With so many sugary drinks to choose from, you may have forgotten that water is the healthiest and best option for you.
Type 2 diabetes is one of the fastest growing health concerns around the world. In the United States, one in every ten Americans has diabetes and 1 in 3 adults has prediabetes. Sugary drinks are strongly associated with weight gain and obesity. Here’s why. The sugar in drinks is absorbed very quickly into your blood because of the limited fat and fiber content. Without any exercise immediately following consumption of the sugary drink, these sugars will be stored as fat. This is why, eliminating and/or limiting your consumption of sugary drinks can help you maintain a healthy weight and stick to a healthy dietary pattern. Thankfully, reducing sugary drink intake has also been identified as one of the most cost-effective diabetes prevention and management approaches in the last decade.
What are sugary drinks?
Sugary drinks, also known as sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), consist of any liquids that are sweetened with various forms of added sugars. Some examples of added sugars include
- Corn Syrup
- Raw Sugar
- Sugar
- Honey
- Sucrose
- Fructose
- Dextrose
- Malt Syrup
The Dietary Guildelines for Americans recommends limiting added sugars to less than 10% of your total daily calorie intake. Given that the average daily caloric intake ranges from 1,800 to 2,000 calories, this means you should keep your daily intake from added sugar between 180 to 200 calories. However, one 20-ounce can of a soda can have more than 70 grams which will quickly put you over your daily intake allowance. This is why cutting out and/or reducing sugary beverages is typically a very effective first step towards losing weight and achieving a healthier lifestyle.
Drinking sugar-free drinks may seem like the better alternative to SSB but it is important to understand that these drinks contain artificial sweeteners. These sweeteners can still lead you to gain weight since they can trigger cravings for other sugary snacks. They can be served as an occasional treat but should not be used to substitute SSBs or replace water.
Impact on metabolic health
Poor metabolic health is when you have increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess fat around the waist, and abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels. Sugary drinks can cause your blood sugar to rise rapidly because of the amount of sugar they have. Ultimately hurting your metabolic health, so avoiding them can help you prevent developing metabolic syndrome.
Rethink your drink
If you drink sugary drinks often, then you are more likely to experience health problems. Water is always the recommended drink to choose for optimal health. When choosing water, you can go with tap water, bottled water, or sparkling water. If you feel like you may need to add some flavor, adding berries or slices of lime, lemon, or cucumber to your water is a great approach to adding flavor in a healthy way. It may be difficult to get used to only drinking water but breaking the habit by not stocking up on sugary drinks and instead stocking your fridge with water is a great starting point.
The bottom line
Although sugary drinks may be tasty, they are not great for your health because of the amount of added sugars they contain. Consuming too many sugary drinks is associated with several health problems. Drinking water is the solution to get you on the path to a healthier lifestyle.
https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/rethink-your-drink/
https://www.cdc.gov/healthy-weight-growth/be-sugar-smart/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8472506/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4420570/
https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/php/data-research/added-sugars.html
https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-drinks/sugary-drinks/
https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/metabolic-syndrome/symptoms-causes/syc-20351916
https://www.cdc.gov/nutrition/data-statistics/sugar-sweetened-beverages-intake.html
https://mypenndentist.org/dental-tips/2024/01/08/sugar-free-dental-myths/
