- Soda
- Juice
- Sweet tea
- Energy drinks
- Sports drinks
- Chocolate milk
- Coffee with sugar
- Vitamin-enhanced water
While some of these drinks are marketed to appear healthy, most sweet drinks - including juices, contain as much sugar as a soft drink ounce for ounce. Whether that sugar is labeled 'fructose', 'sucrose', 'high-fructose corn syrup' or 'cane sugar' doesn't make a difference. All added sugars are metabolized in the same way, and when it comes to liquid sugars there are simply no health benefits. Unlike sugars from complex carbs or those found in fruit, the levels of sugar contained in sodas, juices and other sweet drinks are substantially higher, lack fiber and are absorbed much more quickly. Sweet drinks are associated with a range of health complications, both in obese and non-obese individuals, including fatty liver and diabetes, high blood pressure and coronary heart disease.
Additionally, sugary drinks fail to send the signals to your brain to let you know you've consumed enough calories. As an example, consider how many oranges you could consume in one sitting before growing tired of oranges. Most of us would comfortably stop at one, maybe two if hunger has really struck. That's because in addition to the sweet sugary goodness an orange provides, you're also consuming fiber. Fiber is an essential part of a healthy diet, and it contained in all fruits and vegetables. Fibrous foods don't just take longer to eat, which gives your brain a chance to catch up to your stomach, they also slow down sugar absorption and digestion. On the contrary, a glass of orange juice contains no fiber, and an average 8-ounce glass contains about four oranges worth of sugar - roughly 21 grams, or more than 5 teaspoons worth.
That's why swapping out liquid calories for water is so incredibly effective, particularly for individuals who consume sugary beverages regularly or in large quantities. And that's why the easiest thing you can do for your health today is quit liquid calories for good.
