I invite you to try this at home: Go into your kitchen and spoon ten teaspoons of sugar into a bowl. Would you ever sit down to eat this much sugar, all at once? Probably not. But if you drink sugar-containing beverages—soft drinks, sweetened iced teas, energy drinks, sports drinks, smoothies, even fruit juice—you can easily consume that much sugar or more in just a few gulps. A 12 ounce can of Coca Cola has 10 teaspoons of sugar in it, about the same as a 12 ounce bottle of 100% orange juice. Grape juice has even more—about 15 teaspoons of sugar in 12 ounces.

Why am I asking you to be mindful about the amount of sugar in your drink? Because over time, drinking large amounts of sugary beverages can increase our risk of becoming overweight and developing type 2 diabetes, and perhaps even our risk of developing heart disease. So-called “diet” drinks, made with calorie-free sweeteners such as stevia or aspartame, may not be much better for us, as they may condition our palates to crave sweeter and sweeter foods and drinks.

We are all subject to the allure of tasty sweetened drinks that we can grab in ever-larger containers at the office, the gas station, the convenience store, the gym. But now that we are aware of the health risks associated with unmindful drinking, we can begin to form new habits—habits that may help us achieve a healthier weight.

Tips for choosing healthy beverages:

1. Read the labels carefully. Many sugary drinks are marketed as being “healthy” or “natural,” or touted as being packed with antioxidants, vitamins or herbs, but upon inspection of the Nutrition Facts label, you will find that they are loaded in sugar.

2. Embrace delicious low-sugar alternatives, including water infused with citrus and herbs, plain tea or coffee, or sparkling water with a slash of juice. See more ideas at The Nutrition Source, a website maintained by the Dept. of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health.

3. Check out the easy and quick How Sweet Is It? reference guide, created by the Dept. of Nutrition at Harvard School of Public Health, which shows just how many teaspoons of sugar are in popular beverages.

4. If you do want something that’s a tad more sweet, my colleagues at Harvard and I recommend that you stick with beverages that have no more than 1 gram of sugar per ounce—70 percent less sugar than a typical soft drink. These are a better choice than high-sugar soft drinks, but they still have calories – 50 calories in 12 ounces – so don’t overdo it. See the How Sweet Is It? guide for ideas.

Please share your healthy drink recipes and favorite low sugar drinks with our Savor community!

Looking forward to hearing from you,

Lilian

P.S. When we consider healthy beverages, let us be mindful of our planet’s health and as well as our personal health. The use and inappropriate disposal of beverage bottles results in litter and increased oil drilling in order to manufacture and ship more containers, which increases global warming. Can you share your tips for “green” drink consumption?