Regular colas, which also have caffeine, are one of the major source of the 100 to 160 pounds of sugar the average Americans consume each year. Other sugared drinks, too, like sweetened fruit juice, punch, or sweet tea, are really nothing but liquid calories.
Although liquids may contain calories, they don’t seem to satisfy hunger even if they quench your thirst. Physiologically, thirst is quenched once your blood and cell volume are increased by water. This sends signals to the brain that a person is no longer thirsty, but it does not change the hunger status.
Empty calories
Liquids travel more quickly than food through the intestinal tract; so when drinking a large quantity of beverage, even if it has the same number of calories as a whole regular meal, the satiety signals do not go off. Keep this in mind: a 44-ounce soft drink is 800 calories. Try that on for size!
It’s always better to eat our calories than drink them. Those upscale coffee drinks that sound so inviting and Italian are the equivalent of a hot milk shake. Some contain as many calories (more than 500) as a whole meal, without any of the nutrients.
Let me tell you: A sweetened beverage is the poster child for empty calories! And don’t forget the sweet tea, Southerners. If it is commercial, it is most likely sweetened with HFCS to the tune of 120 calories for 12 ounces and 33 grams of sugar.
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
