What’s the first thing you reach for when you’re thirsty? A glass of water? Chocolate milk? A cool glass of lemonade? You probably don’t realize how much sugar and how many calories are actually in some of your favorite drinks. But it’s time to face the facts. Sugary drinks are everywhere, and they could be ruining any chance you have of losing those last 10 pounds.
Read on to learn which drinks you should avoid if you’re trying to lose weight. We’ve also included alternative suggestions, so you can still enjoy a little bit of sweetness without too many consequences.
1. Flavored coconut water
Coconut water is a flavored water favorite because it’s refreshing and, supposedly, healthy. Refreshing? Sure. Healthy? Not so much. There are 19 grams of sugar in every bottle of ZICO coconut water, for example.
If you’re looking for flavored water that isn’t loaded with sugar, consider infusing your own water with a variety of different fruits. All you have to do is fill a pitcher with water, add fruit or herbs, and enjoy. Try a number of different flavors until you find one you like. Then you can fill up your own container and take it with you wherever you go.
2. Energy sports drinks
Need something cool and rejuvenating after a tough workout? A sports drink isn’t always the best option. One 12-ounce bottle of Thirst Quencher Original Gatorade has 21 total grams of sugar. Do you need to replenish some minerals lost when you sweat? Of course. However, fueling your body with pure sugar isn’t going to give you the energy you need – at least not for very long.
Hydrating is extremely important after endurance workouts, especially if you’re doing something active outdoors. However, eat something salty, full of fiber, and high in calories after a workout. That’s going to provide you much more worthwhile nutrition – and help toward your weight loss goals – than sugar water that tastes like berries.
3. Sweet tea
Tea isn’t naturally sweet. Without any additions, it’s just tea leaves and hot water. However, restaurants and manufacturers alike know we humans love our sweet things. Even adding sugar to your own tea at home can turn a low-calorie drink into a sugar-loaded disaster. However, tea that comes pre-sweetened – especially bottled teas – are at the top of the “nope” list when it comes to sweetened tea.
You have a few alternative options here. You could simply drink your tea unsweetened, and maybe even learn to love the taste of natural tea. Or you could find healthier ways to sweeten your tea, like honey. You can even infuse tea with your own herbs and spices, if you want. Tea is a great way to curb junk food cravings – unless it’s full of the very thing you’re trying to consume less of.
4. Hot drinks with cream
Avoid the coffee shop drinks. Not only those with coffee, but all of them. Did you know a cocoa and cream hot drink you get in town has almost 70 grams of sugar in it? Not to mention all the preservatives. That’s not even the worst it gets. These drinks are a mix of cheap cocoa, ice, syrup, milk, cream, and more sugar than anyone needs in a single sitting. As tempting as they may be, think before you order. Ask yourself if the goodness is really worth the sacrifice. If you only have one of these drinks every once in a while, that’s better – but you’d be even better off without them.
Stay away from the iced lattes with five fancy names rolled into one – it’s all just sugar and cream, in various forms, blended into a cup. If you can’t help yourself, at least opt for the smallest size possible. You can go bigger, but, well, so will your waistline.
5. Diet soda
Soda is one of those versatile drinks that goes with just about anything. Which would be great, if there weren’t so many empty calories in one can. Many people don’t realize how many of their calories come from drinks – and since sugary drinks don’t fill you up, it’s just piling on more calories than you need. Even going diet or “sugar free” doesn’t solve the problem. Many diet sodas contain artificial sweeteners, a type of food additive that doesn’t belong in your body.
Do you drink soda simply for its fizz? Try carbonated (sparkling) water, or, even better, try infusing fruit into a glass of sparkling water for added flavor.
6. Lemonade
Have you ever made lemonade from scratch? Do you know its main ingredients? Lemons, water… and sugar. Sure, it’s not the added sugars that are so prominent in so many processed foods and bottled drinks. But one of sugar’s biggest problems is that it isn’t filling, it doesn’t provide much value, and it’s addicting. Is it possible to have just one glass of lemonade without pouring another? Not usually. But you should try to limit yourself as much as you can. Or even better, replace sugar with honey, and use only little of it.
Even worse: bottled lemonade, or the powdered kind you pour into your own water bottle and shake up. If you’re going to do the lemonade thing, make your own: it tastes better!
7. Fruit juice from the shop
No fruit juice? The one serving of fruit you actually make sure to get every morning? See, here’s the deal: fruit juice isn’t actually fruit. Not really. Sure, a lot of fruit juice is made with real, fresh fruit. Little of it. The rest is water, loads of sugar, preservatives and aromas.
If you want to enjoy the goodness of a fruit juice, make your own. And stick to one glass, as most fruits are full of natural sugars that also add up.
yogaesoteric
October 18, 2017