Its important to know what goes in your body, including drinks. When it comes to weight management and overall health, making small changes can make a great difference. Stopping "drinking your calories" is a great place to start. One can easily get 50% or more of their daily recommended amount of carbohydrates (sugar) and excessive calories from one drink alone.
For an individual on a general 2,000 calorie/day intake, the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for carbohydrates is only 130g/d. That extra large cola at your favorite fast food restaurant has roughly 128g! That's a little over 500 calories. That's a meal replacement. Its crazy.
But my favorite is the 100% juice that my client's child is addicted to, and they come bragging about how they make sure their child "gets their juice", 2 and 3 cups a day, like it is sooooo healthy... Guess what? One cup (8 oz) 100% apple juice has more sugar than a cup of chocolate milk. Now, that doesn't mean give more chocolate milk, that means stop loading your child up with unnecessary sugar and contributing to the rising number of obese and diabetic children. Give that child some water and fresh fruit. They'll thank you later.
Unfortunately, children drink many of the sugary drinks out there, taking in more than what an adult should. Setting an example early on can teach them to make healthier choices. I know it sounds cliché, but there is much good in increasing the amount of water we drink a day. For it to be such "common knowledge" that drinking water is good for you, it is so disappointing to hear how much people "hate" water or think it tastes "disgusting", and will only drink sodas, juices, fruit drinks, etc. instead. Yes, I hear this everyday.
Off my soapbox now, so we can continue.
I have listed below a few examples of common beverages consumed, and the amount of carbohydrates per serving. Its important to be smart consumers when reading food labels and marketing strategies.
- Like the previous juice example, "100% juice" and "no added sugar" simply means just that, not sugar "free".
- Food labels tell you the nutrition content per serving, not per container. Be sure to read how many servings are in one container.
As always, feel free to comment or send questions my way. Nutrition is not only my career, but my passion!
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