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McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium): calories and sugar by portion, age and sex

Boone’s analysis puts McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) at 24% of an adult’s daily calories, 9% of the daily sodium limit for a child aged 4 to 8 and 13.2 teaspoons of added sugar.

How many calories are in a McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)? It contains 490 calories, 20g of fat (13g saturated), 53g of added sugar and 140mg of sodium.

Build a full meal with our nutrition calculator

Use the Boone meal calculator to build a full meal rather than view this item on its own. Add fries, a drink, dips and a dessert, then choose your age and sex, and switch between US and UK guidance, for a more accurate view of how a Mocha Frappé (Medium) fits into a day.

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Nutrition information

Nutrition information: McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)

Calories490
Total fat20g
of which saturated13g
Trans fat0.5g
Carbohydrate72g
Total sugars60g
Includes added sugars53g
Fibre0.5g
Protein8g
Sodium140mg

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 Mocha Frappé (Medium) contains 490 calories, which is 24% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value used on US food labels. It provides 20g of total fat, of which 13g is saturated, 60g of total sugars (53g added), 140mg of sodium, 8g of protein and 0.5g of fibre.

The saturated fat content of 13g represents 65% of the 20g Daily Value.

McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components, combined at the point of sale. The chocolate drizzle alone carries 10 different classes of additive. Across the whole item the ingredient list names corn syrups and invert sugar, dextrose, modified starches, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, flavourings, artificial colours, preservatives, phosphates and raising agents, emulsifying and buffering salts, hydrogenated or interesterified oils and humectants. None of these add nutritional value. They exist to make the item survive industrial production, storage and transport.

McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) is over the US per-meal added sugar limit

McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) contains 53g of added sugar, 5.3 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. It is also high in saturated fat.

FDA Daily Values (2,000-calorie diet)

Calories2,000
Total fat78g
Saturated fat20g
Carbohydrate275g
Added sugars50g
Fibre28g
Sodium2,300mg
Protein50g

Added sugar vs total sugar

Where the sugar comes from: McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)

53g of the 60g counts as added sugar, or about 13.2 teaspoons. The other 7g is naturally occurring.

Added sugars come from

  • sugar, high fructose corn syrup in the mocha coffee frappé base
  • corn syrup, dextrose, sugar in the chocolate drizzle

Naturally occurring sugars come from

  • lactose in the mocha coffee frappé base
  • lactose in the whipped light cream
  • lactose in the chocolate drizzle

Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030: no more than 10g of added sugar per meal from age 11 and none for children aged 10 and under. FDA Daily Value: 50g a day. Sources are read from the published ingredient list for each component.

Ultra-processed food: what is really in it

Processing and additives: McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)

McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (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, dextrose, modified starches, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, flavourings, artificial colours, preservatives, phosphates and raising agents, emulsifying and buffering salts, hydrogenated or interesterified oils 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 mocha coffee frappé base and chocolate drizzle.

Dextrose

A simple sugar used for browning, bulk and mild sweetness. Found in the chocolate drizzle.

Modified starches

Starches altered industrially to thicken, bind or hold texture through freezing and reheating. Found in the chocolate drizzle.

Emulsifiers

Help oil-based and water-based ingredients blend and stay blended. Found in the mocha coffee frappé base, whipped light cream and chocolate drizzle.

Thickeners and gums

Thicken sauces, fillings and drinks and stop them separating. Found in the mocha coffee frappé base, whipped light cream and chocolate drizzle.

Flavourings

Add or restore taste lost during processing. Found in the mocha coffee frappé base, whipped light cream and chocolate drizzle.

Artificial colours

Petroleum-derived dyes. The US Dietary Guidelines advise limiting them, and Red 40, Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 would need a warning about children’s activity and attention on UK labels. Found in the mocha coffee frappé base.

Preservatives

Slow the growth of bacteria, yeasts and moulds in centrally prepared components. Found in the chocolate drizzle.

Phosphates and raising agents

Hold moisture in meat, control acidity or make batters and doughs rise. Found in the mocha coffee frappé base and chocolate drizzle.

Emulsifying and buffering salts

Let processed cheese and cream melt smoothly, or hold the acidity of drinks steady. Found in the mocha coffee frappé base.

Hydrogenated or interesterified oils

Industrially hardened fats used for stability and frying life. Found in the chocolate drizzle.

Humectants

Keep syrups and fillings moist and stop them drying out. Found in the chocolate drizzle.

Boone classifies McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (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 Mocha Frappé (Medium) contains at least 28 distinct ingredients: 7 raw and 21 manufactured. Ordered as a full meal with a dip and a dessert that reaches 65, of which 40 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 Mocha Frappé (Medium)

What you orderRawManufacturedTotal% manufactured
McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) on its own7212875%
McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) + medium fries11243569%
McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) + fries + a dip20305060%
McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) + fries + dip + a medium Coca-Cola21325360%
McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) + fries + dip + drink + an OREO McFlurry25406562%

The 21 manufactured ingredients

artificial flavor, blue 1, carrageenan, coffee extract, corn syrup, dextrose, disodium phosphate, gellan gum, glycerin, guar gum, high fructose corn syrup, hydrogenated coconut oil, locust bean gum, modified food starch, mono and diglycerides, natural flavor, potassium citrate, potassium sorbate, red 40, soy lecithin, yellow 5.

The 7 raw ingredients

cocoa, cream, milk, processed with alkali, salt, sugar, water.

What those ingredients are, by type

Other additives and processing aids11
Sugars and syrups4
Flavourings and extracts3
Colours3
Meat, fish, dairy and eggs2
Water1
Fruit, vegetables and nuts1
Oils and fats1
Starches1
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 Mocha Frappé (Medium) is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components.

Ingredients by component: McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)

Mocha coffee frappé base

Cream, Water, Skim Milk, Sugar, High Fructose Corn Syrup, Coffee Extract, Milk, Natural & Artificial Flavors, Cocoa (processed With Alkali), Mono & Diglycerides, Guar Gum, Potassium Citrate, Disodium Phosphate, Carrageenan, Locust Bean Gum, Red 40, Yellow 5, Blue 1.

Ice

Ice.

Whipped light cream

Cream, Nonfat Milk, Milk, Liquid Sugar, Contains 2% Or Less: Mono And Diglycerides, Natural Flavors, Carrageenan. Whipping Propellant (nitrous Oxide).

Chocolate drizzle

Corn Syrup, Dextrose, Water, Sugar, Glycerin, Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Cocoa (processed With Alkali), Modified Food Starch, Nonfat Milk, Natural Flavors, Salt, Gellan Gum, Disodium Phosphate, Potassium Sorbate (preservative), Soy Lecithin.

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 Mocha Frappé (Medium) contains milk and soy.

Allergen information: McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)

AllergenStatus
MilkContains
EggsNot declared
FishNot declared
Crustacean shellfishNot declared
Tree nutsNot declared
PeanutsNot declared
WheatNot declared
SoybeansContains
SesameNot declared

Contains artificial colours that would need a warning about children’s activity and attention on UK labels. 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.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)?+

Boone calculates that McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) contains 490 calories, which is 24% of the 2,000-calorie Daily Value and 33% of the daily needs of a moderately active child aged 4 to 8.

How much added sugar is in a McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)?+

Boone calculates that McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) contains 53g of added sugar, about 13.2 teaspoons, which is 106% of the 50g FDA Daily Value.

Is McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) within US sugar guidance for children?+

The Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2025–2030 recommend no added sugar for children aged 10 and under and no more than 10g per meal from age 11. With 53g of added sugar, McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) is over both.

How much saturated fat is in a McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)?+

McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) contains 13g of saturated fat. Boone calculates this as 65% of the 20g Daily Value and 76% of the 17g limit for a child aged 4 to 8.

How much sodium is in a McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)?+

McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) contains 140mg of sodium. Boone calculates that as 9% of the daily limit for a child aged 4 to 8 and 6% of the 2,300mg adult limit.

Is McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) ultra-processed?+

Boone classifies McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) as NOVA group 4. Reading the published ingredient list, it is assembled from 3 separately manufactured components and contains corn syrups and invert sugar, dextrose, modified starches, emulsifiers, thickeners and gums, flavourings, artificial colours, preservatives, phosphates and raising agents, emulsifying and buffering salts, hydrogenated or interesterified oils and humectants. NOVA group 4 describes how far a food is from its whole-food form, not how nutritious it is.

How much fibre is in a McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)?+

McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) contains 0.5g of fibre. Boone calculates that as 2% of the 28g Daily Value and 2% of the 21g target for a child aged 4 to 8. Fibre is a target to reach rather than a limit to stay under.

Is McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) suitable for children?+

Boone’s analysis flags that its 53g of added sugar is above the Dietary Guidelines advice of no added sugar for children aged 10 and under; its 13g of saturated fat is 76% of their daily limit; it contains caffeine. That does not make it off limits, but it does mean a Mocha Frappé (Medium) uses up a large share of a young child’s day in one item.

How much protein is in a McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium)?+

McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) contains 8g of protein, which Boone calculates as 16% of the 50g Daily Value.

Does McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium) contain caffeine?+

Yes. It is made with coffee or espresso, but McDonald’s USA does not publish a caffeine figure for McDonald's US Mocha Frappé (Medium).