Rethink Your Drink!
Did you know that drinking one can of soda a day can result in 30 pounds of sugar consumption over a year! With almost two-thirds of children in the United States consuming at least one sugary beverage on any given day -- and roughly 30% consumed two or more a day. Our children are exceeding the daily recommended intake of sugar.
What is a “sweetened beverage”?
Anything that contains added sugar or natural sugars:
Regular soda
Fruit drinks made with sugar
Lemonade
Sweet tea or flavored iced tea
Hot chocolate
Sports drinks
Juice Drinks
100% Fruit Juice
Energy drinks
What’s the Problem?
“Sweetened beverages” like soda contain a lot of sugar and calories that do not provide nutrition. On the contrary, excess sugar consumption can lead to a variety of health issues. If you drink these beverages, it can lead to:
Weight gain
An increased risk for diabetes
Eating less than the recommended amount of vitamin A, calcium, and magnesium, an important mineral to overall health.
Other health problems like cavities
Weakened bones as caffeine and phosphorus, a common ingredients in soda, can lead to bone loss
Behavior issues due to caffeine, sugar, artificial colors, and blood sugar spikes and drops
How Much is Too Much?
Current US dietary guidelines recommend consuming less than 10% of our daily calories from added sugars and limiting or removing sugar-sweetened beverages from your diet. This translates into 25 grams (or 6 teaspoons) per day.
Type of Sweetened Beverage Amount of Sugar (in teaspoons)*
