When it comes to a healthy diet, it’s not only about what you eat, but also about what you drink.
Recent research has been conducted to determine the drinks you should be staying away from. Here are some that made the list.
Regular Soda
It should come as no surprise that regular soda is a drink to stay away from. Each 12-oounce can adds 155 calories to your diet, and 147 of those calories are from sugar. If you drink a lot of soda, you are increasing your risk of diabetes, heart disease, and gout, and you are taking years off your life.
Diet Soda
Many people think they can avoid health risks associated with regular soda by drinking diet soda. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. Studies show that artificially sweetened drinks increase the risk of stroke, heart attack, type 2 diabetes, and other conditions.
Cranberry Juice Cocktail
Individuals often associate cranberries with good health. They are beneficial to UTIs, and other health and they are rich in antioxidants.
But make sure the cranberry drink you’re drinking is fruit juice and not a cocktail. Cranberry juice cocktails are high in sugar that can irritate the bladder.
Fruit Juice
You may be shocked to find fruit juice on this list. But juice is also high in sugar. It has all the sugar of fruit, but the fact that you don’t chew and digest it means it hits your body all at once resulting in negative effects.
Additionally, fruit juice does not contain the fiber fruit does which decreases its benefits. It may also contain added sugar which makes it an even unhealthier choice.
Alcohol
There is some evidence that alcohol may be good for you. Wine is rich in antioxidants. Some drinks may also boost your mood.
But if you drink too much alcohol, it will do more harm than good. It can damage your internal organs. It can increase your risk of cancer and other diseases.
Flavored Dairy Drinks
Milk is a good-for-you drink that’s rich in calcium, protein, and vitamin D. But when you add flavoring, you add sugar. Sugar counters milk’s health benefits and increases the risk of disease.
Lemonade
Lemonade may seem like a healthy drink. After all, it’s made with all-natural lemons. Well, unfortunately, like so many drinks on this list, lemonade is packed with sugar that is linked to a variety of health conditions.
Sweetened Coffee Beverages
Frappuccinos, cappuccinos, and other sweetened coffee drinks are loaded with sugar and calories. A few pumps of cream, caramel, or sugar, or a whipped cream topping increases sugar and calories. Some drinks are close to 500 calories, the same number of calories in most meals.
Now that you know the facts, which of these drinks will you be eliminating from your diet?