How Much Sugar Is in a Milkshake?
A medium milkshake has about 45 g of sugar — more than a can of Coca-Cola, from ice cream, syrup, and whole milk blended together.
in 1 medium (12 fl oz) · about 10.7 teaspoons
- Per serving
- 45 g
- Per 100 g
- 13 g
- Type
- Mostly natural
- In teaspoons
- ≈ 10.7 tsp
More sugar than most people should have in a whole day.
A medium milkshake carries about 45 g of sugar — more than a can of Coke at 39 g, and this one comes with a straw instead of a fizz. Ice cream, flavoured syrup, and whipped topping stack on top of each other, and because it's blended cold and sweet, it goes down fast without the satisfaction of a real dessert eaten slowly.
It reads as a drink, but nutritionally it's closer to dessert-in-a-cup — some of that sugar is natural milk sugar, most of it is added syrup and sweetened ice cream. There's little to slow it down, so the whole thing can be gone in minutes.
How milkshake compares
Out of 114 everyday foods and drinks we track, milkshake ranks #4 for sugar per serving — more than 97% of them.
- Frappuccino50g
- Skittles47g
- Milkshake (this page)45g
- Fanta44g
- Chai latte42g
Bars show sugar per serving. Tap any food to see its full breakdown.
Lower-sugar swaps
- A small scoop of ice cream eaten with a spoon, not blended
- Frozen banana blended with milk for a naturally sweet, lower-sugar shake
Frequently asked questions
- Is a milkshake worse than a soda for sugar?
- Often, yes. A medium milkshake typically has more sugar than a can of Coke, plus fat from the ice cream on top.
- Why does a milkshake feel less sweet than its sugar count suggests?
- Cold temperature and fat both mute how sweet something tastes, so a milkshake can hide 45 g of sugar behind a flavour that doesn't feel overwhelming.
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Sugar values from Typical nutrition label; actual amounts vary by brand, ripeness, and recipe. Last updated 2026-08-28.