You Are What You Drink:
Healthy Beverage Guide
From Coffee, Tea, Soda, Fruit Drinks, to Alcohol and Water
By Carolyn Strimike RN, MSN, APN
and
Margie Latrella RN, MSN, APN
Copyright © 2009
No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form, by Photostat, microfilm, xerography, or any other means, which are now known, or incorporated into any information retrieval system, electronic or mechanical, without the written permission of the copyright owner.
Table of Contents:
Introduction and Beverage Panel Guidelines
Liquid Calories
Nutrition Label
Water
Coffee
Tea
Calorically Sweetened Beverages (soft drinks)
Non-Calorically Sweetened Beverages (diet soda)
Fruit and Vegetable Juices
Alcoholic Beverages
Milk
Sports and Energy Drinks
Some Other Interesting Facts
Release Date: September 2009
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So you are probably wondering…..do the beverages I drink really make that much of a difference? They are only liquids, right? Liquids “go right through me” so how much of an ill effect can they have?
You have probably heard the old saying “You are what you eat?” Well, it is true, but “You are what you drink” also! Read on to find out why……..
Beverage Guidance Panel
The Beverage Guidance Panel is a group of nutrition experts from the United States, which formed several years ago. The purpose of this group was to review the existing research to determine which beverages are considered healthy. They based their recommendations on the number of calories, energy and nutrients provided and health benefits of different beverages. The winner hands down was water. But that doesn’t mean this is the only beverage we should drink. The Beverage Guidance Panel developed a six-level pitcher for beverages similar to the food pyramid. (Published in the March 2006 issue of the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, Available online at www.beverageguidancepanel.org)
The average adult should aim to drink 8 glasses of fluids every day. The Beverage Guidance Panel recommends:
Water: at least 4 (8 ounce) servings a day for women and 6 (8 ounce) servings a day for men
Unsweetened coffee or tea (iced or hot): up to 8 servings of tea or 4 servings of coffee per day
Low-fat Milk: up to 2 (8 ounce) servings per day
100% fruit or vegetable juice, whole milk, or sports drinks: up to 1 (8 ounce) serving per day
Carbonated soft drinks: up to 1 serving per day
Diet beverages with sugar substitutes: up to 4 (8 ounce) servings per day
Alcoholic beverages: up to 1 drink a day for women and up to 2 drinks per day for men
Liquid or Empty Calories
In the United States about 20% of our daily caloric intake comes from beverages. The Institute of Medicine recommends men have 13 cups (3 liters) of fluid every day and women have 9 cups (2.2 liters) of fluid every day.
Most experts now believe that part of the obesity problem in this country comes from the increased consumption of calorically sweetened beverages. A recent study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (April 2009 issue) suggests that cutting back on liquid calories may actually result in greater weight loss. The study evaluated 800 adult men and women for fruit and beverage intake and weight changes. The results were interesting:
Cutting 100 calories a day from liquid intake lead to about a 0.5 pound weight loss at 6 and 18 months
Cutting 100 calories a day from solid food intake lead to about a 0.1 pound weight loss at 6 and 18 months
Eliminating one 12 ounce sugar-sweetened beverage a day lead to the greatest weight loss = 1 pound at 6 months and 1.5 pounds at 18 months
If you are trying to lose weight you must remember to count your liquid calories!!
Calories Found in Some Common 8 ounce Beverages:
(may vary slightly with different brands)
Beverage (8 ounce serving) Calories
Water 0
Club Soda 0
Brewed Coffee 0
Brewed Tea 0
Latte with Whole Milk 136
Latte with Skim Milk 80
Sweetened Bottled Tea 96
Whole Milk 144
2% Milk 120
1% Milk 104
Nonfat Milk 88
Soy Milk 128
100% Apple Juice 120
100% Grape Juice 150
100% Grapefruit Juice (white) 96
100% Orange Juice 112
100% Pineapple Juice 136
100% Tomato Juice 40
Fruit Punch Juice Drink 128
Grape Juice Drink 144
Lemonade (powder mix) 100
Caffeinated Cola Soda 88
Decaffeinated Cola Soda 100
Diet Cola 8
Ginger ale 80
Sports Drink 60
Energy Drink 110
Beer 110
Light Beer 90
Red Wine 200
White Wine 190
How to Read a Beverage Label
-
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size: 1 cup (224 g)
Serving Per Package 2Amount Per Serving
Calories 270 Calories from fat 130% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g
20%
Saturated Fat 5g
25%
Cholesterol 40mg
10%
Sodium 600mg
28%
Total Carbohydrate 30g
10%
Dietary Fiber 0g
0%
Sugars 6g
Protein 5g
Vitamin A 2% · Vitamin C 4%
Calcium 18% · Iron 5%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your Daily Values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs:Calories:
2,000
2,500
Total Fat
Less than
65g
80g
Sat Fat
Less than
20g
25g
Cholesterol
Less than
300mg
300mg
Sodium
Less than
2,400mg
2,400mg
Total Carbohydrate
300g
375g
Dietary Fiber
25g
30g
Calories per gram:
Fat 9 · Carbohydrate 4 · Protein 4
There is a lot of valuable information on the nutrition label and although it may look overwhelming, a step-by-step approach can help you with your healthy diet. Take your reading glasses with you to the supermarket and get ready to start reading those beverage labels.
Look at the number of servings in the product. If it is only one, then all of the information listed applies to you drinking the entire product. If it is two and you drink the entire product, you have to multiply the calories, fat, sodium, sugar, etc. by two (and if it is three you will have to multiply by three, etc….)
Look at the number of calories in the beverage. If you are watching your calorie intake, it is important to know how many calories you are drinking with each food choice. Remember to look at the serving size!!!! If it more than one and you drink it all, you have to multiply the calories by the serving number!!!
Look at the fat in the product. More important than the total fat is the breakdown beneath the total. The saturated and trans fat that are listed are both the BAD fats. A good rule of thumb is to keep the saturated fat amount below one-half of the total fat. (For example: if the total fat of a product is 10 grams of fat, you would want the saturated fat to be less than 5 grams.) The goal amount of trans fat in a product is 0 grams. Remember, only up to 30% of your total calories should be from fat and only up to 10% from saturated fat.
Look at the cholesterol in a product. You should not consume more than 300 mg of cholesterol daily.
Look at the sodium in the product. This is a very IMPORTANT number if you have high blood pressure. You should not consume more than 2,000 mg of sodium per day if you have borderline or high blood pressure. Everyone else can have up to 2,400 mg of sodium, which is about one teaspoon of salt per day.
Look at the amount of carbohydrate in the product. The recommended amount depends on the type of diet you are following. Carbohydrates are broken down to sugars by the body. If you are diabetic, you want to limit your simple carbohydrate intake (concentrated sweets, juices). Diets high in carbohydrates tend to be lower in fats. Many studies, though, have shown low carbohydrate diets hasten weight loss. Carbohydrates high in fiber do not break down as quickly as low fiber carbohydrates and are a healthier choice.