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The science on sugar-sweetened beverages is in. They are a leading cause of weight gain, obesity, type-2 diabetes, heart disease and kidney disease. Plus, these drinks contribute to tooth decay and cavities. Let’s explore how sugary drinks affect our health and how regularly drinking water can make us feel — and function — better.
A sugar-sweetened beverage is a drink sweetened with a form of sugar like brown sugar, fructose, corn syrup, honey and more. Here are a few examples of sugar-sweetened beverages:
- Sodas
- Sports drinks
- Energy drinks
- Fruit drinks
- Coffee or tea with any amount of added sugar
Let’s picture how much sugar is packed inside some of these drinks. One teaspoon equals 4.2 grams of sugar. A typical can of soda contains between 7-10 teaspoons of sugar. That’s up to 42 grams of sugar — in one drink! Suddenly that can of soda doesn’t look so great.
Shape Your Future Resources
Ready to learn more about the benefits of ditching sugary drinks for water? You’ve come to the right place. Test your knowledge with this Shape Your Future quiz. Then, uncover how much sugar is hiding in your drinks with this calculator.
Health Effects
There are strong links between sugar-sweetened beverages, weight gain and obesity. The reason? These drinks are high in calories while providing virtually no nutrients. Studies also show that drinking sugary beverages may cause overeating throughout the day because sugary drinks don’t give the same feeling of fullness or satisfaction as solid foods.
The Power of Water
By now, it’s clear what sugar-sweetened beverages do to our health. Want to know why water is the perfect substitute for sugary drinks? Here are just a few benefits:
- Improves digestion
- Prevents constipation
- Regulates appetite, which helps manage weight
- Improves joint health
- Prevents headaches, fatigue and poor concentration
Is water the magic drink?
We think so! However, switching from regularly drinking sugar-sweetened beverages to just water can seem hard to do. Check out some ways to ease yourself into the habit:
- If you drink multiple sugar-sweetened beverages, try cutting back to just one per day.
- Discover the power of one. Just one more glass of water per day makes a huge difference.
- Add some flavor to your water by infusing it with fruit.
- Get more ways to rethink your drink.
Cheers to THIS
When you substitute water for sugar-sweetened beverages, you’ll be on the way to becoming a healthier you. Not only will stopping sugary drinks help reduce your chances of developing a number of diseases, it will help you achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
The science on water? It’s in. Fill a glass and drink up. We promise you’ll feel fantastic!
To find more healthy tips on how to make the healthy choice the easy choice, visit ShapeYourFutureOK.com.