Beverage Calories

Have you ever thought about how many calories you drink?  While calories are listed on most beverages, many of us do not take the time to check the nutrition facts label for calories, along with the serving size. 

Calories are calories though, and while caloric beverages may not leave us feeling full like calories in solid food, they are still contributing to that daily total.

According to the 2010 Dietary Guidelines, 16% of our total calories come from added sugars.  Of those calories, 46% come from sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks and sugar-sweetened juices.

These added sugars fall under many different names on the ingredient lists: high-fructose corn syrup, fructose, fruit juice concentrates, honey, sugar, syrup, corn syrup, sucrose, and dextrose.  Sugar is the additive most used in our foods and beverages.

Soda: A 12-oz can of soda contains anywhere from 124 to 189 calories.  A soda contains water, a sweetener (in one of the forms of sugar listed above), and a flavoring agent.  It can also contain caffeine or fruit juice.  Soft drinks are addictive because of the caffeine and tend to lead us wanting more.  If you are a regular soda drinker, limiting your soft drink consumption could lead to weight loss and a slimmer waistline.

Energy Drinks: A 12-oz Red Bull contains about 160 calories, but energy drinks tend to come in larger cans than 12-oz so always read the label.  Energy drinks contains large amounts of caffeine and other stimulants.  Again, keep a close eye on the quantity you drink so you aren't taking in a lot of extra calories.  Weight gain can result, along with a caffeine addiction.

Sports Drinks: A 12-oz Gatorade has 94 calories, but similar to energy drinks, the usual sport drink comes in much larger containers, 32-oz bottles.  Sports drinks contain water, carbohydrates, and electrolytes.  While they are great to drink after workouts, they are not the best beverage to drink, just to drink.  They taste good but again, those calories add up quickly.

Sweetened Juices: While fruit juices are often marketed as a healthy alternative to soft drinks, this is not necessarily so.  Sugar-sweetened fruit juices have comparable calories to soft drinks, if not more.  If you want to drink fruit juices, look for those that are labeled 100% fruit juice.  These are the products that only contain the natural sugars from fruits.  However, it is important to limit all fruit juices because they still contain calories, no matter where they come from. 

Getting enough fluids is crucial to keep your body working at its best.  Water, tea, plain coffee, and artificially sweetened beverages are good choices to limit the calories you drink.