Dunkin' Just Announced New Coffees Inspired by Ben Affleck—Here's the Healthiest Drink to Order
Dunkin: Courtesy of Brand. Affleck: BG003/Bauer-Griffin/GC Images. Collage: Cassie Basford.
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
The Super Bowl may be over, but the commercials that aired during the game show no signs of stopping. This is especially true for Dunkin’ who used their football airtime to announce the release of a new drink and food menu, as well as a line of merch.
The new DunKings Menu became available nationwide on Monday, following the Sunday commercial which starred celebrities like Ben Affleck, Jennifer Lopez, Matt Damon and Tom Brady. The lineup includes a Munchkins skewer and a DunKings Iced Coffee, which is “Ben’s go-to order and his first-ever official coffee order on the Dunkin’ menu,” according to the company’s press release. You’ll also see new additions to the online-only menu, including an Everything Encore Breakfast Sandwich, Hazelnut Heartthrob Iced Coffee and Mixed Berry Beats Dunkin’ Refresher. A track suit, bucket hat and tumbler have also hit their line of merchandise, in case you’re looking to rock the donut fit while you take a Dunkin’ sip.
For those looking to experience Dunkin’ the way Ben Affleck does, the DunKings Iced Coffee is your best bet. This regular iced coffee is mixed with vanilla sweetener and cream and also topped with sweet cold foam and cinnamon sugar—a sweet treat that sounds delicious.
However, if you’re in the mood for a healthier drink on the new menu, look no further than the Hazelnut Heartthrob Coffee. You can order this drink hot or iced, and you’ll get a regular brewed coffee mixed with caramel sweetener, hazelnut flavoring and whole milk. Here’s the nutritional info for a small, 10-ounce cup of this specialty drink:
140 calories
1 grams total fat
0.5 gram saturated fat
55 milligrams sodium
28 grams carbohydrate
27 grams sugar (including 23 grams of added sugar)
3 grams protein
Related: What Happens to Your Body When You Drink Coffee Every Day
This drink can be enjoyed as a special occasion treat, but may not be the best fit for daily drinking as it’s much higher in added sugar than we’d typically recommend (the American Heart Association recommends keeping your intake below 25 grams per day for women and 36 grams per day for men). That said, this drink is lower in saturated fat and sodium, which can align with a heart-healthy and diabetes-friendly pattern. But it may be better to think of it like a dessert rather than a regular morning joe.
Plus, each small drink offers 3 grams of protein to up the satisfaction factor a little bit. We suggest drinking this beverage with a fiber-rich snack like our Blueberry-Pecan Energy Balls or Spice-Roasted Chickpeas to help hold you over until your next meal.
Related: Should You Drink Coffee on an Empty Stomach?
No matter which of Dunkin’s beverages you find yourself hankering for—whether that be the simple hazelnut coffee or the Ben Affleck special—your favorite beverages can always fit into a balanced eating pattern in moderation. So, be sure to enjoy your sweet café-brewed favorites on occasion. Then again, if you’re more likely to make the caffeinated concoctions you enjoy at home, we’ve also got you covered there. Recipes like our Chocolate-Hazelnut Iced Coffee or Whipped Coffee Mochaccino are delicious and ready in just 5 minutes flat—faster than your average drive-thru wait time.
Read the original article on Eating Well.
