Drink Shockers
Drink Shockers
By Mary Kearl
Your favorite beverage may be just as diet-wrecking as fatty fast food, adding calories, sugar and fat and offering little or no nutritional value. Watch out for these drink shockers that will tip you closer to the F.D.A. and U.S.D.A. recommended daily limits for calories (2,000), fat (65 grams) and added sugar (40 grams) a day. Added sugars means any sugar not found naturally within the food, so look out for ingredients like sugar, maple syrup, honey, corn syrup and molasses, says Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, and national spokesperson for the American Dietetic Association (ADA).
Red Bull
Size: 8.3 oz can
Calories: 110
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: 27 g
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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Sunsweet Prune Juice
Size: 8 fl oz
Calories: 180
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: 24 g
While Sunsweet's juice is 100 percent juice and does not contain any added sugars, it still is a high concentration of natural sucrose, which means the calories can add up. In comparison, one serving of Sunsweet's regular prunes contains 100 calories and 12 grams of sugar. Plus, it contains 11 percent fiber which you miss out on when you drink the juice.
*Calories per Ounce: 22.5
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Hawaiian Punch Juicy Red
Size: 8 fl oz
Calories: 120
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: 28 g
Hawaiian Punch Juicy Red contains five percent juice, which means 95 percent of it comes from water, plus dubious ingredients like High Fructose Corn Syrup, artificial flavoring, juice concentrates and sugar. Since many "juice" drinks like Hawaiian punch do not contain 100 percent juice, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends limiting juice intake to 4-6 ounces for kids under 7 years, and no more than 8-12 ounces for older children and teens.
*Calories per Ounce: 15
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Hershey's Chocolate Milk
Size: 1 cup, or 8 fl oz
Calories: 270
Fat: 5 g
Sugars: 45 g
Just one serving of this milk contains 33 more grams of sugar than regular low-fat milk, or nearly all the added 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
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
McDonald's McFlurry with M&M's candies
Size: 12 oz
Calories: 620
Fat: 20 g
Sugars: 85 g
When it comes to calories, this drink is about the equivalent of one meal. Plus, you better watch your sugar intake for the rest of the day.
*Calories per Ounce: About 52
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Wendy's Chocolate Twisted Frosty with M&M's
Size: 16 oz
Calories: 560
Fat: 19 g
Sugars: 72 g
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. You'd save 250 to 410 calories and 11 to 15 grams of fat.
*Calories per Ounce: 35
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Glaceau Vitamin Water
Size: 20 oz
Calories: 125
Fat: 0 g
Sugars: about 33 g
There is one easy way to avoid this diet trap. If you're feeling dehydrated or low on energy, drink a glass of calorie-free, sugar-free, fat-free water and eat one of your five to nine servings of fruits or veggies recommended by the U.S.D.A.
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Starbucks Frappuccino Blended Crème, Double Chocolate Chip Crème (without whipped cream)
Size: Venti, 24 fl oz
Calories: 550
Fat: 11 g
Sugars: 79 g
By adding whipped cream this drink becomes even more shocking with an extra 120 calories and 11 fat grams.
*Calories per Ounce: About 23
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
Baskin Robbins Cappuccino Blast Caramel
Size: Small, 16 fl oz
Calories: 480
Fat: 16 g
Sugars: 68 g
Steer clear of this cappuccino the next time you're at Baskin Robbins -- 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
Rebecca McAlpin for AOL
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Recent Comments
TRINAR4 01:54:52 PM Jun 05 2009
This is all crap. Everybody burns different amounts of fuel depending on their life style. I drink at lot of these beverages everyday but, like anything else you just can't over do it. If your active like me you need sugar. If you deprive yourself of too much sugar, you won't and any energy to get through the day, that's when you start to gain weight.
JohnHea6 02:31:10 PM Sep 10 2008
My complaint is with the food makers and drink makers loading all their foods with high fructose corn syrup which causes painful gout symptoms for many people. They know it is bad for you because the other day I purchased some Thomas english muffins that had printed on the front of the package "No high fructose corn syrup" so obviously one foodmaker is aware of the problem! High fructose corn syrup began being used in the 70s so it is not like it has always been in the foods. Also high fructose corn syrup is less costly than sugar and therefore more profitable for the large food producers regardless of the health problems it causes. Putting bad additives in foods cause more health problems for people and higher health costs that would never happen if additives were not put in foods !
Czorhanz 06:24:48 PM Jun 29 2008
the same usda that said eat lots of meat and drink plenty of milk when i was a kid what a joke
JFROCKON 06:08:23 PM Jun 29 2008
I didn't see a "chicken salad soda" listed as a bad drink? WTF is up with that?
JonnyBeemer 04:00:47 PM Jun 29 2008
What? They list a McFlurry as a drink (good luck with that; there's a reason why it comes with a spoon and not a straw) and no Naked Juice? Ok. As for the drink of my choice, Vitamin Water since I hate drinking plain water. Apparently the high calorie and sugar levels are bad for me, but somehow I think I'll be alright.
Dallasoldcootcc 02:09:16 PM Jun 29 2008
I don't pay attenion to none of this crap. one day its bad for you ,the next day its good . I eat or drink anything i want, when i want . none of us will get out of this world alive anyway. .
KPSHARPEWORKS 01:17:46 PM Jun 29 2008
I don't drink any of that other nonsense they listed so I feel safe. Oh I will have a Smoothie if I had skipped breakfast, but nothing else until I burn that off. I drink Vitamin Water, but only a glass at a time with ice. Power C and Revive are my favorite two. I have to be real thirsty to drink the entire 20 oz. bottle, if I do, it'll take hours to drink. So I'm good. Glaceau now has Smart Water, with just electrolytes. No calories, no sugar, and it tastes great.
livinintheton 01:04:54 PM Jun 29 2008
In response to clghfitch - check YOUR facts. Vitamin Water has 50 calories PER SERVING and there are 2.5 servings in one 8 fl bottle. and what do you mean ALMOST NO SUGAR?!? It has 13 grams of sugar per serving in a 2.5 serving bottle!
livinintheton 01:03:25 PM Jun 29 2008
In response to clghfitch - check YOUR facts. Vitamin Water has 50 calories PER SERVING and there are 2.5 SERVINGS in one 8 fl oz bottle. Therefore, there really are 125 calories.
