A patient of mine recently came in because she was having a difficult losing weight and falling asleep. When prompted, she revealed that she drank seven (yes, seven!) regular sodas per day. With about forty grams of sugar per can, that equals to 280 grams of sugar per day. This begs the question, how much soda are you drinking?
According to new 2011 figures released by the Centers for Disease Control, one in 20 Americans drinks at least four cans of soda and half of the population drinks a sugared beverage everyday when it’s a well-known fact that this increases their risk for obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.
If the average can of soda has forty grams of sugar, the equals about ten teaspoons of sugar per serving! What about those coffee or energy drinks? It’s time to read labels.
A typical tall non fat no whip mocha has 25 grams of sugar.
A popular energy drink has 27 grams of sugar.
A bottle of ice tea has 20 grams of sugar.
A tall nonfat chai latte has 40 grams of sugar.
A container of vanilla yogurt has 18 grams of sugar which is important to note when you make your smoothie or mix in sugary granola for breakfast.
What does all this mean? Americans love their sugar especially when it comes in a drinkable form. Add this to the sugar they incorporate into their daily meals, snacks, munchies, and desserts? It’s a sugar overload.
What should you drink instead? How about plain water? Some people don’t like the taste of water so I recommend adding in a slice of lemon, lime or cucumber, try sparkling water or having teas. Try stevia or truvia sweetened drinks instead of those filled with sugar.
Are the diet drinks any better? Unfortunately they are filled with aspartame and are still linked with weight gain so it is strongly advised you avoid those as well.
Take charge of your health and so "No" to soda!
References:
1) Half of Americans Drink Daily Soda, Sweet Beverage. Web. 1 Sept. 2011.
http://news.yahoo.com/half-americans-drink-daily-soda-sweet-beverage-221223244.html
2) Even Diet Soda Induces Weight Gain in the Elderly. Web. 8 Sept. 2011.
http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/745312
Reviewed September 9, 2011
by Michele Blacksberg R.N.
Edited by Jody Smith