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Health Problems Associated with Sweetened Drinks
Sodas, fruit juices, and sweetened beverages all have equal amounts of sugar in them and are considered to be "empty calories." Here are some more reasons to avoid sugary drinks.
- Increase in weight: The excess calories (with limited nutrition) are consumed in a liquid form. They are often in addition to usual food intake. Excess calories leads to excess weight. Also, sweetened drinks between meals can decrease children's appetites and their intake of healthier foods.
- Not enough dairy foods and calcium: Lack of milk consumption leads to insufficient calcium intake. This has been linked to an increase in bone fractures in children and the increase in overweight children.
- Dental problems: Sweetened drinks have been shown to increase children's cavities and erosion of the enamel on teeth.
Healthier
Beverages |
Sugar-sweetened
Beverages |
| Milk (fat-free
or 1%) for children older than 2 years of age |
Carbonated
soft drink (regular) |
| Vegetable juice | Sport Drinks (water is the optimal thirst quencher for most of our children's activities) |
| Water | Lemonade |
| Non-Carbonated Beverages sweetened with low/no calorie sweetener* |
The first four categories of healthier drinks should be offered to children most frequently. However when the choices are limited, such as at restaurants or family activities, opt for beverages sweetened with low/no calorie sweeteners.
Hope Warshaw, MMSc, RD, CDE, is a Registered Dietitian and Certified Diabetes Educator living in Northern Virginia. She is the author of several best-selling nutrition books which are available through www.hopewarshaw.com.
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