McDonald’s Shamrock Shake vs. Big Mac: Which has more calories?
[You definitely shouldn’t be drinking four, that’s for sure. / McDonald’s Canada Instagram]
It’s March, which means it’s time to wear a green T-shirt whilst drinking green beer and attempting to dance an Irish jig as The Cranberries blasts in the background. And for many Canadians it’s also time to indulge in a Shamrock Shake (or two, or three…) from McDonald’s.
Over the years the minty milkshake has gained a cult status, with many writers noting just as Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte signals fall is coming nothing says spring is about to get sprung quite like Shamrock Shake Season.
And, like the PSL, Shamrock Shakes are a calorie-heavy, sugar-filled drinkable seasonal treat that’s hard to resist.
More calories than a Big Mac or two medium fries
A medium Shamrock Shake has 710 calories, which is 10 calories less than a medium vanilla or strawberry shake from McDonald’s and 40 calories less than the Golden Arches medium chocolate shake. All of the shakes have more calories than a Big Mac, which has 520 calories, and packs more of a caloric punch than two medium French fries – which are 350 calories per serving.
All of Mickey D’s milkshakes are made with a dairy mix of milk and cream, so the Shamrock Shake does provide 45 per cent of your daily calcium requirements and packs 14 grams of protein. But, as you’ve already know deep down in your heart, the green-hued shake is not certainly not akin to drinking a green cold-pressed juice.
The shake has 28 per cent of your daily fat intake, with 11 grams of saturated fat and 0.4 grams of trans fat. The sweet drink also has 102 grams of sugar and 430 milligrams of sodium.
What makes it green?
It is not the magic of little leprechauns that makes the shake green, but beta carotene and brilliant blue FCF. Over the years, brilliant blue FCF has been the subject of much debate around the globe. While the debate over the impact of food dyes rages on the blue dye, which is usually derived from coal tars or an oil base, both Health Canada and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration permit it.
The Shamrock Shake is marketed a seasonal treat, not a daily indulgence. It’s not the luck ‘o the Irish that will keep you fitting into your Kiss Me I’m Irish T-shirt year after year – it’s being aware that you need to burn off the calories from that shake. Before sipping back another one of these yummy drinks remember that a 150-pound person would have to run a little over 10 kilometres to burn off all the calories from one medium Shamrock Shake.
Perhaps if you want to indulge, sign up for a local St. Paddy’s Day fun run, then celebrate with a Shamrock Shake afterwards. Sounds like the perfect way to have your shake and drink it, too.
