Once upon a time, beverages were basic: water, milk, juice, coffee, tea and an occasional special drink. But today, thanks to the profitable beverage industry with a gigantic marketing budget, we were sold the idea that for every moment of the day, there’s a corresponding beverage we must consume, starting with premade breakfast drinks, expensive coffee potions, smoothies and magical teas not to mention the endless soda options, kids drinks, sports drinks, juice and bottled water.
Given the plethora of beverage, it can be a challenge to navigate your way through the grocery store aisles deciding what beverages to buy.
Let’s start with the obvious and one of my favorite to pick on…soda! Why? Because it’s liquid sugar, which skyrockets blood sugar, insulin and has no nutritional value. Excess insulin turns to fat and quickly packs on the pounds. Marketing moguls would like us to believe that sodas such as Hansen’s (43 grams or 10.75 teaspoons of sugar in a 12 oz can), Pellegrino (32 grams or 8 teaspoons of sugar in an 11 oz can) and organic sodas are “healthy” but they’re still just liquid sugar. While diet sodas may have zero calories, they are a can of chemicals, full of artificial flavors and sweeteners. Plus, artificial sweeteners are so much sweeter than regular sugar it leaves the body wanting more. When it comes to soda, regardless if it’s regular, diet or organic, avoid them all together. Instead, opt for sparking water and squeeze a lemon or an orange for flavor.
Now, for the not so obvious…fruit juice….to drink or not to drink? The majority of processed juice has little real fruit if any and is often water, sugar and food coloring, so it’s best to avoid all together. Fresh squeezed, unsweetened fruit juice contains minerals, vitamins and enzymes, which is good for us. However, fruit juice without the fruit fiber is…drum roll…liquid sugar! Even the natural fresh fruit blend drinks that are all the rage these days are still liquid sugar. Limit serving size to 4oz to 6oz max or better yet, eat a piece of whole fruit instead.
Let’s switch beverages now to sports drinks, a billion dollar industry. While some sports drinks have a sophisticated electrolyte balance, which is essential for true athletes that sweat profusely, the average person does not need them. Plus, the majority of sports drinks are laden with high fructose corn syrup, another form of sugar (worse than regular table sugar), food coloring and artificial sweeteners. A great alternative is unsweetened coconut water. It’s high in potassium and other important electrolytes.
Now it’s tea time. When brewed just right, tea can be a delicious beverage. But, not all tea is created equal: there’s herbal tea (caffeine free), white tea (low caffeine), green tea (medium caffeine), black tea (highest caffeine of all teas), ice tea, hot tea and sweetened tea. But, buyer beware, one 13.8 oz bottle of organic green Tazo tea, sounds great on the surface, until you realize it has 30 grams or 7.5 teaspoons of sugar. Leave the sweetened teas on the shelf and opt for unsweetened tea, which can have some great health benefits. For example, green tea contains antioxidants, ginger tea is great for digestion and has anti-inflammatory components and chamomile tea helps calm the body.
Starbucks gets an “A” for turning a cup of coffee into a multi-billion dollar franchise. Unfortunately, it gets an “F” for their sugar laden Frappuccino’s (Grande/16 oz Caffe Vanilla Frappuccino contains a whopping 69 grams or 17.25 teaspoons of sugar), mochas and other high sugar drinks. When it comes to coffee, keep it simple and enjoy it with real cream or steamed milk. If you must sweeten it, use 100% Stevia, a plant based sweetener. However, be mindful of caffeine intake and limit caffeinated beverages to 1-2 cups daily.
As for water, drink enough plain water so your urine is clear. I am often asked if coffee and/or tea counts towards water intake. My response is no, unless maybe it’s plain herbal tea. However, the body still needs good old fashioned plain water for cellular hydration, organ function, regularity, energy, healthy skin, etc. While the exact number of daily ounces is controversial, I recommend a minimum of 50 oz of plain water daily. Start with a glass of water upon waking and drink a couple cups in-between each meal. Water with a meal is great, but drink the majority between meals for optimal absorption.
In summary, drink enough water daily so that your urine is clear, limit/avoid sweetened beverages, keep caffeinated drinks to a max of 2 per day and consider unsweetened tea for its health benefits.
Roseann is UBF's health management practice leader and is the glue that turns wellness into health management. Roseann has many years of experience in health and wellness management as well as much knowledge of nutrition and its industry.