cheers
Most of us know we should be drinking water, but when we choose something else, what should it be? Here’s a review of some popular beverages and you may be surprised to find they pack more than just a thirst quenching punch.
- Many juice bar smoothies and juice-based drinks are loaded with added sugar and contain 200 – 400 calories. Instead, grab a flavored seltzer, or make your own with 25% juice and 75% seltzer.
- One popular chain offers a large size coffee with a variety of flavors and a topping of whipped cream for more than 700 calories (that’s a meal, not a beverage!). And don’t be fooled by the “light” selections now available — a large, light blended coffee with whipped cream is 400 calories. Instead, order a medium-sized decaf skim latte for less than 200 calories.
- While an occasional glass of wine will not hinder your progress, regular imbibing will*. Not only are alcoholic drinks high in calories, but they tend to influence our food choices as well.
- Don’t make an alcoholic beverage your first stop at a party. Start with a seltzer or diet soda. After that, alternate between alcoholic drinks and non-alcoholic.
- Think of it this way, if you say "no" to two glasses of wine a day, that’s the same thing as saying "yes" to losing about 35 pounds in one year.
- Drink water, seltzer, diet beverages in moderation (though some people believe these cause sugar cravings), hot or iced plain tea and coffee (without milk or sugar)
*For general health, The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend that if you drink alcohol, do so in moderation and when consumption does not put you or others at risk. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism recommends that women have no more than one drink a day and men no more than two drinks per day.
