Beverages have been found by several recent studies to be the #1 culprit in weight gain. Not only are beverages causing people to gain weight, these liquid calories are also making it very difficult for people to lose weight.
We have endless choice when it comes to beverages. This is visually apparent when you stand in front of the drink cooler at your local supermarket or gas station. Sodas, energy drinks, juices, teas, bottled smoothies, flavored water, coffee drinks; the list goes on and on. With such a wide array of flavors and enticing packaging, not many people are going to reach for plain old water. As a result, many people are drinking far more calories than they realize.
A Canadian study took a look at how many calories different age groups are actually drinking. The dietary recommendation is that 5-10% of your total calories should come from beverages. The study found in the 30-40 year age group, Canadian men were getting 16% of their total calories from beverages; women in that age group were drinking 14% of their total calories. For the younger adults in their 20’s, men were drinking 20% of their calories and women 18%.
Why are people drinking so many calories? Besides the allure of taste mentioned before, there is also the problem of satiety. Fullness doesn’t register as well with liquids as it does with solid foods.
Another issue is the whole market of “healthy drinks” or “functional beverages”. This market is made up of drinks like coconut water, aloe vera juice, bottled smoothies, kombucha, etc. Many of us are suckers for health claims made on packaging. We want to be healthy, so we buy this stuff and drink it. Or maybe we think we’re having a healthy treat. These drinks for the most part are fine once in a while, but they shouldn’t be a daily routine or take the place of water.
To quote the dietician involved in the studies, “Eat your fruits and vegetables, don’t drink them”.
