Thirsty? Drink in this beverage breakdown
The scoop on what’s true and what’s myth about summer’s best refreshments
Summer’s heat is on, but before you down an iced tea, iced coffee or any icy drink, wouldn’t it be nice to know your beverage is a healthy choice? After all, some of summer’s favorite refreshers can actually pack on the pounds.
“You’ll be shocked to find out what’s really in some summertime standards,” said Gloria Tsang, registered dietitian and founder of www.healthcastle.com, an online source for diet and nutrition information.
“When I buy a slush drink, I often buy the biggest cup possible so three of us can share it,” said Tsang during a telephone interview from her office in Vancouver, British Columbia. “What’s shocking is a 40-ounce slush drink contains the equivalent of 20 teaspoons of sugar, which equals 320 calories. The whole drink is sugar and colorings.”
Choosing the right beverage — yes, there are healthy drinks that refresh — can be tough, especially during summer when the need to hydrate increases.
To help you make healthy drink choices, we gathered some commonly held beverage beliefs and turned to our experts for input. Their answers may surprise you. Should children drink beverages that are artificially sweetened?
When it comes to children’s drinks, those containing artificial sweeteners are not a healthy choice, according to Tsang.
“They may offer zero calories, but artificial sweeteners were originally developed for people with diabetes,” said Tsang. “Healthy kids should not be eating or drinking anything sweetened artificially. There are many things you can drink in the summer that are natural — like yogurt drinks or 100-percent juice.”
How can you tell a drink is 100-percent juice?
“Look at the ingredient list,” said Tsang. “It should only say juice and probably some water. If it’s two or three lines long with ingredients you can’t pronounce it is not 100 percent juice.”
Do caffeinated drinks dehydrate you?
“Caffeine increases the body’s metabolic rate and also increases the body’s need for fluids,” said Nadya Castellas, physical therapist and sports trainer with Buffalo Spine and Sports Institute. “Caffeinated drinks tend to be high in sugar, and sugar — like salt — creates the need for more water, but caffeine on its own does not cause dehydration.”
Furthermore, Castellas added that energy drinks with caffeine are nearly as good for hydration as water, although there really is no substitute for good “old-fashioned” water.
“Of course, energy drinks are high in caffeine but may also have ginseng and zinc,” noted Castellas, a competitive body builder. “They give you a false sense of energy, which is different than Gatorade, which replaces electrolytes and sugar and things that are lost through sweating.
“Gatorade is a great thing to take in if you’ve had a long day at the beach or you just run a marathon,” Castellas added, “but it also contains more calories, more sugar that you might not necessarily need depending on your level of output.”
Does drinking cranberry juice help prevent urinary tract infections?
Cranberry juice, dried cranberries and probably blueberries not only help prevent urinary tract infections but may even treat them, according to Dr. David Kurss of the Women’s Wellness Center of Western New York. There are two reasons: Fructose and proanthocyanidins combine to create a natural Teflon.
“The combination is believed to have an anti-adhesive effect, minimizing the ability of many bacteria to adhere to the bladder wall, particularly E. Coli, a major urinary tract culprit,” said Kurss. “With no adhesive ability, the bacteria has nothing to do but leave.”
The concentration of cranberry in a drink must be 30 percent to be effective, Kurss explained, adding that the cranberry may be a wonder fruit.
“Not only do cranberries increase HDL (“good” cholesterol), they may have anti-viral and anti-fungal properties as well,” Kurss said. “Cranberries also inhibit the adhesion of H. Pylori, a stomach bacteria associated with acid reflux.”
Must we drink eight, eight-ounce glasses of water a day?
The classic answer is yes, responded Kurss, however the replacement theory advocates replacing only the fluids your body loses.
“Every day we lose water through our breath, perspiration, bowel function,” said Kurss. “Together it equals one liter, or 32 ounces of fluid. Another 1.5 liters — or 48 ounces — is lost each day through urine. That’s 80 ounces of water lost each day through average activity that should be replaced.”
The body weight theory of hydration, meanwhile, bases your fluid needs on your weight.
“Divide your weight by two,” Kurss explained. “That’s how many ounces of water you need daily. For example, a 200- pound person would need 100 ounces of water each day.”
Exercisers, who lose sodium and magnesium with their sweat, must refuel with an electrolyte cocktail. Try Endura — a high magnesium energy and rehydration mix — at www.metagenics.com , suggested Kurss. Bottom line? Don’t let thirst be your guide, said Kurss. If you feel thirsty, you are already dehydrated. And remember that as we age, we have less an ability to sense dehydration.
Just how healthy is herbal tea?
Incredibly so, said Kurss, but “herbal tea drinks” are another story because they contain sugar and other materials you probably don’t need.
“If you’re looking for health benefits from an herbal tea fast drink, it’s not going to be as healthful as brewed or infused herbal tea. Ideally you should make your own,” said Kurss, adding that camomile is a very relaxing tea to drink before sleep. Ginseng tea can stimulate vitality. Peppermint tea helps digestion.
Green tea, on the other hand, is a super tea helping fight cancer, heart disease and boosting your immune system.
“One of the reasons is antioxidants, which fight oxidation,” said Kurss. “Oxidation occurs when you lose an electron. Compounds that have lost an electron are called free radicals, and are fought by antioxidants.”
Green tea also has polyphenols to help thin blood. It has been shown to be a fat burner and promotes fat reduction.
“Herbs have been used for centuries in teas, so if someone wants to get the full potential of herbal teas, they should make them themselves,” concluded Kurss, who noted these Web sites: ( www.yogitea.com ) and ( www.learnabouttea.com ). Think that iced latte gives your day a healthy kick-start?
Think again.
Iced latte and frappuccino contains syrup and cream, explained Tsang.
“Just the whipped creme on top adds 13 fat grams or 150 calories,” Tsang said. “Are we drinking coffee? Or syrup and whipped cream? A 16-ounce frappuccino — strawberry cream, double chocolate chip or white chocolate — contains 600 calories.”
Now chew on this: Figure a six-inch sandwich from Subway is 300 calories. That means one large frappuccino contains just as many calories as a foot-long sub. Because frappuccinos are made to order, Tsang suggested asking for 2-percent milk and skipping the whipped cream.
Take heart — literally. A University of Minnesota study of 27,000 women that compared coffee consumption and rate of heart disease indicated that drinking coffee helps women prevent illnesses of the heart.
“Women who drink one to three cups of coffee each day were 34 percent less likely to contract heart disease,” said Tsang.
Will drinking cold drinks lower your body temperature?
Dr. Eric Keyser, director of cardio-thoracic surgery at Erie County Medical Center, works extensively with body temperature, warming and cooling patients undergoing cardiac surgery.
“It takes aggressive warming or cooling to overcome the body’s natural ability to regulate temperature,” concluded Keyser. “Consuming a few iced drinks on a hot summer day will not lower your body temperature. It will leave you refreshed.”
How does alcohol affect blood pressure?
In general, alcohol raises blood pressure, explained Keyser. In some people, even moderate amounts of alcohol will substantially increase blood pressure because of a genetic sensitivity.
“When the alcohol is metabolized, the breakdown products — instead of sugars — include formaldehyde,” Keyser said. “You see this mostly in Asian populations in people whose cheeks get flushed when they drink alcohol.”
In general, excessive alcohol consumption in anybody can lead to increased blood pressure. One glass of wine, or one bottle of beer or 1.5 ounces of liquor on a daily basis is moderate consumption. More than that is considered excessive.
“The occasional drink is harmless,” Keyser said, “unless you are one of those people who are predisposed.”
