Simmons College Nutrition Website
Beverages
Fruit juices and Fruit beverages
Fruit juice
- 100% real juice
- Usually a good source of vitamin C, vitamin A, and potassium.
- Some are fortified with calcium, vitamin D, vitamin E, and B vitamins.
- Contain naturally occurring sugar fructose.
- ¾ C of juice = 1 serving of fruit
Fruit beverage
- Usually contains about 10% or less of real fruit juice.
- Mostly sugar and water
- Many contain added sugar in the form of high fructose corn syrup.
- May be higher in calories
- May be fortified with vitamins and minerals.
Milk
Cow’s milk
- Contains carbohydrate, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals.
- Good source of calcium and Vitamin D.
- Found to prevent osteoporosis and weight gain.
Soy milk
- Nutritionally close to cow’s milk.
For More Information
http://www.nationaldairycouncil.org
http://www.soyfoods.com/soyfoodsdescriptions/soymilk.html
Carbonated beverages (soft drinks)
- Contain little to no vitamins, minerals, fiber, or protein.
- May replace other more nutritional beverage choices, such as milk or fruit juice.
- Most energy is in the form of refined cane sugar or corn syrup.
- RDA of added sugars is 10 tsp. for a 2,000 calorie diet; many soft drinks contain more than this.
- Soft drinks have been linked to obesity and diabetes.
- Also contain:
- Caffeine – about 10-50 mg
- Sugar substitute (found in diet soft drinks) - a food additive which duplicates the taste of sugar, with no calories.
Energy Drinks
- Used to give a burst of energy
- Contain vitamins, minerals, high levels of caffeine, and high levels of sugar.
- Other ingredients include: ginseng, creatine, carnitine, maltodextrin, ginko biloba, and taurine.
- Can be found in 16 or 24 oz sizes.
- Ingredients are not regulated by FDA
- May cause dehydration
- May be dangerous when consumed with alcohol, leading to abnormal heart rhythms and future heart problems.
- Should not be consumed during exercise
http://www.ameribev.org/health/caffeinecontent.asp
| Energy drinks | Caffeine (mg/oz) |
| AMP | 8.93 |
| Boo Koo | 5.00 |
| Crunk | 12.02 |
| Full throttle | 8.81 |
| Jolt cola | 6.00 |
| SoBe adrenaline rush | 9.52 |
| Red bull | 9.64 |
Alcohol
- Chemically known as ethanol
- Contributes energy to the diet, but is not a nutrient.
- 1 gram of alcohol = 7 kcal
- Excess calories may increase weight and may also lead to medical or social problems.
- Use often starts in teenage and college years.
- Requires no digestion and is absorbed rapidly.
- Promotes fluid loss in the body.
- To avoid dehydration, see Water
| Nutrient Analysis | kcal/g |
| Carbohydrate | 4 |
| Protein | 4 |
| Fat | 9 |
| Alcohol | 7 |
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