Calories and sugar from drinks still count! Sip smarter with these tips:
Even if you are following the Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating plan 100%, what you drink could be sabotaging your success. Beverages can be a hidden source of calories, carbohydrates, and added sugars.
Oftentimes, what people drink is overlooked as a reason for their struggle to lose weight, high blood sugars, low energy levels, or difficulty sticking to the diet.
The 5 BEST BEVERAGE CHOICES while on Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating include:
WATER. For hydration, blood sugar control, and weight management water is your best option. If you want some flavor, try infusing your water with fruits, vegetables, or herbs such as cucumber slices, lemon or lime.
UNSWEETENED COFFEE OR TEA. The antioxidants in tea and coffee have been proven to have health benefits. Avoid adding sugar, honey, or sweetened creamers.
FAT-FREE MILK. Each meal plan offered by Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating includes 2-3 servings of fat-free milk as recommended by the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, and American Heart Association (1200 calorie plan includes 2 servings per day, 1500 and 2000 calorie plan includes 3 servings daily).
LOW SODIUM VEGETABLE JUICE. 100% vegetable juice provides 2 servings of vegetables per serving and is an excellent source of potassium. These drinks do contain carbohydrates and calories, about 9 grams of carbohydrates and 45 calories per serving, which should be included in your daily totals.
SELTZER WATER. You can make a zero-carb and zero-sugar ginger ale by adding a spoonful of finely grated ginger to a glass of seltzer water. Or try adding lemon juice and to seltzer for a refreshing drink. Canned seltzer drinks like La Croix or Bubly are also good options.
At Seattle Sutton’s Healthy Eating we discourage you from drinking regular or diet soda, sweetened tea, fruit drinks such as Vitamin Water or Hi-C, or sweetened coffee drinks such as Frappuccino’s or latte’s. The added sugars and sweeteners in these drinks may impact your health, add empty calories, and lead to more sugar cravings throughout the day.
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