Soda, sweet drinks main source of calories in U.S.

Science Blog ^ | 2005-05-27 15:37.

[Nov3]

Tufts researchers recently reported that while the leading source of calories in the average American diet used to be from white bread, that may have changed. Now, according to preliminary research conducted by scientists at the Jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University, Americans are drinking these calories instead. The research was presented in abstract form at the Experimental Biology Conference in April of this year and a more comprehensive paper is being developed.

Odilia Bermudez, PhD, MPH, studied the reported diets of a large nationwide sample of American adults. Among respondents to the 1999-2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), more than two thirds reported drinking enough soda and/or sweet drinks to provide them with a greater proportion of daily calories than any other food. In addition, obesity rates were higher among these sweet drink consumers. Consumers of 100% orange juice and low fat milk, on the other hand, tended to be less overweight, on average.

Bermudez, who is also an assistant professor at Tufts University's Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy, is hopeful that, "by helping to identify the main sources of excess energy in the American diet, this work may contribute to the development of much-needed strategies to combat obesity in the American public."

"These results are startling," she continued, "and indicate that we need a much better understanding of how the American diet has changed. Our paper will look more closely at the issue of sweet drink consumption and its relation to obesity factors among three of the main ethnic groups included in the national surveys: African Americans, Hispanics and non-Hispanic whites."

[Nov3]

High Fructose Corn Syrup is the main health threat in our food.

[Nov3]

FYI

[Nov3]

Soft drinks eat up calorie allotment

The Herald-Dispatch

If you reach for a soft drink every time you’re thirsty, you could be wasting a good deal of your calorie allotment for the day -- more so than in years past, the American Dietetic Association says.

About 50 years ago, a soda came in a 6-ounce bottle that was about 75 calories, the association says. Today, a 20-ounce plastic bottle of regular soda packs about 250 calories. The 64-ounce, "big-cup" soft drinks sold at convenience stores can deliver a whopping 800 calories.

Add up your soda calories and consider this: Most adults need about 1,600 to 2,400 calories a day -- period. One 800 calorie big-cup means a lot less food and nutrition that day, if you’re going to stay within your calorie limit. Less nutrition means less strength and less lasting energy.

Regular or diet soft drinks are OK now and then, the dietetic association says. But as an everyday drink choice, they crowd out nutrient-rich drinks and much-needed water. Regular sodas have a lot of sugar and carbs, but no other nutrition. And if consumed in place of milk, they could contribute to bone loss.

Also, sugary sodas contribute to tooth decay, though no more than juice or other carbohydrate-rich foods.

Here are some tips for adopting a ‘now-and-then soft drink’ lifestyle:

Order the small size, even if "bigger" seems like a better deal.

Save it for later. If a 20-ounce or bigger bottle is your only choice, pour a smaller amount in a cup and save the rest.

Decide when you’ll really want a soda, and limit yourself so that it’s not often.

Switch to milk -- maybe chocolate or strawberry -- for a more healthful option.

Source: "365 Days of Healthy Eating from the American Dietetic Association"

[Petronski]

I always avoid pronouncing it FROOK-tose. To get in the spirit of the stuff, it's high FRUCK-tose corn syrup.

[Born to Conserve]

"High Fructose Corn Syrup is the main health threat in our food."

But high fructose orange juice is just fine . . .

[Chi-townChief]

Stick with beer and rum.

[Centurion2000]

"High Fructose Corn Syrup is the main health threat in our food."

But high fructose orange juice is just fine .

Ounce for ounce, orange juice is not nearly as sweet as soda and there is vitamin C in organge juice, so yes it is just fine.

[Nov3]

NO

[Nov3]

sound advice

[Koblenz]

Why not diet colas? Some don't taste so good, but diet Cherry Coke, diet Lime Coke, Diet Dr. Pepper, Fresca and the Hansen's fruit sodas are all decent.

[SALChamps03]

Americans drink a lot of sodas, but I find it impossible to believe that it is the main source of calories. This more food police crap. The main cause of obesity is lack of activity in my view.

[Red Sea Swimmer]

I like Pepsi Max !

[Ditter]

Corn must be the biggest food crop grown in the US. If you read labels and I do because I am allergic to several things, you will find that corn, in some form (syrup, starch, flour, oil), is in almost every thing you buy. Corn is one of my food allergies and it is difficult to avoid.

[Nov3]

The main cause of obesity is lack of activity in my view.

A cause to be sure but you can exercise your butt off and if your insulin levels are sky high you will not lose weight.

[Clintonfatigued]

I cut soft drinks out of my diet two years ago. It's done me a world of good.

Bottled water is the way to go.

[Guillermo]

I have lost 12 lbs in the last month...I would say 80% of that loss was due to change of diet, 20% to exercise.

I cut out white bread, pasta, white rice, sugary drinks, and junk food, and the few excess pounds came flying right off.

[k2blader]

I try my best to stay away from soda. Otherwise I'd be a major blimp.

[Born to Conserve]

"orange juice is not nearly as sweet as soda"

Orange juice and soda have about the same amount of sugar.
I have seen 11% used as the typical sugar lever for oj, and looking at the sprite I just consumed, it has 26 grams of sugar in 240 ml of soda, which is pretty close to 240 grams, which puts sprite at about %11.

The good thing about oj is that if you drank 64oz of it you would puke, loosing weight in the process, whereas soda just goes down easy, turning in to fat with great efficiency.

Golden rule of weight control: "Eat less, do more."

[Constitution Day]

I love that frucking stuff.

[Central Scrutiniser]

www.popsoda.com

Go there, order Coke and Dr. Pepper made with good old fashioned cane sugar, in Mexico and Europe.

They have every soda you remembered, but can't find anymore, its an amazing place. You can order anything to be shipped, or if you live in Phoenix, go in and grab what you like, they also have tasty root beer in kegs.

I like Coca Cola Light (aka Diet Coke) from other countries.