Tim Hortons has unveiled its specialty holiday menu, but an expert says the sugar-filled items should be enjoyed in moderation.
The time of year has once again returned when fast-food restaurants are releasing their holiday menus filled with festive treats, and Tim Hortons is no exception.
The Canadian chain released its annual United States holiday menu at the end of October and began rolling it out in U.S. locations on November 6.
The menu features three new items: the Holiday Chai Latte, the Snowman Donut, and the Holiday Sugar Dream Cookie. Four items from previous years have also returned, including the Peppermint Mocha Latte, Gingerbread Oatmilk latte, Holiday Tree Donut, and the Hot Cocoa Crumble Muffin.
While the menu is certainly meant to be more celebratory than nutritious, Healthnews asked an expert whether any of the items can be considered even a somewhat healthy choice.
“Let's say there's a little holiday spirit, if not exactly ‘health,’ in this menu,” Irene Astaficheva, a certified health coach and co-founder of the Eated App, tells Healthnews.
Astaficheva says the Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte is probably the closest to a healthy choice thanks to the oat milk, which adds a touch of fiber, but even that is quite a stretch.
“Let's be honest — holiday drinks tend to come with a generous dose of sugar, and we love them for it,” she says, “but moderation is the name of the game.”
Tim Hortons items are super sweet
While Astaficheva prefers not to strictly label foods as "healthy" or "unhealthy” since treats can serve an important purpose occasionally by enhancing our mood, she says we do know that too much sugar can throw things off balance.
“Most of these holiday treats are as sweet as the season itself — high in refined sugar and calories,” she says.
The Snowman Donut and Holiday Tree Donut are particularly high in sugar, and she says their intense sweetness can lead to an energy spike and then an inevitable crash.
“Sweets are absolutely okay; just keep in mind that they’ll affect your overall fullness, eating habits, and could impact your appetite throughout the day,” she says.
Similar to the donuts, she says drinks like the Peppermint Mocha Latte are topped with whipped cream, which is extremely high in sugar and fat. While this can be a delicious treat on occasion, she says it’s certainly not the kind of "daily fuel" that will keep you energized in the long term.
Finding a balance between treats and nutrition
If you do want to try one of these treats, Astaficheva says just a few tweaks can keep you in the holiday spirit without going overboard.
She recommends opting for smaller sizes of beverages to cut down on sugar and calories, skipping or reducing the whipped cream, and asking for fewer flavor pumps.
Customers can also choose the Gingerbread Oatmilk Latte for that tiny bit of fiber, and try it unsweetened or with half the syrup, she says.
Saving these treats for a special occasion can also help ensure you’re not overindulging while still allowing yourself to satisfy your cravings.
“To make treats a bit healthier, it’s essential to consider your whole day’s nutrition,” she says. “If you’ve got grains, vegetables, fruits, and proteins in your daily intake, then indulging in holiday desserts can be a fantastic way to treat yourself.”
Indeed, paying attention to everything else you’re consuming in a day is key to deciding whether or not grabbing a treat from this menu is right for you. Rather than keeping track of how often you’re allowing yourself to have a treat, Astaficheva suggests being aware of and trying to follow the general recommendations for sugar intake: sugars should make up about 5-10% of your total daily calories.
“Everything is allowed — even every day,” Astaficheva says, “as long as your overall diet is balanced.”
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