What better way is there to enter into fall than with a warm and comforting pumpkin drink? You may know the rapper Ice Spice for her song “Munch (Feelin’ U).” The celebrated artist collaborated with Dunkin’ to make a new blended coffee drink called the “Ice Spice Munchkins drink,” which was released on September 13. She took an innovative approach by diverting from the typical pumpkin spice drinks released in fall. She combined pumpkin flavors (munchkins), coffee, caramel, and of course, a load of sugar. This drink may give you a rapturous caffeine rush, or even worse, numerous cavities. The fans she calls “munchkins” inspired the drink. However, people are skeptical about ordering it because of the undeniable sugar overload. The problem is also the fact that Dunkin’ didn’t disclose any nutritional information that buyers are entitled to know.
Shortly before the release, Ice Spice and actor Ben Affleck were featured in a humorous commercial, which entranced people into trying the drink. Dunkin’ described this drink as “the collab you never knew you needed.” The name of the drink appeals to the youth, who may be easily convinced. A medium size features four pumpkin munchkins, coffee syrup, cream, liquid cane sugar, and additional sugary coffee syrup. But that’s not all; it is topped with whipped cream and caramel drizzle. Sounds saccharine right?
Let’s look into the amount of sugar for just a small size. According to Popsugar, the coffee syrup has ten grams of sugar per two pumps, and two munchkins have six grams of sugar. This is excluding the whipped cream or the caramel drizzle on top. Overall, there are an alarming 44 grams of sugar in a small size. According to the American Heart Association, the average man should limit their added sugar intake to about 36 grams a day. Women should limit their intake to about 25 grams. Even if this drink is just an occasional purchase, it still exceeds the recommended amount of sugar one should consume in a day.
According to Popsugar, Dunkin hasn’t updated their nutritional information guide on their website since July 31. The only information accessible are the calories: 590 for a small, 830 for a medium, and 1080 for a large.
With a whopping 102 grams of sugar for a medium size, the drink has raised concerns among people on social media and among nutritionists. PopCrave on X posted an image, revealing the supposed ingredients in the drink. People couldn’t resist retweeting.
“MUNCHKINS in a beverage?! There’s just, so many things wrong with this,” said @HollySullivan1 on X. “As a child of a nutritionist, I am positively terrified by this,” said @loverofamadman on X.
According to Popsugar, registered dietician Melanie G. Murphy Richter commented on the amount of sugar in the drink. “When eaten in excess, sugar contributes to a rise in internal inflammation and can lead to fatigue, brain fog, feelings of heaviness, and anxiety and depression,” she said. “Trendy drinks like these might give us a quick dose of happiness and have us feeling euphoric, but are at the core of our current health crisis.”
Many of those who have tasted the drink reported feeling uncomfortable after drinking it. “My roommate and I both felt like we got hit by a truck. Maybe it’s because I didn’t know I could order it with oat milk instead of whole, but my roommate got the non-lactose version and spent a similar amount of time on the john an hour after consumption,” said Rebecca Alter on Vulture. “I usually opt for a sugary, intricate coffee, but this was an unprecedented level of stomach cramping.”
To say the very least, the drink is deemed as unhealthy by everyday people as it is by nutritionists. It shouldn’t be something you buy nearly everyday. The sugar quantity is definitely something that you should consider before finding something to consume in order to satisfy your sugar cravings.
