The Beijing summer heat will make anyone reach for whatever drink is cold and handy, but as the New York Times recently reported, we rarely stop to think about what we use to quench our thirst. Sodas, energy drinks and even antioxidant filled tea beverages can be packed with sugars and empty calories. The US’s depressing dependence on soft drinks is illuminated by one statistic: at 7.1%, “sweetened sodas are the single largest source of calories in the American diet.” An innocent-looking 20oz Mountain Dew can set you back 290 calories and an incredible 77 grams of sugar.
We all know we should be drinking water, but how much? When it’s hot, dehydration is a major concern as it can cause irritability, fatigue, headaches and muscle cramps. The article suggests that to calculate the number of glasses of water you need each day, take your body weight in pounds and multiply it by .08. This may seem like an exorbitant amount of water to drink on a daily basis. For someone who is 150 pounds, that is twelve classes per day, but keep in mind that much of the water we need can be found in fruits, vegetables and solid foods. Taking a serious look at the way in which we consume beverages, this article will definitely make you rethink that Frappucino.
