Toast to a Nice Cold Glass of Plain Water & Ditch the Soft Drinks!
/Hey everyone! I'd like to start off by acknowledging that March is National Nutrition Month! It is an annual campaign put on by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics in an effort to advocate healthy eating. Check out their site for more information and some great dietary tips. EatRight.org
Lets get to talking about water. A recent study published in the Journal of Human Nutrition & Dietetics looked at the nation's consumption of plain water and overall caloric intake. The survey obtained results from 18,311 adults over the age of 18 from 2005 to 2015. Researchers found that increasing plain water consumption by one to three cups a day could decrease caloric intake per day by 68 to 205 calories, as well as decrease sodium intake per day by 78 to 235 grams.(1)
Personally, I enjoy the taste of plain water, but others may want some flavor. My advice is to ditch the soft drinks and flavor up the natural way. There are lots of different ways to make plain water taste delicious without adding TABLESPOONS of sugar. A 12oz can of coke has roughly 2 1/2 Tablespoons of sugar. (2) That's a lot of added calories in your day, especially if you're having more than one.
Flavor your water the natural way! Easily done by using various fruits and natural sweeteners. Check out a few links here to some recipes. Have fun with it and come up with your own.
Combo of Lemon/Lime, Orange, & Berries
If you're looking to cut calories, start small by changing what you drink on a daily basis. Thanks!
- Patrick Berner, SPT
1. An R, McCaffrey J. Plain water consumption in relation to energy intake and diet quality among US adults, 2005-2012. Journal Of Human Nutrition And Dietetics: The Official Journal Of The British Dietetic Association. February 22, 2016.
2. Us C. How much sugar is in Coca‑Cola? http://www.coca-cola.co.uk/faq/ingredients/how-much-sugar-is-in-coca-cola/. Accessed March 3, 2016.