Be it certain kinds of soda or even something as simple and innocent as iced tea, there are certain sips out there that should never pass your lips. This is simply because they might seem all innocent and harmless but there is just so much going on in there. You need to steer clear of such drinks and make sure you don’t have them often as they will definitely be doing some major harm and problems to your internal system. So let’s look into what these basically are:
Tomato Juice
Tomatoes may be an antioxidant-rich fruit, but any benefits they may provide to you are lost once they’re juiced and bottled. Regular tomato juices aren’t really flavorful on their own, so brands have to load them up with sodium—680 milligrams worth in every cup. That’s 30 percent of your daily value of sodium in just one glass. So if you really want to indulge in some tomato goodness in a glass, make one at home.
Sweet Tea
Word to the wise: if a drink has the word “sweet” in its name, it’s probably not going to be great for you. Some bottled sweet teas contain 48 grams of sugar (or 96 percent of your daily value of added sugars) in one bottle. Tea in itself is not sweet at all so imagine how much sugar is added to make tea ‘sweet’. Opt for a green tea instead.
Vitamin-Enhanced Water
While they may have “water” in their name, these bottled beverages are 120 calories each, and every single one of those calories comes from sugar. And it’s not just a little bit of sugar, either. There are 31 grams in a 20-ounce bottle of Vitaminwater, which is 7 and ¾ teaspoons of the sweet stuff.
The Supersized Coffee
While a cup or two of coffee can do your body good, you may want to think twice before sizing up to a large or indulging in a fourth cup of Joe. The reason: Doing so may make your bone brittle. An adult can safely consume up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day (which is equivalent to four 8-ounce cups of coffee), but drinking any more than that can cause calcium excretion, which, over time, may lead to osteoporosis. Avoiding excess caffeine also helps to ward off uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms like lethargy, insomnia, headaches, and irritability.
Skim Milk
While skim milk may be lowest in calories, many of its vitamins are fat-soluble, which means you won’t get all the benefits of the alphabetical nutrients listed on your cereal box unless you opt for at least 1%. Why’s it important to opt for grass-fed, organic cartons over the conventional stuff? Not only does it taste better and stay fresh longer, when the herds graze on grass instead of feed, but their milk also has higher levels of omega-3s and CLA (conjugated linoleic acid), a nutrient that boosts immunity, improves bone mass, and even reduce body fat—gotta love that!
