19 iced coffee drinks ranked from healthiest to least healthy
Lifestyle
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11:30 AM on Tuesday, July 22
By Olivia Rockeman for Hers, Stacker
19 iced coffee drinks ranked from healthiest to least healthy
Whether you need an energy boost on a road trip or you’re looking for a morning pick-me-up during a heatwave, hitting the drive-thru for an iced coffee drink may be tempting.
While an orange-flavored energy drink or a protein latte seem like the right choice for a quick caffeine boost, these beverages often have hidden sugar or high fat content. That’s why Hers analyzed the nutrition data of the summer menus from the largest U.S. fast food and cafe chains. A large majority of the drinks contain more than 30 grams of sugar, but a few are healthier than meets the eye. Read on to learn more about where to find the healthiest options and which drinks are better suited as an occasional treat.
The focus is on four nutritional data points for each summer coffee drink to rank a list of 19 from healthiest to unhealthiest:
- Calories: Research shows that reducing your intake of liquid calories—beverages with a high calorie count—helps achieve weight loss or avoid excess weight gain. That’s why being cognizant of the number of calories in your drink order can be a key part of your weight management journey.
- Total fat: While your body needs certain foods high in healthy fats for heart health and weight management, the fats found in fast food and cafe drinks often don’t fall into that category. Healthy fat sources include avocados, nuts, seeds and olive oil, none of which are in the ingredient lists of the drinks on this list. That’s why it’s important to keep an eye out for the fat content in your beverage order.
- Trans fat: Trans fats are harmful fats that can raise your "bad" cholesterol while lowering your "good" cholesterol, which can increase the risk of plaque buildup in your arteries over time. Most trans fats are found in ultra-processed foods like packaged snacks, baked goods, and fried foods.
- Sugar: Added sugar is a proven contributor to weight gain and obesity. In addition, while drinking coffee has been found to reduce the risk of Type 2 diabetes, adding sugar to it has been shown to remove those benefits.
Key Findings
- Panera Bread, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Peet’s Coffee have the three most health-conscious options for summer coffee drinks. They contain the lowest combined total of calories and sugar and don’t contain fat.
- Of the top 10 healthiest drinks, only four contained coffee. The remainder of the top drinks were tea-based or didn’t contain caffeine.
- The two least healthy options had both whipped cream and added sugar. That double-whammy makes for a dessertlike drink that functions more as a treat than an everyday beverage.
- Most cafes and coffee shops on the list have both healthy and unhealthy options. That means you have plenty of choice, no matter which chain is convenient for you.
Ready to order a refreshing summer drink with confidence? Here’s the list ranked based on the selected data points and methodology explained below.
Summer Coffee Drinks Ranked from Most to Least Health-Conscious
- Panera Bread* Pomegranate Hibiscus Tea
- Dunkin’ Donuts Peach Cherry Twist Energy
- Peet’s Coffee Sparkling Peach Chill Brew
- Starbucks Summer Skies Drink
- Starbucks Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
- Starbucks Summer Berry Lemonade Refresher
- Peet’s Coffee Baridi Mule
- Peet’s Coffee Iced Matcha Protein Latte
- Tim Hortons* Orange Tangerine Frozen Quencher
- Peet’s Coffee Peets on The Beach
- Dunkin’ Donuts Sabrina’s Strawberry Daydream Refresher
- Panera Bread* Blueberry Lavender Lemonade
- Dutch Bros Mangonada Rebel (iced)
- Panera Bread* Citrus Punch
- Tim Hortons* Toasted Marshmallow Cold Brew
- Peet’s Coffee Iced Vanilla Protein Latte
- Krispy Kreme Strawberry Infusion Lemonade Chiller
- Tim Hortons* Oreo Mocha Iced Capp
- Dunkin’ Donuts Cookie Dough Melted Ice Cream Frozen Coffee
* = 20 ounces converted to 16 ounces
Summer Coffee Drink Nutrition: Trends and Insights
Wondering which drinks are best and worst in specific nutrition categories? Look closer at the data to help you make mindful choices based on your individual health goals.
Drinks With the Most Calories
- Dunkin’ Donuts Cookie Dough Melted Ice Cream Frozen Coffee (550 calories)
- Tim Hortons Oreo Mocha Iced Capp (444 calories)
- Krispy Kreme Strawberry Infusion Lemonade Chiller (340 calories)
Drinks With the Fewest Calories
- Dunkin’ Donuts Peach Cherry Twist Energy (80 calories)
- Dunkin’ Donuts Peach Cherry Twist Energy (80 calories)
- Peet’s Coffee Sparkling Peach Chill Brew (120 calories)
Drinks With the Most Sugar
- Krispy Kreme Strawberry Infusion Lemonade Chiller (72 grams)
- Krispy Kreme Strawberry Infusion Lemonade Chiller (72 grams)
- Panera Bread Citrus Punch (55.2 grams)
Drinks With the Least Sugar
- Panera Bread Pomegranate Hibiscus Tea (1.6 grams)
- Starbucks Iced Horchata Oatmilk Shaken Espresso (16 grams)
- Dunkin’ Donuts Peach Cherry Twist Energy (18 grams)
Drinks With the Most Trans Fat
- Dunkin’ Donuts Cookie Dough Melted Ice Cream Frozen Coffee (0.5 grams)
- Tim Hortons Toasted Marshmallow Cold Brew (0.24 grams)
The remainder of the drinks didn’t contain any trans fats.
Methodology: How Scores Were Calculated
Hers referenced Toast’s list of the biggest national coffee chains by location to compile this list of summer coffee drinks. The locations without specific drink menus for the summer were eliminated, and Krispy Kreme, which is not considered a cafe on Toast’s list but has nearly 400 locations, was added. Using a 16-ounce serving, considered a medium size at most locations, the following nutritional data points were analyzed:
- Calories
- Fat
- Trans Fat
- Sugar
Tim Hortons and Panera Bread did not have data on 16-ounce servings of their drinks, which required a conversion of the nutritional data from the 20-ounce sizes to 16 ounces in order to conduct a fair analysis. After totaling the values in each of the four categories, the summer drinks were ranked from lowest to highest overall value. Get the data here.
Tips to Reach Your Weight Loss Goals This Summer
Summer vacations, holidays like the Fourth of July and Labor Day, and hot weather can throw you off your routine and make it difficult to maintain healthy habits. Even so, remember that there’s nothing wrong with indulging in a treat—you can always come back to your wellness goals the next day. Here are four ways to feel healthy and energized in the months ahead.
- Stay hydrated: Dehydration is common in the summer and can impact your energy levels, mood, and metabolism. One study found that higher water intake can lead to weight loss. In addition to water, remember that hydration can come from fiber-rich foods like watermelon, cucumbers, and citrus, a win-win for your energy levels and gut health.
- Consider your sugar and alcohol consumption: In addition to drinking water, staying hydrated also means avoiding sugary drinks and alcohol when possible. That’s because both can impact the amount of water retained in the body. For example, you might consider opting for an unsweetened iced tea over a flavored iced coffee drink next time you’re at the drive-thru.
- Pay attention to your caffeine intake: While it can be tempting to order that afternoon cup of coffee or tea for an energy boost, caffeinated beverages can make it harder to fall asleep at night. That’s especially true in the summer when longer daylight can delay the time that you fall asleep. Aim to stop consuming caffeine by mid-afternoon to ensure a good night's rest.
- Adjust your fitness routine: Warmer temperatures may leave you feeling unmotivated to run outside or practice hot yoga, so consider finding a new workout routine that’s suitable for the weather. You might find a local pool, try a pilates class in an air-conditioned studio, or opt for a bike ride.
This story was produced by Hers and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.
