Blog7: Empty Calorie Beverages: Yes or No!

Empty calorie beverages or sweetened sodas generally provide no nutritional benefit at all. Even fruit-flavored sodas are full of empty calories. Diet sodas may contain fewer calories, but they still provide no nutritional benefit. These beverages are so popular these days, they are seen everywhere – in vending machines, grocery store and of course in your refrigerator too. When we’re watching what we eat, what we drink, sometimes we don’t think about it.  If we aren’t careful, a large amount of calories can come from the beverages we drink with meals or as snacks. The majority of these excess calories come in the form of sugar-sweetened beverages. Some beverages, such as fruit juices may already have naturally occurring sugar in them. But many more have added sugars in the form of corn syrup or other sweeteners. The added sugars have no nutritional value other than calories.

There are many negative effects of these empty calorie beverages on our health. The consumption of these sugar-sweetened beverages can increase the risk of obesity and cardiovascular issues.

So, what can you do to better your health in terms of beverage intake?

·         Increase your water consumption! Try adding fruit like lemon to your water for an extra kick if you don’t prefer the taste of plain water

·         Choose low-fat milk options and 100% fruit juices. Try to drink fresh juices. 

Decreasing your daily intake of sugar-sweetened beverages will have a positive effect on both long and short-term health.