1. The Illusion of Size
Small, bite-sized donuts called ‘donut holes’ or ‘munchkins’ feel less psychologically burdensome than eating one large donut. It’s easy to think that eating a few of them will be fine.
2. The Pitfall of Content Comparison
– Content per piece: Of course, the calorie and carbohydrate content of a single donut hole is much lower than that of a single regular donut.
– The Problem of Quantity: However, we usually don’t eat just one donut hole. It’s common to mindlessly eat 4-5 pieces, or even more.
– Total Amount Comparison:
– 1 Glazed Donut (approx. 50g): approx. 200 kcal, 22g carbs
– 1 Glazed Donut Hole (approx. 15g): approx. 60 kcal, 6g carbs
– If you eat 4 donut holes, you will consume a total of 240 kcal and 24g of carbs, which is actually more calories and carbohydrates than eating one regular donut.
3. The Ingredients are Identical
Donut holes are made from the same dough left over from making regular donuts. This means they are completely identical to regular donuts in that they are made from refined flour and sugar that raise blood sugar quickly, and are high in saturated fat from being fried in oil. The fact that they are ‘small’ does not mean they are ‘healthy.’
Summary: It is easy to be complacent and eat several donut holes because they are small. This can result in a higher intake of calories and carbohydrates than eating a single regular donut. Therefore, you must be careful not to fall into the ‘small size’ trap.
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