How to Pick Healthy Beverages

The Importance of Healthy Beverages Beverages account for 20% of a person’s daily calories and help the body:

• Digest food • Lubricate muscles and joints

• Remove waste • Regulate body temperature

• Communicate with cells

Water, Tea and JuiceMany “super” waters, teas and juices have added more vitamins which don’t taste as good. Manufacturers add sugar to mask the flavor, but add calories.

Equal amounts of sugar, who knew?

Lipton Green Tea = 25 Hershey’s Kisses

Vitamin Water = One Snickers bar

Arizona Iced Tea = 15 Oreo cookies

Snapple Peach Mangosteen Immunity = 2 frosted cupcakes

SIP HEALTHY WATER

• Look at the label. Make sure you’re getting the actual juice you wanted.

• Steer clear of drinks that have lots of ingredients that don’t seem natural or have chemical-sounding names.

Drinks for KidsKids love brightly colored drink bottles, and the sweet tasting flavors inside. When choosing drinks for your kids, limit the amount of caffeine, sugar and artificial colors/flavors.

How much sugar is in that drink?

Sunkist Orange soda = 21 teaspoons

Arizona Iced Tea = 16 teaspoons

Monster Energy Drink = 13 teaspoons

CHECK FIRST

• Avoid artificial colors/flavors, which have been linked to hyperactivity.

• Check calories and amount of sugar on the Nutrition Facts label, and multiply these by the serving size listed on the label.

“ Soft drinks = the single largest source of calories in the American diet.”

“ Increased amount of soft drinks by teens has caused a 40% decrease in the consumption of milk.”

Busting Caffeine Myths Positive Attributes:• Increases alertness• Improves memory• Improves thinking skills• Lowers risk of certain diseasesNegative Attributes:

• Irritability, Shakiness or Nausea• Increases blood pressure• Can cause calcium loss• Irritates digestive system

Caffeine Reminders

• Daily caffeine limits: – Adults: 300 mg/day – Kids: 100 mg/day

• One 8 oz. cup of coffee has 100 mg of caffeine

• Check manufacturer websites for caffeine amounts

• Caffeine can stay in the body for 8-10 hours

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Source: Obesity in a Bottle, How to pick Healthy Beverages, 2010 LearningZone Express

Drinks for Weight LossResearch has shown that calories consumed by drinking do not register the same ‘sense of fullness’ or ‘satisfaction’ as when calories are eaten.

Consider the fullness of these food equivalents:

Odwalla Protein Drink = 2 bowls of whole-grain cereal, PLUS 2 cups of fruit

Arizona Iced Tea = Sausage and Egg sandwich

Lipton Green Tea = Plate of grapes and nuts

WATCH YOUR WATER AND COFFEE CHOICES

• Some waters have 200-300 calories

• Some coffees have 500-700 calories

Drinks for SportsBefore you begin any physical exercise or sport, it’s a good idea to drink water or diluted fruit juice. Choose a sports drink when you’re active 60 to 90 minutes or more. And after a long work-out, healthy drinks include:

• Drinks with protein

• Drinks with carbohydrates (sugar) and other fluids such as low-fat chocolate milk

STAY HYDRATED

• Drink 4-8 oz. of water every 15 minutes when exercising 60 minutes or less.

• Sports drinks are recommended when exercising 60+ minutes to replace electrolytes and potassium.

• Eat or drink something with protein and carbohydrates within 2 hours of exercising — this is when muscles are most like sponges and nurishment helps the body recover quicker.

“ One 12 oz. can of soda every day for a year = 55,000 calories (16 pounds)”

“ The longer and more intensely you exercise, the more important it is to drink the right kind of fluids.”