Let's face it: When you're dining out, it can be all too easy to focus on the health
benefits of the food you order... all while giving your drink choices a free pass.
But this could be a big mistake.
For a moment, let's consider what happens when you order drink refills, free or otherwise.
Some of these drinks are perfectly harmless, and yes, some of them are even good for you.
To state the obvious here, water is a perfect example.
Yeah, you should definitely drink a lot of that stuff.
Unsweetened tea should be perfectly fine, too.
But at the end of the day, most soft drinks are absolutely loaded with sugar.
Those are the drinks you should actively avoid, no matter how tempting they look in the ads.
"I want a taste pizzazz.
All the great taste Shasta has.
I wanna pop pop pop
I wanna Shasta."
Anyway, when you're at a restaurant and order a sugary soda that comes with free refills,
it can be extremely tempting to keep topping it off.
It can be extremely hard to keep track of exactly how much soda — and how much sugar
— you're consuming.
When you throw back an ice-cold can of soda, you know that it packs upwards of 100 calories
per drink.
But if you're drinking refill after refill of your favorite soft drink, the calories
can really add up.
Fast.
Let's say each soda serving contains over 30 grams of sugar.
After you gulp down just one or two refills, you've already consumed an absolutely staggering
amount of sugar… four times the daily amount of sugar recommended by the American Heart
Association.
There are actually quite a few health implications to consider before you reach for that third
serving of Dr. Pepper.
Consuming too many sugary drinks can lead to weight gain.
What's more, excess sugar consumption can potentially lead to insulin resistance, which
can then cause type two diabetes.
It gets worse: People who consume too much sugar are reportedly at a higher risk of developing
heart disease and possibly even cancer.
Bad news all around.
Meanwhile, the acid in soda can be quite damaging to your teeth.
According to Business Insider, that acid can erode the enamel on the teeth and cause cavities,
discoloration, and cracks to become more prevalent.
That's nothing to smile about, is it?
Oh, and if you think constant refills are okay so long as you're drinking diet soda
or zero-calorie soda, you'd better think again.
While these options certainly do reduce your intake of calories and sugar, the alternative
sweeteners in diet beverages aren't necessarily good for you.
According to Heathline, natural sweeteners like stevia do contain some calories and sugar,
and diet soda can contain a rather worrying amount of sodium.
In fact, studies have shown that people who drink lots of diet soda are also at a higher
risk of weight gain and developing metabolic syndrome.
According to Mayo Clinic,
"Metabolic syndrome is a cluster of conditions that occur together, increasing your risk
of heart disease, stroke and type 2 diabetes."
Soda, sugary coffee concoctions, sports drinks, lemonade, sweet teas, and fruit juice all
have plenty of sugar, but don't worry: You don't have to give up these drinks completely.
Just limit your daily consumption and definitely avoid refilling your glass too often.
But if you simply must treat yourself to a few refills, just make sure you order healthy
drinks.
For example, order vegetable juice instead of fruit juice.
It contains far less sugar, and packs in lots of fortifying vitamins and minerals.
Meanwhile, just the barest little splash of fruit juice can be used to spike carbonated
water for a little extra flavor.
Delicious!
Meanwhile, you should really start embracing the myriad pleasures of unsweetened green
tea: It can be served either cold or hot, and it reportedly offers some truly wonderful
health benefits.
As a matter of fact, some scientists believe green tea might even reduce the risk of type
two diabetes, heart disease, obesity, liver disease, and even certain cancers.
And if you can't find green tea at your favorite soda fountain or restaurant, don't panic:
You can usually find unsweetened black tea; another terrific — and terrifically healthy
-- alternative to soda.
When it comes to the beverages you drink, you've got an awful lot of options... so choose
wisely.
“Took you long enough."
"Nice beard."
"Good work."
"Thanks."
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