# What's really in a Shamrock Shake? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 18, 2013, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280 "2013-03-18T18:04:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/21 "2013-03-18T20:53:59Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > I’m guessing that the majority of customers have no idea that there are the same number of calories in a shake as in \*two \*QuarterPounders. It’s not obvious, and it’s a very common problem with choosing a nutritious diet. A Shamrock Shake, which comes with whipped cream topping and a cherry, is probably not a great choice for a nutritious diet, and if anyone thinks it is, they have bigger problems than not being able to accurately compare the calorie counts between two arbitrarily-chosen sandwiches and a milkshake. ---
**Author:** ![WreckingCrew](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wreckingcrew/32/4080_2.png) [@WreckingCrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WreckingCrew)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/22 "2013-03-18T20:57:47Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > At least Ronald McDonald didn’t beat up a hooker. Oh, you are so naive. That red hair? Hooker blood. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 9:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/23 "2013-03-18T21:23:22Z")
I heard the special ingredient is leprechaun puke. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/24 "2013-03-18T22:18:15Z")
> [@](#): > > What’s really in a Shamrock Shake? Pure…_EEeeeeEEEvil!_ ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/25 "2013-03-18T22:21:12Z")
> [@James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](#): > > Since McDonald’s is where I work, I will ask about how much longer they are to be available with St. Patrick’s Day being over now. OOoh! Can you ask about peach shakes? I had one _once_ and loved it, but I’ve never come across them again. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/26 "2013-03-18T22:26:30Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I heard the special ingredient is leprechaun puke. That’s not puke. ---
**Author:** ![James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac8455/32.png) [@James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/James_Otto_Sweet_Heart)\ **Post date:** [March 18, 2013, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/27 "2013-03-18T22:27:30Z")
> [@StarvingButStrong](#): > > OOoh! Can you ask about peach shakes? I had one _once_ and loved it, but I’ve never come across them again. ☹ I will! 🙂 🙂 🙂 God bless you always!!! Holly ---
**Author:** ![installLSC](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/54ee81/32.png) [@installLSC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/installLSC)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/28 "2013-03-19T00:01:36Z")
Yeah the Shamrock Shake is just a vanilla shake with dyed fake mint flavor, but there’s something about that flavoring. Unfortunantely, the mix machines at McDonald’s can really affect the taste. Bad places leave the flavoring at the bottom and it’s near undrinkable. Most places mix it better, with the best tasting ones leaving a vanilla layer at the bottom. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/29 "2013-03-19T01:50:17Z")
> [@WreckingCrew](#): > > Oh, you are so naive. That red hair? Hooker blood. Please. They were _courtesans_. ---
**Author:** ![gaffa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e68b1a/32.png) [@gaffa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gaffa)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 4:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/30 "2013-03-19T04:50:12Z")
Eh. I’m in the middle of reading _Modernist Cuisine_, and there is a lot of information about why one would specifically use a lot of these scary sounding ingredients. It has recipes that include both black truffles and carrageenan. ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/31 "2013-03-19T05:17:54Z")
> [@James\_Otto\_Sweet\_Heart](#): > > One thing that I have noticed about our menus lately is how the number of calories are there next to each item. Not to put down who ever came up with that idea of course, … [It’s required by federal law under ACA](https://www.federalregister.gov/regulations/0910-AG57/food-labeling-nutrition-labeling-of-standard-menu-items-in-restaurants-and-similar-retail-food-estab). ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/32 "2013-03-19T05:25:09Z")
There’s a custard shop in Milwaukee that I go to on a pretty regular basis but it’s about 10-15 minutes each way. During March and at least one other month “Mint Shake” is the shake of the month. It’s the only time I get something other the a chocolate shake (with chocolate custard) and I’ll go like 6 times in the month just to get them. Anyways, a few years ago, not wanting to drive all the way out there I decided to try a shamrock shake. I still remember taking a sip and thinking “Bah, what’d they make this with, toothpaste?” I’m sure it was just the flavor of mint they use. The custard place I go to switched their mint flavoring once it they tasted off for a while as well (they got better). ---
**Author:** ![tellyworth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/977dab/32.png) [@tellyworth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tellyworth)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/33 "2013-03-19T05:37:02Z")
McDonalds publishes all of their ingredients. [pdf](http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/getnutrition/ingredientslist.pdf). ---
**Author:** ![goldmund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a4c791/32.png) [@goldmund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/goldmund)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/34 "2013-03-19T05:37:51Z")
[Obligatory Animaniacs](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XthZ7rFPKh8). ---
**Author:** ![Isamu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/7c8e57/32.png) [@Isamu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Isamu)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/35 "2013-03-19T07:12:13Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > Please. They were _courtesans_. She was a Chechnyan prostitute, and you shall address her as such. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/36 "2013-03-19T09:55:38Z")
I come equipped with a straw and a lot less calories. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 11:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/37 "2013-03-19T11:52:38Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I heard the special ingredient is leprechaun puke. An Irish friend insists that unless the shake contains leprechaun jism, it’s full 'o blarney. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/38 "2013-03-19T14:57:35Z")
> [@Shakes](#): > > I come equipped with a straw and a lot less calories. Hmm. Let’s see your content label. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/39 "2013-03-19T15:02:44Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > There’s a custard shop in Milwaukee that I go to on a pretty regular basis but it’s about 10-15 minutes each way. I’ve gotta try one. Which shop has them? Kopps, Gilles, Leons, Oscars? ---
**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\ **Post date:** [March 19, 2013, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280/40 "2013-03-19T15:30:10Z")
> [@Hampshire](#): > > I’ve gotta try one. Which shop has them? Kopps, Gilles, Leons, Oscars? Yeah, give! I’m going near Kopp’s later this week. I used to live near Gilles and work near Leon’s. Been to Oscar’s but it was never real convenient to get there. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-really-in-a-shamrock-shake/653280.md?page=3)