STAY AWAY FROM SUGARY DRINKS

STAY AWAY FROM SUGARY BEVERAGES

Source: Harvard School of Public Health

When it comes to our health, it’s clear that sugary drinks should be avoided. There is a range of healthier beverages that can be consumed instead.

Water is definitely the perfect zero-calorie beverage for quenching thirst and rehydrating your body. Coffee and tea, without added sweeteners, are healthy choices, too.

Water is an essential nutrient at every age, so optimal hydration is a key component for good health. Water accounts for about 60% of an adult’s body weight. We drink fluids when we feel thirst, the major signal alerting us when our body runs low on water.

SUGARY DRINKS AND THE OBESITY EPIDEMIC

There is sufficient scientific evidence that decreasing sugar-sweetened beverage consumption will reduce the prevalence of obesity and obesity-related diseases.

Unfortunately, sugary beverages are a regular drink of choice for millions around the world, and a major contributor to the obesity epidemic.

- 50% of Americans drink at least one can of Soda per day. Soda is loaded with sugar and it is addictive.

DEFINITION OF SUGARY DRINKS

Sugary drinks (also categorized as sugar-sweetened beverages or “soft” drinks) refer to any beverage with added sugar or other sweeteners (high fructose corn syrup, sucrose, fruit juice concentrates, and more). This includes soda, pop, cola, tonic, fruit punch, lemonade (and other “ades”), sweetened powdered drinks, as well as sports and energy drinks.

HOW CAN YOU REDUCE YOUR SUGAR CRAVINGS

There is some evidence to suggest that L-glutamine may help reduce sugar cravings.

The following clinical studies support this claim:

• A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in the journal "Appetite" in 2015 found that participants who received L-glutamine supplements had significantly reduced cravings for high-glycemic index foods (such as sweets and baked goods) compared to those who received a placebo.
• Another randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial published in the journal "Eating Behaviors" in 2014 found that L-glutamine supplements reduced carbohydrate cravings and increased feelings of satiety in overweight and obese women.

WHAT IS L-GLUTAMINE

L-glutamine is an amino acid that is naturally found in the body and is involved in many metabolic processes. It is considered a "conditionally essential" amino acid, which means that while the body can produce it on its own, there may be times when supplementation is needed to meet the body's demands.

When it comes to sugar cravings, L-glutamine has been suggested to help reduce cravings by supporting the body's production of glucose and stabilizing blood sugar levels. When we eat sugar, it causes a spike in blood sugar levels, which can lead to a subsequent crash and increased cravings for more sugar. L-glutamine can help to prevent this cycle by supporting the body's ability to produce glucose and maintain stable blood sugar levels, which can in turn reduce sugar cravings.

In addition to its potential role in reducing sugar cravings, L-glutamine has many other benefits for overall health and wellness. It is involved in maintaining gut health, supporting immune function, and promoting muscle growth and recovery.

It's important to note that while L-glutamine may be helpful in reducing sugar cravings, it is not a magic solution and should be used in conjunction with a healthy diet and lifestyle.

RESEARCH SHOWS THAT YOU SHOULD QUIT SUGARY DRINKS

• Drinking one can of Soda daily increases the risk of heart attack by 20%.
• People who consume 1 to 2 cans of Soda a day or more have a 26% greater risk of developing type 2 diabetes than people who rarely have such drinks. Risks are even greater in young adults and Asians.
• Even Diet Soda makes you gain weight.
• 20 ounces of Fruit Juice can contain up to 17 teaspoons of sugar.

When it comes to ranking beverages best for our health, sugary drinks fall at the bottom of the list because they provide so many calories and virtually no other nutrients. People who drink sugary beverages do not feel as full as if they had eaten the same calories from solid food, and research indicates they also don’t compensate for the high caloric content of these beverages by eating less food.

The average can of sugar-sweetened soda or fruit punch provides about 150 calories, almost all of them from added sugar. If you were to drink just one of these sugary drinks every day, and not cut back on calories elsewhere, you could gain up to 5 pounds in a year. Beyond weight gain, routinely drinking these sugar-loaded beverages can increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic diseases. Furthermore, higher consumption of sugary beverages has been linked with an increased risk of premature death.