Do you know how many calories you consumed from drinks alone yesterday? Many of us forget beverages have calories, but oh, they do. If you only drank water yesterday, then that answer is easy – zero. But a good number of us turn to sugar-sweetened beverages when we’re thirsty – and those sugary drinks add up! Just one 20-ounce bottle of soda is 250 calories, and can contain 16 ½ teaspoons of sugar. If you think you’re doing better with the iced tea, it’s not by much. One 20-ounce bottle of lemon-flavored iced tea is 210 calories, and can contain 14 ½ teaspoons of sugar.
The reality is Americans consume 200 to 300 more calories each day than we did 30 years ago. Of these extra calories, nearly half come from sugar-sweetened drinks with zero health benefits. Sugary drinks have gotten bigger in size and there’s a lot more of them out there. In New York City, more than two million adults drink at least one sugar-sweetened soda or other sweetened beverage each day. The calories consumed from these types of beverages can lead to obesity and diabetes, and cause cavities in kids and adults. So, are you pouring on the pounds?