Nutrition Showdown: Here's How a Wendy's Frosty-ccino Compares to a Starbucks Frappuccino
Wendy's breakfast menu is officially here, and one of its buzz-worthy stars is the Frosty-ccino—a refreshing and surprisingly light beverage that combines two classics over ice: A chocolate or vanilla Frosty and cold brew coffee. One sip of the Frosty-ccino, and you might just ditch your beloved Starbucks Frappuccino forever. Yes, it tastes that good.
But, is it that good for you? Let's take a closer look at the full nutrition breakdown of these two morning drinks:
Wendy's Vanilla Frosty-ccino
At first glance, it's kind of jarring to see how large a small-sized drink from Wendy's actually is (it's 20 fluid ounces!). The whole shebang clocks in at a little over 200 calories with a whopping 28 grams of sugar. This, friends, is very high, and not an ideal way to kick off your morning. Hello, sugar rush.
As for the taste? As someone who's not a coffee drinker in the slightest, I found myself guzzling the chocolate Frosty-ccino during an exclusive tasting of the fast-food giant's latest breakfast options, then (happily) having a few sips of a vanilla version too. (It was in the name of research, okay?) A Frosty is my all-time favorite fast-food dessert, so I wasn't surprised to be such a fan of this new menu addition. But, I was expecting it to be a blended, frozen drink (like the famous fraps from Starbucks). I was pleasantly surprised to discover the coffee-infused beverage is more along the lines of a basic iced coffee, so it was light and easy to, well, drink rather quickly.
I didn't really feel any sort of jolt of energy from caffeine, but I did find myself thoroughly enjoying the Frosty-ccino so much so that it truly put a smile on my face. Starting your day in a good mood is a bonus, right?
Starbucks Caffè Vanilla Frappuccino Blended Beverage
Wow. There's a staggering 84 grams of sugar in a large-sized Starbucks frap, and half a gram of trans fat. It's no secret how dangerous trans fats can be, as they can lower your HDL levels (good cholesterol) and even trigger heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, according to Harvard Health. Basically, you want to avoid consuming them any chance you get.
When you order this drink, you'll find yourself sipping on Starbs' Frappuccino roast coffee and vanilla bean powder, which is combined with milk and ice and topped with whipped cream. Your first sip is going to be a total sugar rush, as there's a good chance you're mostly just tasting whipped cream, something tends to happen often with any drink from Starbucks. But after that immediate rush of sweetness, you're met with a mild vanilla flavor that isn't too overpowering mixed in with the coffee. It's not the most memorable drink, but it's not the worst tasting, either.
So where is all that excessive sugar coming from then? The drink itself is made of ice, milk, coffee Frappuccino syrup, vanilla syrup, vanilla bean powder, coffee, and whipped cream, so there are a lot of components to this frozen treat that are packing plenty of the sweet stuff.
Related: Dunkin's Irish Creme-Flavored Coffee Is Back—But Is It Worth the Hype?
Final verdict
As someone who never begins her day with coffee of any kind, I thoroughly enjoyed Wendy's Frosty-ccino. Both the vanilla and chocolate varieties do not disappoint! That said, is it a healthy drink? Nope, no, none. But, it's still a much better-for-you option than a Starbucks Frappuccino.
It's safe to say Wendy's Frosty-ccino is an overall not-that-terrible-for-you iced coffee treat for those days when you really just need a little something extra to get you feeling ready to take on the day. Just be sure to make this a sometimes treat, and not an everyday drink, and you'll be golden.
