Consume 0 Sugary Drinks; More Water & Low-Fat Milk Instead
Importance of cutting out sugary drinks
Sugar-sweetened beverage consumption has increased dramatically since the 1970s; high intake among children is associated with overweight and obesity, displacement of milk consumption, and dental cavities. It is recommended that children 1-6 years old consume no more than 4-6 ounces of 100% juice per day and youth 7-18 years old consume no more than 8-12 ounces. Whole milk is the single largest source of saturated fat in children's diets. Switching to low or non-fat milk products (once a child reaches 2 years old) significantly reduces dietary saturated and total fat, as well as total calories.
Quick Healthy Tips
Encourage your family to love water! Serve it. Choose it. If it’s there, people will drink it. And remember, water has zero calories.
Carry a refillable bottle with you at all times - at work, at home, even if you are just out running errands.
Use an app on your phone to track your water intake or simply set an alert on your phone to remind you.
Choose water at restaurants instead of other beverages. You’ll save calories and money!
Drink a large glass of water 30 minutes before every meal to keep you from over indulging.
For kids 2 years and older, encourage non-fat or low-fat milk rather than whole milk.
Have a glass of water before you reach for a snack. Sometimes, feelings of hunger are actually your body telling you that it’s thirsty.
Infused Water Ideas
The water is best if you let it infuse for at least 1-2 hours. Let it soak overnight for full flavor! If you’re inpatient, poke a few holes in the fruit with a fork for instant flavor.
grapefruit + lemon + cucumber + mint
blueberry + lime + cilantro
blackberry + mint
grape + lemon + parsley
orange + hibiscus + vanilla bean
cherry + lime + mint
mango + mint
blueberry + lemon + rosemary
peach + lavender
strawberry + jalapeno
apple + plum + pear + cinnamon stick
lemon + strawberry + basil
watermelon + basil
carrot + ginger + lemon + apple
pear + ginger + cinnamon + vanilla bean
blackberry + orange + ginger
grapefruit + pomegranate + mint
8 Reasons to Drink More Water!
8
Water keeps you cool. It helps regulate your body temperature. Drink extra when you’re exercising and on warm days.
7
Water helps you stay active longer. When muscles don’t have enough water, they don’t work as well, and you get tired faster.
6
Drink tap water is good for the planet. When you drink water from the tap it means fewer bottles and cans to recycle. Use a refillable water bottle!
5
Water is free. If you buy one or more sugary drinks every day and spend $1.50 to $5.50, then drinking tap water instead can save you $550 to $2,000 in one year!
4
Water helps you stay healthy. Your risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, some types of cancer, and obesity all go down when you choose water over sugary drinks.
3
Water has zero calories. Sugary drinks add calories to your daily diet which can lead to weight gain. Drinking water can help you get and maintain a healthy weight.
2
Water is sugar-free. Soda is not! Dentists agree that sugar is bad for your teeth and can cause cavities. The acids in sodas can also cause tooth decay.
1
Your body needs water! It’s what makes all the systems in your body able to do their work. Your body uses water in all its cells, organs, and tissues!
Soda & Energy Drinks
Drinking Soda Causes Weight Gain.
Taking in more calories than your body needs causes weight gain. Say you drink a can of soda every day. Over a week, that’s more than 1,000 extra calories. Unless you burn those calories off with activity each and every day, you’ll gain about 10 pounds a year!
Soda Increases Risk of Osteoporosis.
People who drink soda aren’t drinking milk or other calcium-fortified drinks, which contributes to osteoporosis (brittle bones).
Soda Causes Dehydration.
The high sugar, sodium, and caffeine in soda dehydrates the body and over a long period of time can even cause chronic dehydration.
Soda is Linked to Asthma.
High levels of soda consumption are associated with both asthma and COPD.
Soda May Contribute to Diabetes.
A single can of soda contains the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar. This amount of sugar, especially in liquid form, skyrockets your blood sugar and causes an insulin reaction in your body. Over time, this can lead to diabetes or insulin resistance. Drinking just one can of soda a day puts you at risk for diabetes.
…and most importantly, Too Much Soda Means Too Little Water!!!
Put Limits on Juice
Children Under 6 Months: Do not give juice since it offers no nutritional benefit at this age.
Children 1-6 Years Old: Limit juice to 4-6 ounces per day. Fruit juice offers no nutritional benefits over whole fruits. Whole fruits also provide further fiber and other nutrients. Don’t allow children to carry a cup or box of juice throughout the day.
Children 7-18 Years Old: Limit juice to 8-12 ounces per day.
Don’t forget…juice products, labeled “-ade,” “drink,” or “punch,” often contain mostly corn syrup sweetener and less than 5% real juice.
