Each and everyday we are bombarded with advertisements for colas, sports drinks, coffees and energy drinks. But what happened to just plain water? The push for consumption of these beverages has increased total calorie and sugar intake. Research shows that people will consume the same amount of food whether they are drinking water or a 150 cal soda, so why add on those empty calories? I am not saying you need to eliminate all beverages that are not water, however these drinks should be consumed in moderation.
Think before you drink; is this beverage benefitting my body in any way? For example when asking this question before drinking a tall glass of skim milk, your mind will be able to answer this question 'yes' because of its calcium content. Is the beverage you are about to consume high in sugar and calories? Does it contain a significant source of vitamins/minerals?
Beverages that are good hydration sources include water, herbal tea's and fruit/vegetable juices. Coffee, sodas and alcoholic beverages are not good hydration sources and should be limited. Coffee contain purines which are a toxin and require a large amount of water when being excreted so no irritation is caused. Most of the water found in coffee is used to dilute these toxins and therefore only a small amount is left over for hydration. Soft drinks often have a high caffeine base, which makes a body lose water before it has time to make its way into the intracellular environment. The high sugar content of most sodas gives the body a hard time properly metabolizing it, causing the body to surrender water from the extracellular fluid.This makes a person thirsty and a vicious circle is created.
See yourself, here is some facts about popular beverages:
Pepsi
13 teaspoons of added sugars (208 calories from added sugars)
Canada Dry Ginger Ale
11 teaspoons of added sugars (176 calories from added sugars)
Hi-C Orange Lavaburst
10 teaspoons of added sugars (160 calories from added sugars)
McDonald’s Sweet Tea
9 teaspoons of added sugars (144 calories from added sugars)
Fruit-Flavored Gatorade
6 teaspoons of added sugars (96 calories from added sugars)
Think before you drink; is this beverage benefitting my body in any way? For example when asking this question before drinking a tall glass of skim milk, your mind will be able to answer this question 'yes' because of its calcium content. Is the beverage you are about to consume high in sugar and calories? Does it contain a significant source of vitamins/minerals?
Beverages that are good hydration sources include water, herbal tea's and fruit/vegetable juices. Coffee, sodas and alcoholic beverages are not good hydration sources and should be limited. Coffee contain purines which are a toxin and require a large amount of water when being excreted so no irritation is caused. Most of the water found in coffee is used to dilute these toxins and therefore only a small amount is left over for hydration. Soft drinks often have a high caffeine base, which makes a body lose water before it has time to make its way into the intracellular environment. The high sugar content of most sodas gives the body a hard time properly metabolizing it, causing the body to surrender water from the extracellular fluid.This makes a person thirsty and a vicious circle is created.
See yourself, here is some facts about popular beverages:
Pepsi
13 teaspoons of added sugars (208 calories from added sugars)
Canada Dry Ginger Ale
11 teaspoons of added sugars (176 calories from added sugars)
Hi-C Orange Lavaburst
10 teaspoons of added sugars (160 calories from added sugars)
McDonald’s Sweet Tea
9 teaspoons of added sugars (144 calories from added sugars)
Fruit-Flavored Gatorade
6 teaspoons of added sugars (96 calories from added sugars)
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