Regarding summertime and fruity beverages, Dunkin’ Donuts is unquestionably a global leader. Dunkin’ offers various alternative beverages to their signature coffee, including vanilla chai tea, Coletta’s, and refreshers.
But do the Dunkin’ Donuts Refreshers contain caffeine? Caffeine is present in all Dunkin’ Donuts Refreshers though the exact amount varies by size. The caffeine content of a medium Dunkin’ Refresher is approximately 68 milligrams, a small size has 46 milligrams of caffeine, and a large has 91 milligrams.
In this article, we’ll discuss whether or not Dunkin’ Donuts’ beverages contain caffeine, as well as how much of it is safe to consume.
Is There Caffeine In The Dunkin’ Donuts Refreshers?
Dunkin’ Refreshers are a great alternative to coffee because they contain green tea and B vitamins. Caffeine content ranges from about 66 mg in a 16 oz. Strawberry Dragon Fruit or Peach Passion Fruit to about 132 mg in a 32 oz.
The amount of caffeine in your Refresher may vary slightly because the amount in green tea varies. The majority of Dunkin’ Refreshers contain caffeine. Keep in mind that there are three primary flavors of Dunkin’ Refreshers:
- Golden Peach Passion Fruit.
- Strawberry Dragon Fruit.
- Purple Pomegranate.
The caffeine in Dunkin’ Donuts’ Refreshers comes from green tea extract, found in the flavored fruit concentrate used to make the beverages. Still, the amount and type of fruit concentrate used to make other Dunkin’ Refreshers mean that their caffeine contents range widely.
However, the Peach Passion Fruit Refresher and the Strawberry Dragon Fruit Refresher contain significantly more caffeine than the Coconut Refresher at Dunkin’. The average caffeine consumption in a medium-sized Dunkin’ Refreshers beverage is 99 milligrams.
Always remember that iced green tea, B vitamins, and fruit concentrates are the main ingredients in most Refreshers sold at Dunkin’. Therefore, the caffeine in Dunkin’ refreshers comes from the iced green tea extract. Although Dunkin’ Refreshers contain caffeine, they are lower in calories than other beverages offered at Dunkin’, including coffee.
Choose brewed coffee over espresso or cold brew over iced coffee if you want more caffeine in your Dunkin’ Refresher. In addition, Dunkin’ Donuts offers a variety of caffeine-free drinks for those who prefer to avoid stimulants. A few examples of caffeine-free beverages sold at Dunkin’ are:
- Classic Hot Chocolate.
- Mint Hot Chocolate.
- Black Tea, Green Tea.
- Decaffeinated Tea.
What Ingredients Do Dunkin’ Donuts Refreshers Contain?
Lemonade, B vitamins, and flavored fruit concentrate combine to create these brilliantly vibrant refreshers, which may keep Dunkin’ Donuts customers energized all summer long. Dunkin’ Lemonade Refreshers have three delicious flavors: peach, strawberry, and blueberry.
No artificial flavors or colors are added to Dunkin’ Refreshers, and the company claims that all of their Refreshers have fewer than 200 calories. Green tea or coconut milk dilutes the flavored fruit concentrate base in every Refresher.
You can get both peach passionfruit and strawberry dragonfruit refresher varieties at Dunkin. However, the Apple Cranberry and the Purple Pomegranate flavors were temporary and were phased out in August 2021 and November 1st, respectively. Also, the popular Coconut Refresher, which contains green tea, will return to the menu.
Comparison Of Dunkin’ Refreshers Caffeine To Other Beverages
About 66 milligrams of caffeine, or slightly more than 4 milligrams per fluid ounce, can be found in a standard 16-ounce Dunkin’ Refresher. There is about the same amount of caffeine in both beverages, with about 3.75 to 6.25 mg per ounce in coffee and about 30 to 50 mg in an average cup of green tea.
Home-brewed coffee is significantly stronger, with an average of 12-17.2 milligrams per fluid ounce. Caffeine levels in beverages sold at Dunkin’ are already high, and espresso, used in many of their mixes, adds even more.
A typical 1-1.75 ounce shot contains 63 mg of caffeine. Espresso is the main ingredient in many coffee drinks, including lattes, macchiatos, cappuccinos, and americanos. Most cans of Coke and Pepsi contain only one serving, while most energy drink cans contain two servings and between 72 and 80 mg of caffeine per serving.
What Is The Safe Amount Of Caffeine?
The maximum daily caffeine intake for healthy adults is 400 mg which is about 10 12-ounce cans of cola or four 8-ounce cups of brewed coffee. Caffeine intake below 100 milligrams per day is recommended for adolescents.
To reduce the likelihood of experiencing health issues, most experts advise limiting daily caffeine consumption to no more than 400 milligrams. Anxiety, insomnia, and irritability are just some of the side effects of consuming too much caffeine, and some people may even experience nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea.
When consumed in excessive amounts, it can also cause an increase in blood pressure, tremors in the muscles, and problems with the heart. In addition, taking more than 400 mg daily can have a diuretic effect, leading to kidney and bladder dehydration and an increased risk of stones.
Caffeine withdrawal causes physical symptoms when the user suddenly reduces or stops caffeine consumption after using it regularly for an extended period. Such symptoms include:
- Headache.
- Irritability.
- Insomnia.
Conclusion
Dunkin’ Refreshers are flavored fruit concentrate iced drinks. Refreshers contain a trace amount of caffeine thanks to the green tea extract and B vitamins in the concentrate. So a refresher from Dunkin is a good alternative if you’re looking for an energy boost and prefer something fruitier than coffee.
Almost all Dunkin’ Refreshers contain caffeine because the fruit concentrates used to make them contain green tea extracts, a caffeine source. Since green tea is a natural source of caffeine, you can expect your beverage to contain between 66 and 132 milligrams of the substance per serving.
However, this amount of caffeine is comparable to a can of soda and is significantly lower than that found in other coffee drinks. As an alternative to your usual iced coffee, refreshers don’t use artificial colors or flavors. A small Dunkin’ Refresher contains 66 milligrams of caffeine, about a third of the amount in a small Dunkin’ Iced Coffee.