HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. calls out sugar in Starbucks, Dunkin coffee drinks

The Brief

Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. is challenging Starbucks and Dunkin’ to provide safety data for high-sugar coffee drinks.

Federal guidelines suggest about 10 grams of added sugar per meal. However, the CDC reports nearly every Dunkin’ drink and the majority of Starbucks' drinks exceed that amount.

Doctors warn frequent sugary drinks can increase risks of obesity, diabetes and heart disease.

TAMPA, Fla. - A growing health debate is spilling into America’s coffee cups, as Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr. questions the amount of sugar in drinks sold by Starbucks and Dunkin’.

What we know

Speaking at an event in Austin, TX on Feb. 26, Kennedy called on the companies to provide safety data for their sugary beverages.

RELATED: RFK Jr faces pushback after questioning safety of Dunkin’, Starbucks sugary drinks

"We're going to ask Dunkin' Donuts and Starbucks, 'Show us the safety data that show that it's OK for a teenage girl to drink an iced coffee with 115 grams of sugar in it,'" Kennedy said. "I don't think they're going to be able to do it."

By the numbers

Federal dietary guidelines recommend limiting added sugar intake to about 10 grams per meal. However, some popular coffee drinks can exceed that amount depending on the size and ingredients.

The CDC reports nearly every Dunkin’ drink and the majority of Starbucks' drinks exceed that amount.

Local perspective

Outside a Starbucks in Tampa, Joan Perez tries to avoid too much sugar intake.

"I try to order the ones that have less sugar," he said. "Just one or two shots of flavors, that’s all."

Perez often sees teenagers ordering sweet drinks at Dunkin’ and Starbucks.

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"You can see those locations are typically full of young people," he said.

What they're saying

Dr. George Springer, a functional medicine practitioner, says many people underestimate how much sugar can be packed into these specialty coffee drinks.

"That’s a lot of sugar," he said. "Most people wouldn’t want to sit down and eat 20 teaspoons of sugar, but they drink it routinely."

Excessive sugar consumption can lead to obesity, Type 2 diabetes and heart disease, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Springer says regularly consuming high-sugar beverages can lead to long-term health problems.

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"Ingesting these all the time can begin to add to weight issues that people may begin to experience," he said. "They also can have diabetes, which is another problem because you have too much sugar all the time."

The other side

Neither Starbucks nor Dunkin' responded to FOX 13’s request for comment.

What we don't know

It remains unclear what action the federal government may take against the coffee corporations.

The Source

Information for this story came from CDC recommendations, an interview with a functional medicine doctor, interviews with Dunkin’ and Starbucks customers and reporting from previous coverage on FOX 13 News.