America’s favorite restaurant to run to, Dunkin’ Donuts, recently introduced something wild and new: SPARKD’ Energy by Dunkin’. While that may sound like something to do with a car’s engine, it’s actually a new fruit-flavored offering, with two different flavors. There is one question on most people’s mind though: How much caffeine does it have?
The new energy drinks debuted at the end of February and they have two flavors: Peach Sunshine and Berry Burst. In a press release, Dunkin’ said they’re perfect for the warmer weather this time of year.
Beth Turenne, Dunkin’s Vice President of Category Management, talked a little bit about why the brand decided to take a shot at these new drinks. “With the introduction of SPARKD’ Energy by Dunkin’, we set out to create a deliciously unique option for our guests. It’s not just another energy drink; it’s a totally new way to run on Dunkin’, incorporating the flavors that we know our fans enjoy.”
The thing is, Dunkin’ is known for coffee and donuts, not energy drinks. It’s even weirder because that’s the whole point of coffee – for energy! It’s understandable though because coffee has been around since before Dunkin’ existed, and everyone likes something that’s new. Here’s the official description on the Dunkin’ website: “A new lineup of fizzy energy drinks from Dunkin’ made with vitamins & minerals and caffeine from caffeine and guarana for a revitalizing burst of energy.”
Now for some nutrition facts. A medium SPARKD’ has no saturated or trans fat but it does have 200mg of sodium. It has 30 grams of total carbohydrate and 27 grams of sugar. It has 130 calories per serving, which gives you plenty of space for more considering women need about 2,000 calories a day and men need 2,500.
How much caffeine? A SPARKD’ is similar to the “Dunkin’ Refreshers,” which have 132 mg of caffeine in a size large. People can generally consume about 400 mgs of caffeine a day without any harmful consequences. SPARKD’ has 192 mgs of caffeine for a large, less than a large cup of coffee, which clocks in at 347 mg. A medium has around 144 mgs of caffeine.
A number of other companies already have pseudo energy drinks, so Dunkin’ isn’t necessarily breaking any new ground here. For example, Panera has something called a “Charged Lemonade.” That clocks in at 390 mgs of caffeine. McDonald’s is in on the game as well, with their “Sour Cherry Energy Burst” available at its new spinoff restaurant called CosMcs.