Which cool drink has more calories? A definitive comparison

November 27, 2025 •

4 min read

According to nutrition experts, a single, large milkshake can exceed 600 calories, while some blended coffee drinks can top 400 calories. Understanding which cool drink has more calories is crucial for making informed dietary decisions, especially when you consider that many popular beverages are loaded with hidden sugars and fats.

Quick Summary

This article compares the calorie content of popular chilled drinks, from milkshakes and smoothies to sodas and fruit juices. Discover which beverages contain the most calories and why, helping you navigate your options more health-consciously.

Key Points

Milkshakes often win for calories: Indulgent, large milkshakes can contain over 600 calories, primarily from ice cream and syrups.
Commercial smoothies can be high in sugar: Store-bought and bottled smoothies sometimes use fruit concentrates and added sweeteners, rivaling the calorie count of other sugary drinks.
Specialty coffee drinks add up: The high-fat milk, syrup, and whipped cream in iced lattes can increase their calorie count to over 400 calories.
Sodas offer empty calories: A standard can of soda provides 140-180 calories from pure sugar with little nutritional benefit.
Juice concentrates sugar: Even 100% fruit juice can be calorie-dense because it packs the sugar of several fruits into a single glass.
Homemade is often best: Preparing your own cool drinks allows you to control the ingredients, reducing or eliminating added sugars and fats for lower-calorie results.

The deceptive nature of liquid calories often leads people to consume more than they intend. Unlike solid food, beverages rarely trigger the same sense of fullness, making it easy to add hundreds of extra calories to your daily intake without realizing it. To make smarter choices, it's essential to look beyond the "refreshing" label and examine the nutritional content of what you're drinking. From the classic diner milkshake to the seemingly innocent fruit smoothie, the calorie count can vary dramatically. This guide breaks down the contenders and reveals which cool drink truly has the most calories.

The Contenders for Highest Calorie Count

Milkshakes: The Indulgent Top Tier

Without a doubt, milkshakes often take the crown for the highest-calorie cool drink. Made with a base of ice cream and full-fat milk, these creamy treats are essentially liquid desserts. Toppings like whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and candy pieces only push the calorie count higher. For example, a commercial milkshake can contain anywhere from 400 to over 600 calories, with much of that coming from fat and added sugar. While enjoyable as an occasional treat, they are not a beverage to be consumed regularly for anyone watching their weight.

High-Calorie Coffee Drinks: A Hidden Sugar Rush

Don't be fooled by the word 'coffee.' Many of the iced specialty coffee beverages from popular chains are more like dessert than a simple caffeine fix. A basic iced latte with low-fat milk might have around 150 calories, but the addition of flavored syrups, whole milk, and whipped cream can skyrocket the total. Some iced coffee creations can pack over 400 calories per serving, primarily from excess fat and sugar. Choosing a sugar-free syrup and nonfat milk is a much better option for a lower-calorie alternative.

Commercial Smoothies: A Faux-Healthy Facade

While homemade smoothies with fresh fruit, yogurt, and low-fat milk can be a healthy, nutrient-dense choice, many commercial and bottled versions are loaded with calories and sugar. Some store-bought smoothies use fruit concentrates, sorbets, and added sweeteners, transforming them into little more than a sugar delivery system. It's not uncommon for a large, commercial fruit smoothie to contain 300 to 400 calories or more, with many of those calories coming from simple carbohydrates that offer little nutritional value. Reading the nutrition label is key to separating the genuinely healthy from the deceptively sugary.

Sugary Sodas and Energy Drinks

These carbonated and caffeinated options are a well-known source of liquid calories. A standard 12-ounce can of regular soda contains about 140-180 calories, all from sugar. Energy drinks can be even more calorie-dense; for instance, a 16-ounce Monster Energy can contain over 250 calories and 54 grams of sugar. The Harvard School of Public Health notes that these beverages offer little to no nutrients and should be limited.

Comparison Table of Popular Cool Drinks

To illustrate the differences, here is a comparison of various cold drinks based on common serving sizes.


Beverage Type	Serving Size	Approximate Calories	Key Calorie Sources
Milkshake	12-16 oz	400-600+	Ice cream, whole milk, syrup
Specialty Iced Coffee	16 oz	250-400+	Syrup, whole milk, whipped cream
Commercial Smoothie	16-20 oz	200-400+	Fruit concentrates, sorbet, yogurt
Sweet Tea	12 oz	~160	Added sugar
Regular Soda	12 oz	140-180	Added sugar
100% Fruit Juice	8 oz	110-150	Natural fruit sugars
Lemonade	12 oz	~120-150	Added sugar
Unsweetened Iced Tea	12 oz	~4	Water, tea leaves

Making Healthier Choices

Opting for lower-calorie cool drinks is simple when you know what to look for. Here are some healthy alternatives:

Infused Water: Add fresh fruit slices (lemon, cucumber, berries) or herbs (mint, basil) to water for a flavorful, zero-calorie refreshment.
Unsweetened Iced Tea: Brew your own tea and chill it. You can control the sweetness, or skip it entirely for a calorie-free drink.
Sparkling Water: For a fizzy fix without the calories or sugar of soda, choose unflavored or naturally flavored sparkling water.
DIY Smoothies: Make your own smoothies at home using fresh fruits, vegetables (like spinach), and a low-fat liquid base like skim milk or water to control the sugar content.
Black Coffee: Iced black coffee has virtually no calories and can be a great pick-me-up.

For more detailed information on sugary drinks and their health impacts, consult the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. [https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-drinks/sugary-drinks/]

Conclusion

While many cool drinks are marketed as thirst-quenchers, their calorie content can vary significantly. Milkshakes and specialty coffee drinks generally lead the pack in terms of calories, driven by high amounts of fat and added sugars. Commercial smoothies and fruit juices also often contain more calories than many people realize due to concentrated sugars. Making a conscious effort to check nutrition facts and choose naturally low-calorie options like infused water, unsweetened iced tea, or homemade smoothies is the best strategy for staying cool and healthy. By understanding where the calories come from, you can make more mindful decisions about your beverage consumption.

Frequently Asked Questions

Generally, milkshakes are higher in calories because they are made with ice cream and full-fat milk. Some commercial smoothies, however, can also be very high in calories if they include sorbet, added sugars, or syrups.

To reduce calories in iced coffee, opt for nonfat milk or milk alternatives, use sugar-free syrups instead of flavored ones, and skip the whipped cream and other toppings.

Not necessarily. While 100% fruit juice may contain natural sugars and vitamins, it can have a similar calorie density to soda due to concentrated fruit sugars. An 8 oz serving of juice often has 110-150 calories, comparable to soda.

Excellent low-calorie options include infused water, unsweetened iced tea, black iced coffee, and sparkling water. Making your own smoothies at home also gives you control over the calorie and sugar content.

Many cool drinks are high in calories because they contain large amounts of added sugar, syrups, and fats from ingredients like ice cream and whole milk. These are often used to enhance flavor and creaminess.

Yes, sweetened iced tea can be surprisingly high in calories. A 12-ounce serving can contain around 160 calories, all from sugar. Unsweetened iced tea is a much lower-calorie alternative.

The most reliable way is to check the nutritional information provided on the bottle or on the website of the restaurant or coffee shop. This is especially important for custom-made beverages where ingredients vary.