(Submitted by Emily Schwichtenberg, Food and Nutrition Specialist at Tri-Valley)
Most adults do not drink enough water. Our bodies are made up of about 70% water. Water is necessary in the everyday functions to keep our bodies working properly. Sugar sweetened beverages has replaced water as a beverage of choice. Sugar sweetened beverages are items such as Sports Drinks, Soda, Juices and Lemonades. True there are some sugar free options such as Diet Soda and Crystal Light However our bodies still have to work to get the water out of these products. So what’s in your drink?
These pictures depict the amount of sugar in the represented beverages:
Where there is sugar there are calories…the America Heart Association recommends no more than 450 calories of sugar-sweetened beverages or, 3- 12 ounce cans of soda, per week.
A study published by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention states that males consume an average of 178 calories from sugary drink on any given day, while females consume 103 calories from sugary drinks.
Rethink your drink and choose water. Save your calories for nutritious foods and hydrate your body with clean, fresh, zero calorie water.
(Taken from Ogden C. L. et al. “Consumption of Sugar Drinks in the United States, 2005-2008.” NCHS Data Brief, No. 71. August 2011. Retrieved from: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/databriefs/db71.htm 28 January 2013.)