What Are Sugar-Loaded Beverages And Why Are They Unhealthy?
Sugar loaded-beverages, also known as sugar-sweetened beverages, contain added sweeteners, and extra calories, but no nutritional value. Sugary drinks are the single greatest source of calories in the American diet, providing approximately 10% of the total average calories per day. The large increase in the amount of sugary drinks people consume, or drink, relates to the dramatic rise in adult and childhood obesity. In Illinois, nearly 25% of adults and 20% of children are obese. One study shows that increased consumption of sugary drinks accounts for 20% of the weight gained by adults and children in the past 30 years.
Drinking too much sugary drinks can lead to chronic diseases such as:
Obesity, Type 2 Diabetes, Heart Disease, Osteoporosis And Hypertension.
Healthier Drink Guide
| Drink | Rating | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Green | At least half of your daily fluid intake should come from water. That’s about 5 cups for kids and 10 cups for adults. Water Is The Only Drink Your Body Needs. |
| Skim Milk, Soymilk With Calcium, 1% Low-Fat Milk (Non-Flavored) | Green | Drink 2 cups per day – less is fine as long as you get your Calcium from another source. |
| 100% Fruit Juice | Yellow | Drink daily but in small amounts. While 100% juice has many of the same nutrients as fruit, it has more calories. Just one small glass (4 oz) per day is all your body needs. |
| Non-Caloric (Zero Calorie) Artificially Sweetened Drinks Like Diet Soda | Yellow | These are better choices because they have zero calories, but water and low-fat milk are even healthier choices. |
| Unsweetened Iced Tea | Yellow | This is a better choice because it is low in calories, but water and low-fat milk are even healthier choices. |
| Sports Drinks And Fitness Water | Red | Sports drinks add unnecessary calories. They are designed for athletes after intense physical activity of at least 60 minutes. |
| Soda, Fruit Drinks And Sweetened Teas | Red | Remember: only One can of soda every day can add on 15 Lbs in a year. Drink water or another healthier choice. |
Kick The Can: Giving The Boot To Sugary Drinks
Interested in starting a movement in your community to change what kids and their families reach for when they are thirsty? Find information about the dangers of sugary drinks, learn about educational campaigns happening across the nation, and get tools to get started at Kick the Can !
Illinois Alliance To Prevent Obesity (Iapo)
What Drinks Are Considered Sugary Drinks?
Soda, like Coke, Pepsi, Mountain Dew, and Sprite, Fruit drinks (not 100% juice), like Kool Aid, Hugs, and Hi-C., Iced teas and sweet teas, like Snapple, Arizona, Nestea, SoBe, Honest, Sweet Leaf, and Tazo, Energy drinks, like Monster, Red Bull, and Rockstar, Sports drinks, like Gatorade and Powerade, Flavored water, like Vitamin Water.
Note: Sodas and other drinks containing artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, sucralose or stevia are not considered sugary drinks.
Tips For Making A Healthier Choice In What To Drink:
Drink Water. For a quick, easy, and inexpensive thirst-quencher, carry a water bottle and refill it throughout the day. Serve water with meals. Don’t “stock the fridge” with sugary beverages. Instead, keep a jug or bottles of cold water in the fridge. Water Tips:
- Add Slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, or watermelon, or drink sparkling water.
- Add A Splash of 100% juice to ice cold water – a little splash goes a long way!
- Buy Water packed in small sizes or Colorful Packaging to add appeal. This can be especially helpful for younger children.
If you can’t drink water all the time, think about drinking low-calorie beverages instead of sugary beverages.
Reduce Portion Sizes. Read labels and pay attention to the “serving size”. For example, a 20oz. bottle of soda contains 2.5 servings. One serving is 8 ounces. Most people drink the entire bottle in one sitting—a whopping 240 calories. That’s about as much as a candy bar.
Look For The Sugar Content. Sugar can be listed as sucrose, glucose or high fructose corn syrup. Honey, molasses, fruit juice concentrates and dextrose are also forms of sugar. Keep an eye out for these hidden sugars.
Order A Small Size. If you drink sugary beverages, drinks small quantities. Some companies sell 8oz. cans and bottles of soda, which contain about 100 calories. Avoid any “super” or “big” sizes.
Water It Down. If you are drinking a sugar-sweetened juice or sports drink, it with the same amount of water.
Take A Sugary Drink Vacation. Select a week, weekend or even month to be sugary drink free!
Consider Your Consumption. It’s easy to let a waiter serve you three sugary beverages, or to guzzle an extra large juice without thinking twice. Before you swallow another 250 calories, take a moment to ask yourself, “Do I really want to drink all of this sugar?”
Take Action!
Take Action! There are many ways to reduce consumption of sugary drinks. Encourage your school, community, worksite and organization to take action.
Healthy Vending
While many children do not have access to healthy and appealing fresh foods, they often have easy access to sugary drinks in school vending machines and cafeterias. Learn how to create healthy vending guidelines in your school with resources from the Alliance for a Healthier Generation’s Healthy Schools Program .
Increasing access to healthy options in the workplace can improve the health of employees, too. Gain resources and tools to promote workplace wellness from the American Heart Association .