- As leaves turn red, orange, and yellow, many people indulge in fall drinks from Starbucks and Dunkin'.
- Insider examined the amount of sugar in 16-ounce servings of popular fall-flavored drinks from both coffee chains.
- The Dunkin' Pumpkin Swirl Iced Cappuccino and Pumpkin Swirl Hot Macchiato each have 30 grams of sugar — the least of the bunch.
- Meanwhile, Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino has 73 grams of sugar and the Dunkin' Pumpkin Swirl Frozen Coffee contains 99 grams of sugar — or 7 3/4 tablespoons.
- Visit Insider's homepage for more stories.
Enjoying an afternoon pick-me-up in the form of a pumpkin-flavored coffee drink is basically a rite of passage during fall in America.
Starbucks and Dunkin' are arguably the most recognizable coffee chains in the country, and both are known for releasing a slew of seasonal beverages — from pumpkin lattes to drinks drizzled with cinnamon.
Using online nutrition information from Dunkin' and Starbucks, Insider compared the amount of sugar in eight fall-flavored drinks — four beverages from each chain. Each featured drink was made with whole milk and was 16 ounces, which is considered a small at Dunkin' and a grande at Starbucks.
While the occasional sugary drink is an enjoyable treat, consuming too much sugar, especially on a regular basis, can increase the risk of developing cavities, among other health issues, according to the FDA.
The FDA identifies two types of sugars: naturally occurring sugars — found in fruit, vegetables, dairy products, and 100% fruit and vegetable juices — and added sugars, which tend to be found in sweets, sugar-sweetened drinks, and desserts, such as brownies, ice cream, and cookies.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommends consuming no more than 10% of your total calories for the day from added sugars. This is equivalent to consuming no more than 12.5 teaspoons — or a little more than 4 tablespoons — in added sugars per day, based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
Keep reading for a look at how much sugar is in popular fall-flavored drinks from Dunkin' and Starbucks.
The Pumpkin Swirl Hot Macchiato from Dunkin' has the least sugar of the bunch, with 30 grams in a small size.
The Pumpkin Swirl Macchiato from Dunkin' is made with steamed milk, a pumpkin-flavored swirl, and topped with a double shot of espresso.
The small size contains about 2 1/4 tablespoons of sugar.
The Dunkin' Pumpkin Swirl Iced Cappuccino tied for having the lowest sugar content, with 30 grams in a 16-ounce drink.
The cold, pumpkin-flavored espresso beverage contains 2 1/4 tablespoons of sugar in a small size.
Starbucks' Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew contains 31 grams of sugar in a grande size.
The grande size, which is 16 ounces, has about 2 1/4 tablespoons of sugar — very comparable to the amount of sugar in the previous two Dunkin' drinks.
The Pumpkin Cream Cold Brew is sweetened with two pumps of vanilla syrup and topped with pumpkin spice flavoring and pumpkin cream cold foam.
The Dunkin' Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Signature Hot Latte has 38 grams, or about 3 tablespoons, of sugar.
The small latte is topped with whipped cream, caramel drizzle, and cinnamon sugar.
Starbucks' Pumpkin Spice Latte with whole milk contains 50 grams of sugar.
The coffee chain's famous seasonal latte beverage has about 4 tablespoons of sugar in a Grande size.
Made with pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, the drink has become a highly anticipated release each year — with its launch coming earlier over the years.
There are 69 grams of sugar in Starbucks' Salted Caramel Mocha Frappuccino.
The Grande-sized drink, when made with whole milk and whipped cream, contains about 5 1/2 tablespoons of sugar.
It's made with toffee nut syrup, mocha sauce, milk and ice, and topped with caramel sauce, whipped cream, sugar, and sea salt.
The Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino from Starbucks has 73 grams of sugar in a grande size.
The Pumpkin Spice Frappuccino is made with coffee, milk, and ice, blended with fall flavors and topped with whipped cream and pumpkin pie spice.
The grande size contains about 5 3/4 tablespoons of sugar.
The Dunkin' Pumpkin Swirl Frozen Coffee contains 99 grams of sugar in a small size.
The frozen drink has the most sugar out of the drinks analyzed, coming in at 99 grams of sugar — or 7 3/4 tablespoons — in a small size.
The large size of the Pumpkin Swirl Frozen Coffee contains 183 grams of sugar, which is equivalent to a little more than 14 tablespoons of sugar. For context, there are 16 tablespoons in 1 cup.
Indulging in a festive coffee drink is a tasty way to celebrate fall. As is the case with most sweet treats, it's all about balance.
- Read more:
- 10 scary things that happen to your body when you eat too much sugar
- 13 foods you didn't realize have shocking amounts of sugar
- Photos show the surprising amount of sugar in 14 of America's favorite condiments
- 4 surprising condiments that don't have any sugar
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