Rethink Your Drink

by Amy McClelland, RD - March 8, 2021

Carbonated, sugar-sweetened soft drinks are the single biggest source of calories in the American diet. And non-carbonated, sugar-sweetened drinks (fruit drinks, ades, ice teas) add even more calories.

Have you found your new favorite drink to be decadent and sweet? Prepare to gain weight unless you’re cutting food calories to make up for the extra calories your new indulgence is adding to your daily diet.

We all know that eating and drinking too many calories can equal weight gain. But did you know just 100 extra calories a day can add up to a 10-pound weight gain in one year? This can happen when someone increases their drink calories without decreasing their food calories.

How do I know if a food or drink has added sugar?

A simple way to find out if a drink has added sugar is to check the ingredient list on the package and look for these words:

• Agave nectar
• Caramel
• Dehydrated cane juice
• Glucose solids
• Maltol
• Refiner's sugar
• Barbados sugar
• Carob syrup
• Demerara sugar
• Golden sugar
• Maltose
• Rice syrup
• Barley malt
• Castor sugar
• Dextrin
• Golden syrup
• Mannose
• Saccharose
• Barley malt syrup
• Coconut palm sugar
• Dextrose
• Grape sugar
• Maple syrup
• Sorghum syrup
• Beet sugar
• Coconut sugar
• Evaportated cane juice
• High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS)
• Molasses
• Sucrose
• Brown sugar 
• Confectioner's sugar
• Honey
• Muscovado
• Buttered syrup
• Corn sweetener
• Fructose
• Icing sugar
• Palm sugar
• Cane juice
• Corn syrup
• Fruit juice
• Panocha
• Treacle
• Glucose 
• Maltodextrin
• Malt syrup
• Turbinado sugar 
• Date sugar 

What are some alternatives to enjoying sugar sweetened beverages?

What you drink makes a difference! Here are 5 ways to make better drink choices:

• Make water the easy choice. Carry a bottle of water with you every day and serve water with meals.
• Make water more exciting by adding slices of lemon or lime.
• Choose water, diet or low-calorie drinks instead of sugar-sweetened drinks.
• When you do have a sugar-sweetened drink, order a small size.
• Try getting your calories in the form of food instead of sugar-sweetened soft drinks.

What are some of your favorite substitutes for sugar sweetened beverages? One of our favorites is this Cranberry Sparkler. It's refreshing any time of year!

Serves 1