Quantcast
ZME Science
  • CoronavirusNEW
  • News
  • Environment
    • Climate
    • Animals
    • Renewable Energy
    • Eco tips
    • Environmental Issues
    • Green Living
  • Health
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Anatomy
    • Diseases
    • Genetics
    • Mind & Brain
    • Nutrition
  • Future
  • Space
  • Feature
    • Feature Post
    • Art
    • Great Pics
    • Design
    • Fossil Friday
    • AstroPicture
    • GeoPicture
    • Did you know?
    • Offbeat
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact
No Result
View All Result
ZME Science

No Result
View All Result
ZME Science
No Result
View All Result
Home Health & Medicine

Sugary drinks make you fat, but researchers have a new idea about how to fight that

Here's an unusual idea on how to cut back on those sugary drinks.

Mihai Andrei by Mihai Andrei
June 18, 2018
in Health & Medicine, News, Nutrition

As the FIFA World Cup kicks off, advertisements for sugary drinks are in full swing. However, the well-known drinks from adverts have been scientifically proven to make you fat, a new study concludes.

It’s no secret that sugary drinks are a major contributor to obesity — although some people still have a hard time digesting that fact. What you’re drinking is essentially sugary water, empty calories that have little to none nutrients.

ADVERTISEMENT

The link between sugary drinks and obesity is well-established, and although sugary drinks are still a favorite of many people, researchers strongly advise against this preference.

Get more science news like this...

Join the ZME newsletter for amazing science news, features, and exclusive scoops. More than 40,000 subscribers can't be wrong.

   

So what should you drink, then?

“Water is and always will be the healthiest thing to drink,” emphasizes Maria Wakolbinger, a nutritional scientist from the Center for Public Health at MedUni Vienna.

However, if you must have some flavor in your water, researchers suggest an unusual idea: dilute it with water.

ADVERTISEMENT

In a subsequent study, the same researchers argue that adding water into sugary drinks can be a viable strategy to reduce the negative health impact.

“Half a litre of lemonade contains on average more than 200 calories or the equivalent of 18 sugar cubes but, if you mix that in a ratio of 1:3, then it is only 50 calories or 5 sugar cubes for the same quantity,” Wakolbinger adds.

The idea is not unheard-of — in some areas, wine (especially white wine) is mixed with fizzy water, a so-called “spritz.” Wakolbinger also points out that if you get used to drinking “spritzers,” your taste will gradually adapt and that will have a beneficial effect on your health.

Quite often, especially when going out, people drink sodas just because they want to drink something, which is where this approach would probably be most beneficial. You could essentially halve your consumption using this method.

Regarding the Football World Cup, researchers also caution that other foods and drinks commonly consumed during sporting events are also calorie-rich and nutrient-poor: a liter of beer contains 210 calories, a whole pizza up to 900 calories, and a hamburger around 700 calories per portion. Add a portion of chips, and that’s another 500 calories — and that’s not even mentioning the fats. If you want to keep your “bikini figure,” Wakolbinger has a few suggestions, though you might not like them:

“Vegetable sticks with yoghurt dips, lean meat with vegetables or salad – and unsalted nuts instead of fat-laden crisps.”

Journal References:

  • “Sugar-Sweetened Beverages and Weight Gain in Children and Adults: A Systematic Review from 2013 to 2015 and a Comparison with Previous Studies.” Maria Luger (Wakolbinger) et al. DOI: 10.1159/000484566. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29237159
  • “Gradual reduction of free sugars in beverages on sale by implementing the beverage checklist as a public health strategy.” Maria Luger (Wakolbinger) et al. DOI: 10.1093/eurpub/cky039. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/29554259

Tags: sodasoda drinksugary drink
Mihai Andrei

Mihai Andrei

Andrei's background is in geophysics, and he's been fascinated by it ever since he was a child. Feeling that there is a gap between scientists and the general audience, he started ZME Science -- and the results are what you see today.

Follow ZME on social media

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
  • Coronavirus
  • News
  • Environment
  • Health
  • Future
  • Space
  • Feature
  • More

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Coronavirus
  • News
  • Environment
    • Climate
    • Animals
    • Renewable Energy
    • Eco tips
    • Environmental Issues
    • Green Living
  • Health
    • Alternative Medicine
    • Anatomy
    • Diseases
    • Genetics
    • Mind & Brain
    • Nutrition
  • Future
  • Space
  • Feature
    • Feature Post
    • Art
    • Great Pics
    • Design
    • Fossil Friday
    • AstroPicture
    • GeoPicture
    • Did you know?
    • Offbeat
  • More
    • About
    • The Team
    • Advertise
    • Contribute
    • Our stance on climate change
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact

© 2007-2019 ZME Science - Not exactly rocket science. All Rights Reserved.