Skip drinks with added sugars

Many drinks that on the surface look healthy, such as fruit punch and sports drinks, actually contain added sugars. Unfortunately, consuming too much added sugar has been associated with harmful effects like obesity, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and metabolic syndrome.

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, people should keep their added sugar consumption to less than 10% of their overall calorie intake. That amounts to around 12 tablespoons of sweet stuff for a 2,000-calorie diet. However, American people consume roughly 17 teaspoons of added sugar on average each day, significantly above the recommended amount. Your body can get the hydration it needs without any added sugars by substituting sugar-free choices like water, seltzer water, unsweetened coffee or tea, and even 100% fruit juice in moderation for drinks with added sugars, such as regular soda, sweet tea, sports drinks, fruit punch, lemonade, and fruit "drinks."