Whether you're diabetic or not you can get into trouble with drinks.
And we're not just talking about a night out at the bar beware the plethora of sugary drinks that line the grocery store aisles...
the mini-mart coolers
fast food restaurants
movie theaters... They are practically everywhere.
Even though these types of drinks are almost inescapable in today's food world
you probably already know to stay away from many of these beverages
and yet there are still drinks which can trick you into thinking they're safer than they actually are
You may be surprised by some of the true worst drinks for diabetics
but not to worry we're also going to reveal 5 of the very best drinks that you can and should drink every day
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Now, get ready for a big gulp of diabetes-fighting power
this is... The 5 Worst and Best Drinks for Diabetics
We all need to drink each and every day and you're probably ready to learn about the five absolute best drinks to consume...
But first, we should help you put a stop to your bad drinking habits...
So, let's uncover the 5 worst drinks for diabetics...
#5. Sugar-free drinks
You probably already know to stay away from high sugar drinks...
and perhaps you think well, I'll stick to a sugar-free drink instead.
Most processed, packaged drink products have a sugar-free version but are they actually better than the real thing?
Sadly, sometimes these sugar-free counterparts can still end up causing damage to your body.
When your body tastes sweetness it responds as if you're consuming sugar even when you're not.
This means that your pancreas will be tricked into releasing extra insulin...
This can lead to increased levels of insulin resistance over time.
In fact, a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that both sugar-sweetened beverages
and sugar-free beverages can lead to a similar increase in risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
Plus, most sugar-free drinks contain artificial sweeteners in order to add extra flavor.
By now, you're probably aware that many artificial sweeteners carry health risks and unwanted side effects
including the heightened risk of several forms of cancer and even weight gain.
A 10-year study of the long-term effects of artificially sweetened beverages
recently concluded that those who drank sugar-free processed beverages gained nearly quadruple the waste size
compared with those who refrained from artificially sweetened drinks.
Also, sugar-free drinks not only include artificial sweeteners
they also usually have unhealthy amounts of sodium added
as well as other chemical preservatives
#4. Fruit Juice
Fruit juice looks healthy because hey, it's natural. Right?
You simply squeeze fruits to get to the good stuff
but looks can be deceiving...
When the liquid from fruit is removed, it takes all the sugar content while leaving the fiber behind.
Pure fruit juice is high in fructose.
A simple sugar that is quickly absorbed into our bloodstream.
Our bodies are able to manage the fructose load better when we also consume fiber...
But fructose by itself can be dangerous...
A study conducted in 2013 suggested that drinking three portions of fruit juice a week
was associated with an eight percent increase in diabetes risk in non-diabetics.
Plus, more store-bought fruit juice products aren't simply just the squeezed juice...
They're usually loaded with added sugars and unhealthy chemical preservatives.
And did you know that drinking juices and other high sugar drinks could actually lead to you becoming dehydrated?
It's true fructose laden drinks can cause your body to lose water the sugar content within juices
can have a hypernatremic effect on your body which means that the sugar you ingest from these drinks
will pull water content out of your tissues plus the high carbohydrate content of fruit juices
has been shown to worsen dehydration symptoms if you love the sweetness of fruit but want to reap
their health benefits you're much better off eating a limited amount of whole fresh fruit
eating fruit will supply your body with fiber which can slow down sugar absorption and help
you avoid a blood sugar spike number three iced coffee drinks if you've seen our coffee versus
tea bit you've already heard about the amazing health benefits of coffee but what about those
popular packaged iced coffee drinks if you think they'll supply a healthy dose of morning nutrition
think again it's one thing to brew up some coffee and toss in some ice at home that will simply lend
you extra water content but when you drink a store-bought iced coffee drink chances are it
will come filled to the brim with added sugar and fat content in fact one medium-sized fast
food chain frap reportedly contained close to 520 calories a drink like this could supply upwards
of 60 grams of carbs and 25 grams of fat even if you avoid the popular coffee chain additions
like whipped cream and caramel sauce those pre-packaged iced coffee drinks from the
supermarket could still supply 200 calories 3 grams of fat and 31 grams of added sugar if you
just love those iced coffee concoctions on a hot day why not stick with simple but classic coffee
and blend it at home to better control the nutrition number two energy and sports drinks
speaking of summer don't those brightly colored bottles and cans of energy and
sports drinks just scream thirst quenching yeah not so much the original gatorade was designed
by a florida college football coach where the players had to fight through the muggy weather
but if you're not an athlete sweating out all your sodium ant in need of quick energy these types of
drinks will not lend you health or hydration many of these highly processed highly advertised drinks
can give you over 200 calories and over 50 grams of total carbs all of which are in the form of
sugar energy drinks also usually come loaded with an insane amount of caffeine in just a few gulps
some have been reported to contain close to 300 milligrams of caffeine
for reference most doctors recommend consuming no more than 400 milligrams of caffeine in a day
teenagers may avoid the immediate detrimental effects of high sugar drinks because they burn
tons of energy every day if they're active and a sports drink might be good for an athlete and need
to perform in crunch time but it's not a great drink for anyone watching their weight or blood
sugar that pretty much makes energy and sports drinks the new alpha of sugar spiking drinks
but we still need to bow down to the og the king of negative nutrition and our number one
worst drink for diabetics number one soft drinks the number one worst drink for diabetics and
pretty much anyone for that matter is soft drinks by now you may know the details but
just to be clear a 20 ounce serving can pack 50 to 80 grams of sugar but even if you opt
for lower calorie varieties the story stays the same as mentioned before they'll most definitely
be loaded with artificial sweeteners which can play havoc with your body's insulin response
so drinking diet soda can still be harmful for diabetics plus the sodium content within
soft drinks is usually high as well and of course most soft drinks contain a large dose of caffeine
many popular soft drinks have about 35 milligrams of caffeine which is equivalent to some types of
tea however while teas supply antioxidants and other nutrients soft drinks are simply water
with added sugar and other nasty chemicals so while they may look refreshing in ads don't trust
soft drinks to quench your thirst in fact you can count on the opposite effect their lack of fiber
coupled with their huge sugar load means that not only will most soft drinks dehydrate you they'll
also skyrocket your blood sugar quicker than most anything on the planet alright now that you know
the five drinks to avoid what do you drink instead we're about to reveal five of the very best drinks
that can actually help you fight diabetes but first it's time to get you those two free gifts
discover 25 amazing foods to help you fight diabetes and obesity with superfoods for
diabetics and gain amazing insights from leading medical and nutritional specialists with episode 1
of that diabetes documentary to grab both gifts simply click the link in the description below
so a healthy drink will hydrate you while not adding much sugar or carbs to your daily intake
well it's finally time to reveal the five best drinks for diabetics number five pomegranate juice
hold up didn't we just say that fruit juice is unhealthy yes most varieties of fruit juice can
bring dangerous blood sugar spikes but pomegranate juice is one variety which according to multiple
studies may actually lower fasting glucose levels fresh pomegranate fruits have been used as a form
of medicine for thousands of years and it's no wonder why they contain unique polyphenol
antioxidants which have been shown to not only decrease inflammation but also reduce the risk of
cancer and heart disease studies have shown that the sugars within pomegranate juice come attached
to these antioxidants and thus actually make these sugars protective against atherosclerosis
or the hardening of arteries in fact these studies have revealed that as pomegranate juice can lower
ldl cholesterol levels lower blood pressure decrease fasting glucose levels and reduce
oxidative stress its antioxidants have the power to help you battle diabetes
over time regular consumption of pomegranate juice could help you reduce your insulin resistance
as well as your risk for diabetes related heart diseases plus pomegranate juice comes positively
loaded with other beneficial nutrients from folate to vitamins c e and k however it's important to
note that like other juices you'll want to avoid highly processed store-bought options that come
pre-loaded with added sugars or other chemical additives and also make sure to drink this juice
in moderation because while it does contain positive nutrition overconsumption may still
lead to a rise in blood sugar number four coffee as mentioned before coffee does indeed contain
an array of beneficial nutrients a typical cup of black coffee gives you over 10 of the daily
recommended intake for vitamin b2 otherwise known as riboflavin this antioxidant has been shown to
fight cancerous free radical damage studies have shown that regularly drinking coffee can reduce
the risk of developing diabetes perhaps even by about 65 percent however other studies have
shown that regularly consuming large quantities of caffeine may increase insulin resistance for
those already managing a diabetes diagnosis therefore for those suffering from diabetes a
good rule of thumb is to keep your caffeinated coffee intake to no more than 4 cups per day
otherwise if you simply love the taste of coffee you can always go for the decaffeinated variety
while plain black coffee supplies plenty of nutrition the fact is that most people like to
add some extra flavor just be aware that full fat milks contain of course fat but also lactose or
milk sugar low-fat milks usually have extra sugar content added table sugar of course can skyrocket
your blood sugar levels artificial sweeteners have been shown to increase insulin resistance
and chemical creamers are not only high in fat and loaded with unhealthy preservatives they're full
of added sugars or artificial sweetening agents but coffee can be delicious even without the added
sugar or full fat creamers instead try nut-based milks like coconuts or almond milk which will help
you avoid that lactose and why not add a sprinkle of cinnamon for extra flavor and nutrition number
three vegetable juice smoothies so most fruit juice isn't healthy but is vegetable juice in
the same category if you juice veggies and take out the fiber you might end up with similar issues
however you can blend or puree veggies to create your own vegetable juice smoothie this will help
you keep the fiber content along with the vast variety of nutrients contained within a wide
world of vegetables blending your veggies at home allows you to customize them to your liking
try a smoothie with celery for improved digestion include spinach for beneficial antioxidants and
plant-based protein utilize carrots for their powerful carotenoids which can aid eye health some
other amazing diabetes fighting veggies you can add include kale which is high in beta-carotene
and vitamins a c and k beets which have been shown to improve blood pressure broccoli for its many
micronutrients such as potassium plus vitamins a b6 and c you'll want to blend your veggies with
a good amount of water which of course helps keep you hydrated you can also include a small portion
of fresh fruit like a banana or an apple for added flavor vitamins and fiber number two tea
by now you're probably aware that green tea can supply a lot of positive health but many types of
tea can help you fight the effects of diabetes and add nutrition to your day yes green tea is
known for its many health benefits including its ability to help reduce blood pressure it also
includes cancer-fighting antioxidant polyphenols these antioxidant catechins have also been shown
to improve insulin sensitivity and reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes meanwhile chamomile
has been shown to reduce insulin resistance plus it's caffeine free black tea contains polyphenol
antioxidants known as theaflavins which can aid heart health whichever variety of tea is your
choice it will most definitely lend positive health properties did you know that gum and
mouth health is related to heart health as heart disease is on a continuum with diabetes
tea can be a wonderful option tea contains fluoride which can strengthen the enamel of
teeth and t's high antioxidant content can fight bacteria thereby lowering the risk of gum disease
plus tea is yet another natural drink to help keep you hydrated but what's the very best drink
for hydration well when you gotta go go to the original source number one water when it comes
to hydration water is still king it's the best option for people in general and especially
for diabetics this is just obvious isn't it but naturally it's true when you drink enough water
your body can eliminate excess glucose through urine most doctors recommend that men should drink
about 3.7 liters per day and women should go for about 2.7 liters of water each day that may sound
like an unreasonable amount but it becomes easier when you drink tea or flavor your water and if you
just love soft drinks try switching to carbonated water from there you can add a bit of flavor with
a few pieces of fresh fruit there's a wide variety of nutritious and flavorful additions you can add
to your still or sparkling water like a slice of cucumber a slice of lemon lime or orange herbs
such as mint or basil cinnamon and turmeric especially for hot water or tea a teaspoon
of apple cider vinegar a few crushed or frozen berries the possibilities are endless but simply
sticking with plain old water can and will keep you hydrated it can help suppress your appetite
between meals and it will aid with glucose control well we hope you found this list and our tips
helpful but we want to hear from you tell us why you love your favorite drinks by commenting below
also please like this vid and subscribe to our channel we're diabetes smarts and we'll
keep bringing you new diabetes fighting tips and tricks each week oh and don't forget to click the
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