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Nutrition Information of Donuts

A donut by any other name is still a fried piece of dough. However, there are mornings (or, let's admit it, late nights) when there's nothing more appealing. At times like that, we don't necessarily care what the nutrition facts are or what exactly is going into our body. What does make them so good? Or, as the truth may show, so bad?

  1. Beware the Partial Hydrogenation

    • An old-fashioned glazed donut seems like simple perfection. But the ingredient list in Dunkin' Donuts' most basic offering is anything but simple. It includes approximately 47 ingredients, including partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils. That translates to traces of trans fats, which the American Heart Association says will raise your bad cholesterol (LDL), lower your good cholesterol (HDL), and increase your risk of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes.

    Absence of Trans Fats Doesn't Mean It's Healthy

    • Krispy Kreme claims to use zero trans fat shortening when they fry their donuts. But they keep their full ingredient list a secret from the general public. Their retro image causes Krispy Kreme fanatics to feel like they're eating straight out of Grandma's kitchen, but beware, trans fats or not, Krispy Kreme donuts are still fried dough with plenty of saturated fat and sugar.

    Nutrition in a Glazed Donut

    • One donut isn't going to kill you. But at Dunkin' Donuts, it will set you back 220 calories. At Krispy Kreme, you'll save 20 calories if you get one of their hot ones, but they manage to fit in 12g fat, 6 of which are saturated, whereas Dunkin' Donuts Glazed only has 9g fat, including 4g saturated fat, but 12g sugar and 320mg sodium. (Though no vitamins, a glazed donut does contain some iron.) Still, a plain glazed donut is your best bet if you get dragged to a donut shop against your will when you're on a diet. Start adding flavors, jellies, fillings, sprinkles, nuts, and you will stack on the calories and sugar.

    Nutrition in a Cake Donut

    • The cake donuts may seem like a lesser evil, but their nutritional profile is worse for you. At Dunkin' Donuts, the old-fashioned cake donuts pack 280 calories and 18g of fat (8 are saturated) with only 9g sugar and a small amount of iron. Krispy Kreme again undersells them on the calorie side of things, coming in at 230 calories with only 13g fat, 6 are saturated.

    Conclusion

    • Do you have 200-plus calories to spare in the morning? If the famous "HOT" sign in the Krispy Kreme window is calling your name, promising you a mouthful of sweet delight, then go for it. But don't down five, with a jelly-filled for the road. The lack of nutritional value will just drop you like a rock an hour later. Balance it out with some lowfat yogurt or a hard-boiled egg to keep you going until lunch.

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