Drink Shockers

Drink Shockers

By Mary Kearl

Snacks and fast food aren't the only convenience items that can damage your waistline. Your favorite beverage may be just as guilty when it comes to packing on calories, sugar and sometimes even fat. There are no recommended fat, sugar or calorie limits for drinks, but you do need to remember subtract whatever your beverage contains from your total daily allowances -- which the Food and Drug Administration sets at 2,000 calories and 65 fat grams. The Word Health Organization (WHO) recommends limiting added sugar intake to less than 10 percent of your total energy, which would mean 200 calories, or 50 grams of sugar for a 2,000 calorie/day diet.

McDonald'sMcFlurry with M&M's candies

Size: 12 oz
Calories: 620
Fat: 20 grams
Sugars: 85 grams

You knew this drink was sweet, but did you know it contains nearly twice the advised daily sugar allowance? And when it comes to calories, this drink is about the equivalent of one meal.

*Calories per Ounce: About 52

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Wendy's Chocolate Twisted Frosty with M&M's

Size: 16 oz
Calories: 560
Fat: 19
Sugars: 72

Yes, this drink is a little lighter on all counts than a McFlurry, but you'd still be better off ordering a chocolate or vanilla Frosty in the junior or small sizes -- the only frozen drinks on the menu that won't tip you over your daily sugar intake. Plus, you'd save 250 to 410 calories and 11 to 15 grams of fat.

*Calories per Ounce: 35

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Starbucks Frappuccino Blended Crème, Double Chocolate Chip Crème (without whipped cream)

Size: Venti, 24 fl oz
Calories: 550
Fat: 11 grams
Sugars: 79 grams

Yes, this drink can be even more shocking -- adding whipped cream will land you with 120 extra calories and 11 extra fat grams.

*Calories per Ounce: About 23

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Red Bull Energy Drink

Size: 8.3 oz can
Calories: 110
Fat: 0
Sugars: 27

This drink contains more than half the sugar you should have in one day. Plus, do you really want to use 110 of your 2,000 calories on something you can drink in about 10 seconds?

*Calories per Ounce: About 13

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Baskin Robbins Cappuccino Blast Caramel

Size: Small, 16 fl oz
Calories: 480
Fat: 16 grams
Sugars: 68 grams

Steer clear of this cappuccino the next time you're at Baskin Robins -- it contains about a quarter of your daily fat allowance -- and head for the low fat variety of the Cappuccino Blast. At 220 calories and 2 grams of fat it's a much lighter option. But watch your sugar content for the rest of the day because even this option contains 44 grams.

*Calories per Ounce: 30

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Hawaiian Punch Juicy Red

Size: 8 fl oz
Calories: 120
Fat: 0
Sugars: 28

Hawaiian Punch Juicy Red contains five percent juice, putting it at the bottom of the list of kid-friendly juice drinks. Since drinks labeled as "natural juice drinks" also include added sugar, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends limiting juice intake to 46 ounces for kids under 7 years, and no more than 812 ounces for older children and teens.

*Calories per Ounce: 15

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Dunkin Donuts Vanilla Bean Coolatta

Size: 16 fl oz
Calories: 500
Fat: 17 grams
Sugars: 82 grams

If you've got to have a Coolatta, order the Coffee Coolatta with skim milk which has 170 calories, no fat and less than half the sugar that the Vanilla Bean flavor.

*Calories per Ounce: About 31

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Jamba Juice Green Tea Blast

Size: 16 fl oz
Calories: 340
Fat: 0
Sugars: 67

Green tea that comes with a bag in a mug is a wonderfully diet-friendly, antioxidant treat, but there is nothing low-cal or sugar-free about this greatly altered green tea. Jamba Juice does make "Jamba Light" drinks, like the Berry Fulfilling drink which has 150 calories and 23 grams of sugar for the same serving. (Note: It also contains .5 fat grams.)

*Calories per Ounce: About 21

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Hershey's Chocolate Milk

Size: 1 cup, or 8 fl oz
Calories: 270
Fat: 5 grams
Sugars: 45 grams

Just one serving of this milk contains about four times the amount of sugar found in plain low-fat milk, or nearly all the sugar you should have in one day. Make this an occasional treat, not a once or twice-a-day habit.

*Calories per Ounce: 33.75

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