Rethink Your Drink: How Sugary Drinks Cause Unhealthy Weight Gain

It’s a fact: sugary drinks cause unhealthy weight gain.

Quick tip: Prevent weight-related health risks by cutting down on your intake of all sugary drinks including soda, juices, Kool-Aid™ and sports drinks.

Why so sugary drinks get such a bad rap?

• Soda, juices, Kool-Aid™ and many sport drinks have NO nutritional value but are high in calories, and consuming too many calories can cause weight gain.
• Sugary drinks do not fill you up as quickly as solid foods do, so it is easy to take in more calories than you really need.
• Sugary drinks cause your blood sugar to rise and fall quickly. This makes you feel hungry sooner and causes you to eat more.

Practical tips for staying healthy and hydrated

Drink water

• Tap water is safe, cheap and good for you too.
• Buy a water bottle so you can bring water with you. You’ll also save money in the long run.

If you crave flavor, try some simple substitutions

• Water with a slice of lemon or lime
• Low-calorie flavored water such as Vitamin Zero™
• Low-calorie sports drinks such as Propel Zero™

When eating out

• Order water whenever possible
• Don’t supersize on sugary drinks; buy smaller bottles or cups instead so you drink less

When exercising

• Drink water instead of sports drinks.

Avoid sugary beverages

• Even drinks such as chocolate milk and juice, which are sometimes thought to be healthy, contain a lot of calories and can cause weight gain.

Why is being overweight a problem?

Being overweight causes health problems that can affect nearly every organ system in the body.

Brain and nerves

• Headaches
• Risk of stroke

Heart

• Heart disease
• High cholesterol
• High blood pressure

Stomach and intestines

• Hepatitis
• Liver fibrosis
• Gallstones
• Risk of colon cancer

Bones and muscles

• Back pain
• Arthritis
• Fractures
• Bow leg
• Hip problems

Emotions

• Low self-esteem
• Depression

Lungs

• Asthma
• Sleep apnea
• Difficulty exercising

Hormones

• Type 2 diabetes
• Early puberty
• Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS)
• Fertility problems

Other

• Kidney disease
• Hernia
• Cancer
• Blood clots

Did you know...?

• One 20 oz. bottle of soda has 16 teaspoons (37 packets) of sugar
• Most drinks gave more than one serving. For instance, a 20 oz. bottle of soda has 2.5 servings.
• The extra sugar consumed from one serving of soda can lead to a 15 lb. weight gain over a year.
• A 12 oz. glass of orange juice contains 180 calories, the equivalent of eating three chocolate chip cookies.