Drinks sweetened with sugar are all around us. You might have sweetened fruit juice with breakfast, soda with lunch, an energy drink or sugar-sweetened coffee or tea as a pick-me-up and a sports drink after a workout. In fact, sugar-sweetened drinks are so common they've become the leading source of added sugar in our diet.
So, what's the big deal? Well, because these drinks contain sugar (and sometimes a lot of it) they contribute to serious health problems. They lead to weight gain. They raise your risk for things like type 2 diabetes, heart disease and gout. They raise your risk for kidney and liver disease. And they cause tooth decay.
Instead of drinking sugar-sweetened drinks, reach for healthier options. The best choice, of course, is water. If you drink coffee or tea, don't add sugar to it. If you do choose other drinks, check the label. You won't always see the word "sugar" in the ingredient list. But some common forms of added sugar include corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, lactose, maltose and sucrose. Steer clear of drinks sweetened with honey and molasses, too.
For more tips on healthy beverage choices, talk to your doctor.