Authors: Marcel Horowitz, MS, CHES, Christie Hedrick, BS, Angela Asch, BS, Sonia Fernandez, BS, & Katie Churchill, BS, University of California Cooperative Extension, Yolo County
Most of the sugar you consume probably comes from some form of a sweetened beverage. Did you drink a soda, punch, flavored water, sports drink, coffee drink, or other sweetened beverage yesterday? Check the label. Chances are you will find corn syrup, sugar, sucrose, cane sugar, or cane syrup listed as an ingredient. Not only does this supply a constant source of food for the plaque bacteria growing on your teeth (which may lead to cavities), new research shows that our bodies don't quite calculate the calories from beverages the same as those from food. So this may be one of the biggest contributors to excess calories and weight gain.
| Instead of... | Try... |
|---|---|
| Regular Soda | Substituting! Diet or Sugar Free Soda. If you are getting your soda from a fountain, start by mixing diet and regular together to adjust your tastes. Continue to alter the ratio for a few weeks until it is entirely sugar free. Shrinking! If you just can't make the change to diet, at least reduce the size of your cup. |
| Flavored Coffees | Swapping! Sugar Free or Unflavored Coffees. Order sugar free syrups instead. Shrinking! Ask for fewer flavored pumps/shots in your drink. |
| Flavored Waters | Sneaking In! Water. Flavored bottle waters usually contain sugar, fructose, or corn syrup. Instead make your own flavored water by placing a few slices of fruit in a glass with plain water and ice. You will sneak in some vitamins and minerals, while losing the added calories and sugar. |
| Sports Drinks | Swapping! Milk. Research has shown that milk may be more effective for exercise recuperation than sports drinks. |
| Punches | Swapping! Juice. Grab a pouch or box labeled "100% juice," not "fruit flavored" or "fruit drink." The kids won't taste the difference. |
