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Iced coffee without sugar in UK coffee chains

Ledzeptt

Ledzeptt

Well-Known Member
Messages
612
Location
Manchester
Type of diabetes
Type 3c
Treatment type
Insulin
Dislikes
Liquorice and aniseed (especially the tracer I have to drink in hospital before a CT scan - yuk!)
I couldn’t find a post about iced coffee availability so I created this for reference (hopefully useful while the good weather continues).

Information from company websites as at 04.07.2025.

Costa Coffee “Iced Black Americano” 0.6g carbs per 100ml

Caffè Nero “Iced Americano” 1g carbs per 100ml

Pret “Iced Black Americano” 0g carbs per 100ml

Starbucks “Cold brew” 2.8g carbs, but this is for their “tall” size, so roughly consistent with the others.

Coffee Republic don’t list a black iced coffee on their website, but they do an iced latte (pre-made?); don’t know if they’ll make one on request nor whether it contains sugar.

AMT list “Iced Aerocano” on their website, but I couldn’t find its nutritional information.

Obviously you can make your own iced coffee at home for a fraction of the cost (many tutorials on YouTube etc) and use a flask, or support an independent cafe when out and about.

P.s. I did look at Greggs and McDonalds, but they don’t serve black iced coffee and their iced lattes are full of added sugar.
 
Here in Canada we go to McDonalds. I get my iced coffee with no liquid sugar. If you wanted it black, they'd give it to you black. I find i need the cream.
 
I had a subscription with Leon for free drinks for £25/month and enjoyed iced black Americano there. (Don't know if offer is still on.) I thought well worth it, as a 2-coffees-per-day-plus-the-occasional-tea person, and I incorporated it into my most-days walks, a reusable thermos keeping my drinks cold (or hot).

My favourite coffee though is from Caffè Nero, obviously more expensive, but an occasional relaxing treat. Note their plain croissants have fewer calories and carbs than average, simply because they are smaller, and I have one as an occasional treat without spiking my blood sugar too much. I even have their apricot croissant, more occasionally, which had been my very favourite before my "low carb enlightenment" blocked that avenue of pleasure.
 
May Mic said:
Here in Canada we go to McDonalds. I get my iced coffee with no liquid sugar. If you wanted it black, they'd give it to you black. I find i need the cream.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure which province you live in @May Mic , but here in BC independent coffee shops, such as Blenz, feature strongly here.
 
lovinglife said:
Have you seen my post here @Ledzeptt?

I’ve found Starbucks will pretty much make you what you ask for, other chains not so much, found Costa don’t like going “off script” that much

Thread 'Starbucks low carb “frappachino”'
https://www.diabetes.co.uk/forum/threads/starbucks-low-carb-“frappachino”.209593/
Click to expand...

Thanks @lovinglife I hadn’t seen your post; I only searched “iced coffee” and variations; coincidentally found the following thread which wasn’t useful to me, but others may like it:

“Coffee shop chains low carb iced teas”
lovinglife

Thread 'Coffee shop chains low carb iced teas'

Anyone out and about and fancying a nice refreshing cold drink at the chains
Starbucks iced hibiscus tea and iced green tea have no carbs at all - just those two though all the rest have quite a few carbs
Costa do the fuse teas 3 flavours all about 1- 2g carb. They are brewed hot but if you ask they will pour it over lots of ice.

I often have a cold brew black coffee in Starbucks and a black Americana over ice in Costa but sometimes they just don’t feel refreshing in this heat - the teas make a nice alternative
  • Informative

Until I began checking, I was under the impression that the big chains didn’t make their iced coffee fresh (it’d be simpler to make/buy in bulk) and therefore I was unsure if it would already contain sugar. Certainly, the canned iced coffee in supermarkets always seem to contain sugar.
 
Ledzeptt said:
Thanks @lovinglife I hadn’t seen your post; I only searched “iced coffee” and variations; coincidentally found the following thread which wasn’t useful to me, but others may like it:

“Coffee shop chains low carb iced teas”
lovinglife

Thread 'Coffee shop chains low carb iced teas'

Anyone out and about and fancying a nice refreshing cold drink at the chains
Starbucks iced hibiscus tea and iced green tea have no carbs at all - just those two though all the rest have quite a few carbs
Costa do the fuse teas 3 flavours all about 1- 2g carb. They are brewed hot but if you ask they will pour it over lots of ice.

I often have a cold brew black coffee in Starbucks and a black Americana over ice in Costa but sometimes they just don’t feel refreshing in this heat - the teas make a nice alternative
  • Informative

Until I began checking, I was under the impression that the big chains didn’t make their iced coffee fresh (it’d be simpler to make/buy in bulk) and therefore I was unsure if it would already contain sugar. Certainly, the canned iced coffee in supermarkets always seem to contain sugar.
Click to expand...
Oh I’d forgot I’d posted that, nice reminder for me, thanks :)
 
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