Many Canadians enjoy sweet drinks, but are we overdoing it? Drink companies provide a seemingly endless variety of sugar sweetened drinks, many of which are heavily marketed to children. These drinks are often promoted as energy enhancers, thirst quenchers, performance boosters and even as a heathy part of a balanced diet. So it’s no wonder sweet drinks are so popular, especially with young kids and youth.
The fact is, sugary drinks, such as pop, energy drinks and fruit punch, provide little nutritional value and are packed with extra calories. This can can lead to the development of unhealthy weights and future health problems such as diabetes and heart disease.
So how do limit sugary drinks and encourage your family to choose healthy drinks such as water and milk?
Here are some helpful tips from the Healthy Families BC website.
When Eating Out
- Order smaller sized drinks and say no to the free refills.
- Add flavor to water by asking for lemon or lime slices.
When At Home
- Try making your own smoothies and drinks at home so you can control the amount of added sugar.
- Serve drinks in smaller glasses or choose smaller sized drink boxes to stock your fridge.
At the Grocery Store
- Be sure to read the labels and be aware of the sugar content.
- Sugary drinks should not be on your shopping list at every trip to the grocery store.
When Out and About
- Pack a reusable water bottle with you on the go. Keeping hydrated will reduce the urge for sugary drinks.
- Always pack a water bottle in your child’s backpack.
For more tips click here to see the full article, “Sugary Drinks – Less is Best”.
[...] article is re-posted from SCOPE’s partner, Healthy [...]