium490Mocha Frappé (Medium) 8g protein, 140mg sodium490440 calories as published. That is 22% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels.
For a child aged 4 to 8 it is 14% of the day’s 1,500mg sodium limit in one item. It has 36g of added sugar, and the Dietary Guidelines advise none for children aged 10 and under. A Hot Tea (Medium) has 5mg of sodium, 0% of that limit.
55g of total sugars, of which 36g is added sugar as published. That is 9.0 teaspoons and 72% of the 50g Daily Value. The Dietary Guidelines advise no more than 10g of added sugar a meal from age 11.
14g, 3.2g per 100 calories. It ranks #51 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.
No. Judged as a dairy drink, 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, acidity regulators and preservatives.
Of the 9 major US allergens, it contains milk and soybeans.
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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