Shocking sugar levels in high street iced coffee blends revealed

Iced coffee blends from high street coffee chains often contain shocking amounts of sugar, with many 'regular-sized' or medium drinks exceeding the maximum recommended daily intake for adults, Which? research reveals.

And unless you've had the foresight to seek out nutrition information online, you'd have no idea, as it's not always displayed in-store.

One of the worst options we found, the Starbucks Grandé Java Chip Frappuccino with soya milk, contains 46g of sugar - more than 11 teaspoons' worth. NHS health advice suggests a maximum of 30g, or 6-7 teaspoons of free sugar per day.

A loophole in sugary drink rules means those made fresh on-site are exempt from punitive taxes on high sugar content. This, combined with a lack of clearly displayed nutrition info, means consumers are at risk of unwittingly overdoing it.

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How much sugar is in iced coffees from Caffè Nero, Costa and Starbucks

We compared blended iced coffees from three of the biggest high street chains, using information found on their websites or by enquiring direct, and found many had really high sugar levels. 

You might think plain coffee flavours would be safe, but, while they do contain less sugar than some, levels are still pretty high (21.3g in a Costa version). 

Special flavours, such as chocolate or caramel, had even higher sugar levels.

And these were only the medium or regular-sized ones (without extra toppings). If you opt for a larger version, it will pack in even more sugar.

For blends that contain dairy milk, some of the sugar within will come from lactose, a naturally occurring sugar. 

Cow's milk contains 5g of lactose per 100ml. But any sugars in plant-based milks count as 'free sugar' - the stuff we're meant to limit. Either way, both types still also include high levels of free sugar.

Lack of in-store information on sugar content

By law, the calorie content of these drinks needs to be displayed in store, but the sugar content doesn't. 

This information is on the brands' websites. A Starbucks spokesperson told us: 'We are committed to helping customers make informed and improved choices that work for them, offering a range of customisation options such as choosing our smallest size (Tall) and our oat dairy alternative with no added sugar. 

'Sugar content for an Iced Latte with Semi Skimmed Milk, one of our most popular beverages, starts from 8.7g for a Tall size. Customers can find all nutritional information available on our mobile app, online and our menu boards.'

A Costa Coffee spokesperson said: 'We know our customers love visiting us for their everyday favourites or a treat with friends and family. We are proud to offer a balanced range of drinks which also includes, as part of our Summer menu, a fruity range of Refreshers which all contain less than 40 calories and 2 teaspoons of added sugar per serving.'

'We only offer our limited-edition seasonal drinks, including our Summer range of Frappes, in Small and Medium sizes. All drinks can also be customised to reduce the calorie or sugar content, including requesting skimmed milk and removing toppings, or downsizing to a smaller cup size.'

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Why sugary drinks are a problem

While, for the dairy-based drinks at least, some of the sugar content comes from lactose, all also contain high amounts of free sugars. 

Free sugars are added sugars - or those found naturally in syrups, honey and fruit juice - and health advice is to limit how much of these you consume, due to their damaging impact on teeth. A high intake of free sugars can also lead to weight gain. 

Being overweight can, in turn, increase your risk of several diseases, including Type 2 Diabetes. 

The government recommends children over 11 and adults have a maximum of 30g of free sugars a day, around 6-7 teaspoons. Smaller children should have even less (24g for children 7-10, 19g for children 4-6, avoid as much as possible for under 4's).

Excess free sugar in your drinks means extra calories. And ones that are really easy to over consume as you chug down a tasty drink. You don't tend to register calories from drinks in the same way as food, as they don't fill you up as much.

Sugar tax loophole

In 2018 the government introduced a Soft Drinks Industry Levy (SDIL), known as the 'sugar tax', in an attempt to clamp down on high sugar levels in drinks. 

Soft drinks that contain more than 5g of sugar per 100ml are subject to the tax. As a result of this, manufacturers reformulated their drinks and it's estimated that 48 million kilograms of sugar have been removed from UK diets each year.

The problem is, some drinks are exempt from the tax - including fruit juices, and drinks made on site and served in open cups. Syrups, often used in frappés, are also exempt.

This means these iced coffees are exempt, even though they contain more sugar than other drinks that are subject to it.

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Healthier iced drink swaps

If you want to cut your sugar intake but still enjoy an iced brew, a simple switch is to opt for iced versions of a standard coffee instead.

These are typically unblended, and involve a shot of coffee mixed with water, milk (or dairy-free alternative) and ice cubes in a cup, such as an iced Americano or Latte. 

These contain much less sugar, because they don't contain added sugar - or the sugary syrups used for frappès and frappuccinos.

Costa's iced flat white still contains 11.2g of sugar (2.5 teaspoons) but this is sugar found naturally in the milk and doesn't count towards your free sugar intake. 

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How to make iced coffee at home

It's easy to make your own iced coffee at home - it's essentially cold coffee and ice.

The easiest option is to make it with instant coffee dissolved in a small amount of boiling water and then topping this up with cold water, milk (if you prefer a milky brw) and ice. For the tastiest results, see our pick of the best instant coffees available at the supermarket.

Or if you want to use your coffee machine or a cafetiere you will need to make the coffee in advance and allow it to cool down before topping it up with milk and ice.

See our guide to making iced coffee at home, and pick up a Best Buy reusable coffee mug to keep it cool when out and about.