Beverages: Watch what you drink
By Catherine Saxelby
|
We all know that some foods are more nutritious than others,
but what about drinks? Nutritionist Catherine Saxelby maps out the good
and not-so-good areas for thirsty Australians. |
Research is now pointing the finger at sugar-sweetened drinks as being a cause of weight gain and obesity. Surveys report that beverages contribute anywhere between 15 and 20 per cent of the average kilojoule intake each day, which is a lot. It seems that drinks are less filling than solid food and don't register with our brain's appetite control centre. So it's easy to swallow juice or soft drink without registering how much you're taking in.
What's the best to drink?
Water
Water has no kilojoules, no added sugar or sodium. An inexpensive water filter jug removes the off-flavours of tap water without taking out the fluoride which is important for strong healthy teeth. Chill your water or serve it with a small slice of lemon to make it taste better. Sparkling and still bottled waters are refreshing but cost more.
Weak green or black tea
Tea is a major source of flavonoid antioxidants, natural compounds that can keep your heart healthy and may even slow the ageing process. Tea does contain caffeine but only at around half the level found in coffee - so it's a healthier choice. Enjoy 2 or 3 cups a day, with milk or black.
Herb infusions
Herbal teas such as peppermint, chamomile or ginger add zero kilojoules (unless you sweeten them) and are a caffeine-free alternative to tea and coffee.
Fruit juice
Limit juice to one small (200 ml) glass of unsweetened juice a day - it's healthy, but it's fruit in concentrated form with the fibre removed. It's best to buy 'pure' fruit juice and dilute it 50:50 with water or iceblocks. This way, it's still refreshing but lower in kilojoule density.
If you order a freshly-made juice from a juice bar, remember that their serve sizes are very large - a tall 600ml or 700ml cup packs in 1040 kilojoules/250 calories which is equivalent to 4 or 5 pieces of whole fruit. Order the smallest size or share with a friend.
Low-fat milks
Most are enriched with extra calcium so you get half the fat yet 30 per cent more calcium per glass. These milks suit families with kids over the age of 2.
Low-fat calcium enriched soy drink
Make sure the soy drink is fortified with calcium (most are) otherwise you'll
short change yourself on calcium.
Drinks to have less often
These have some sugar but less than regular soft drinks.
Sports drink
Sports drinks are handy if you're an endurance athlete exercising hard for more than an hour. The rest of us weekend warriors only need plain water to rehydrate. However if you need to replenish lost sweat quickly, a sports drink does a good job with its formulation of lower sugar (5-6 per cent) plus added sodium and potassium.
Sports water
At only 1-2 per cent sugar, sports water tastes like water with a splash of sugar and flavouring. You'll find these more refreshing than plain water yet they are barely sweetened.
Iced tea
Lightly sweetened (4-5 per cent sugar) and low on carbonation, commercial iced teas are good thirst quenchers. Or you can make your own using cold brewed black tea, a little sugar, lemon slices and mint leaves.
Drinks to have only occasionally
Soft drinks
Once reserved for special occasions, fizzy sugary drinks are now everyday staples in super sizes. Yet they give us no nutrients apart from water and load us up with sugar and kilojoules - a 375 ml can will hit you with 41 g of sugar (10 teaspoons) and 655 kilojoules.
They are not bone-friendly. Their phosphoric acid interferes with calcium absorption and makes them overly acidic which can eat away at tooth enamel.
Diet or zero-sugar versions sweetened with aspartame or acesulphame K or sucralose are helpful if you want to cut back on your sugar intake but they too can erode enamel. Stick to 1 or 2 diet drinks a day.
Energy drinks
These sound as if they're doing you good, crammed with healthful-sounding ingredients like B vitamins, taurine and gaurana. But the truth is they're really a fizzy drink with added caffeine (gaurana is just another plant that contains caffeine). Steer clear of these.
Coffee
Coffee is fine in moderation - there are promising reports that it may help slow Parkinsons disease - but too much caffeine can leave you sleepless, jittery and with an upset stomach. Limit yourself to no more than 2 real coffees (this means a cappuccino or short black made from espresso) or 4 instant coffees each day.