Crumbl’s Newest Sugar Bomb Ignites A Major Food Fight

The bakery chain Crumbl, well-known for its array of oversized cookie options, is going viral for a newly introduced beverage option that has a whole lot of sugar in it.

There is a whole line of “dirty sodas” on the menu, which originated in Utah and have become popular thanks to social media. Dirty soda refers to drink concoctions made with carbonated soft drinks added to mix-ins such as creamer, flavor syrups, fruit juice, and other unique options. 

Now social media is coming down hard on Crumbl, saying the chain is promoting dangerously unhealthy menu options. The standard 32 ounce dirty soda creations contain between 300 to 700 calories and 50 to 150 grams of sugar, though specific numbers depend on the syrups, heavy cream, and base sodas for the order.

The menu option getting the most attention is called Crazy Cousins, which combines Red Bull, Mountain Dew, pineapple, strawberry puree, and coconut cream. Per Crumbl’s online nutrition facts, it has approximately 840 calories and 186 grams of sugar. That’s more than six times the recommended daily sugar intake for an average adult (30 grams).

As one viral video pointed out, it’s also the equivalent of drinking five cans of full sugar Coca-Cola or 19 Krispy Kreme donuts. 

The argument that quickly escalated on social media questioned whether or not the free market should have limits when it came to items made for human consumption — and whether it might be time for HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to step in and stop the madness.

“Here’s an idea … don’t buy it and move on with your life. Simple,” one X user argued.

“Nobody is forcing people to eat or drink their stuff. Should the government force us to eat or drink exactly what they want us to? It’s a slippery slope,” another commenter said.

“… Stop b*tching about it. Ppl can do whatever they want with their money and health. That’s what capitalism is about. Options!” echoed a third.

But there were others online saying it was irresponsible for options like Crazy Cousins to be on the menu.

“This crap doesn’t just affect your body; it negatively affects your mind, too. It’s absolutely crazy that we’re adapting to a reality where, every day, we talk about how many different ways big corporations are trying to kill us,” one X commenter wrote. “And they do so out in the open, unchallenged.”

“Someone with an IQ of 75 or less really isn’t capable of making intentionally healthy decisions for themselves. That’s about 5 percent of the US population, although likely more given demographic differences,” another person argued. “Why is it acceptable for a company to take advantage of and destroy the health of 17+ million people?”

“Surely there are regulations that limit the amount of sugar you can legally put in a drink?!” another said.