Some of my FB friends have been commenting about Dunkin Donuts’ (DD)seasonal offering “Mint Hot Chocolate”. They LOVE it! So I did a little checking. To their credit, DD makes nutritional information easy to find on their website. It's worth checking your favorite drinks BEFORE you place your order. Here are the facts on a “small” cup of DD's Mint Hot Chocolate. 220 Calories, 60 from Fat, 7 grams of Fat 27 grams of Sugar 1 gram of Protein. What????? 1 gram of Protein? How could that be? Isn’t Hot Chocolate made with Milk? (8 oz of milk has 8-10 grams of protein.) A quick look at the ingredients… INGREDIENTS: Water, Peppermint Hot Chocolate Powder {Sugar, Non Dairy Creamer [Contains Partially Hydrogenated Coconut Oil, Corn Syrup Solids, Sodium Caseinate (a milk derivative), Dipotassium Phosphate, Sugar, Mono and Diglycerides, Sodium Silicoaluminate, Sodium Stearoyl Lactylate, Soy Lecithin, Artificial Flavors, Annatto and Turmeric (Colors)], Cocoa Powder processed with alkali, Maltodextrin, Whey Powder, Nonfat Dry Milk, Salt, Cellulose Gum, Silicon Dioxide, Natural and Artificial Flavor, Sodium Citrate}. “Running on Dunkin” may be convenient and it may even taste good, it is pretty lousy fuel. Here’s a Healthier Mint Hot Chocolate Recipe. 8 oz 1% Milk 2 tbsp Ghirardelli Premium Hot Cocoa (I use ½ the serving and it's still very chocolatey) Peppermint Extract – to taste 170 Calories, 3g Fat, 27g Sugar, 9g Protein Note that its still pretty high in Sugar, almost 7 teaspoons, so make it a “special treat”. Want to make it more festive? Try a little "Whipped Light Cream" (the spray can kind) on top. That will only add 15 calories for 2 tbsp and 1 gram of fat. It's mostly air, looks so pretty and add a little creamy indulgence for a low calorie and fat price.
...read more