Unhealthy Beverages

You know the saying you are what you eat, or maybe you are what you think! But what about, you are what you drink. Since 70% of the body is made up of water this statement is very important and what you drink is even more important. So, there are unhealthy beverages and healthy beverages to consider before just gulping any beverage down. Duh, guess we just didn’t give it any thought even though the bad list seems to be very obvious. Whether you are really watching your weight and watching your intake of food and beverages there are some very important things to consider when drinking. Listed below are some real unhealthy beverages to stay away from or at least limit in your daily hydration:

COFFEE(does it surprise anyone except the Mormons?) that this is on the list. What makes this drink so unhealthy is the added empty calories such as full-fat dairy products, white sugar, artificial flavorings and other extras such as chocolate sprinkles. If coffee is necessary then possibly a better option is a plain coffee with soymilk or, better yet, antioxidant-rich green tea. Most people that I know that drink coffee really don’t drink it for any good health reasons, they just like the taste and the apparent up-lift from this caffeine rich beverage. You get the same lift from newer energy drinks such as Red Bull, which has about the same caffeine as a cup of coffee.

SUGARY COCKTAILS really make this bad list and not to my surprise. Whether it’s a margarita o a pina colada, cocktails pack a double dose of calories due to alcohol and sugar--some can top 800 calories in one drink. Better options are a glass of red wine(60-100 calories) or a light beer(about 100 calories).

NON-JUICE “Non Juice Drinks”, Before buying juice, read the label and make sure it is 100% juice(not just “made with” real juice or real flavor), and also check for sweeteners and calories. Man of these products are no better than drinking sugar water. Even 100% juice can spike blood sugar and promote weight gain, so mix it with plain or sparkling water or green tea to lower the glycemic load.

SODA. There just isn’t anything nutritious about soda, whether it’s diet or regular. If you’re a soda addict, break the habit by eliminating soda as a treat, and stop reaching for it automatically with a meal or as a thirst quencher.

Okay there is hope, in the next report I will discuss healthy beverages, since there are plenty of them out there.

mike greer