You already know that water is good for you and sugary soda isn’t. But you may not be aware that many of the most popular beverages touted as “healthy” can actually be hazardous to your waistline and your health. Here are six beverages you should be wary of:
Diet Soda Many people are under the impression that drinking diet soda is fine, since it has zero calories. However, according to the American Diabetes Association, diet drinks may contribute to weight gain, and their artificial sweeteners could lead to the development of Type 2 diabetes. Several studies have found that people who drink diet sodas regularly have larger waistlines than others. One theory for why diet drinks contribute to weight gain is that people believe that they are “saving” calories, and end up eating more as a result. Some experts believe diet soda is actually worse for your health than regular soda. To be safe, try to cut diet drinks and regular soda out of your diet entirely.
Energy Drinks Caffeinated energy drinks are thought to help people feel extremely alert and perform better. However, they are generally full of sugar and have an extremely high amount of caffeine. Combined with additives like guarana and taurine, these alleged energy-boosters can end up causing you to crash and burn. According to a 2002 study from Germany, consuming energy drinks can lead to seizures, liver damage, accelerated heart rates and respiratory disorders.
Sugary Coffee Drinks While a 16-ounce caramel frappuccino with whipped cream may sound like a pleasurable way to get your caffeine fix, turns out it packs nearly 500 calories. The extra milk in sugary coffee drinks combined with the artificial flavorings make them much unhealthier than straight coffee, which contains just ten calories per cup. Generally, people forget to count the calories they drink, so they remain blissfully unaware of the truth. Instead of ordering large, milky coffee drinks with extra flavoring, try a regular cup of coffee with nonfat milk.
Cocktails While having a drink every once in a while isn’t bad for you, make sure to avoid sugary drinks that are packed with fake syrups. For example, a sugar-saturated margarita can end up being over 800 calories, and a pina colada can be as many as 650. For a healthier option, try drinking a glass of red wine, which has just 85 calories. Another plus of red wine is that drinking a glass per day has been shown to be good for your heart.
Juices With Added Sweetener Many juices do not actually contain real fruit – they obtain their “fruity” flavor with artificial sweeteners, which knocks the health benefit down to nothing. It can add even add to weight gain and cause your blood sugar to skyrocket. Make sure the juice you buy is labeled “100% fruit juice.”
Sweet Tea While this seemingly light and tasty beverage may seem fairly harmless, its high sugar content trumps its antioxidant properties, causing it to do more harm to you than good. Sweet tea can also cause your blood sugar to spike, leading to weight gain and making you feel drained. Instead of sweet tea, try naturally fruity teas like mango green tea or lemon zest.
