We all want to be healthy, to maintain balanced diets and not to consume too many calories. Still, there's one pitfall that many of us tend to fall into. We call it "the silent sugars". Here's how you can be aware of them - and avoid them:
In 2013 Bank Credit Suisse conducted a study which showed that the average amount of sugar consumed worldwide is currently 17 teaspoons per day - almost three times the recommended amount! But surprisingly, most of this sugar isn't explained by the increased consumption of cakes chocolates and snacks, rather, it enters our bodies via soft drinks:
- The average can of soft drink = 8-10 teaspoons of sugar.
- A single-portion bottle of juice = 9 teaspoons of sugar.
- A half-liter bottle of carbonated beverage = 12 teaspoons of sugar or even more!
- A single-portion bottle of flavored water = 4 teaspoons of sugar.
In other words, 43% of the sugar we consume daily comes from sweetened beverages! This is an incredible statistic.
Soft drinks - Hard sugars
Although, unlike in the past, many people are aware that the consumption of sweetened beverages isn't healthy and they may even avoid keeping them at home, it seems they're still a determining factor in our consumption of sugar.
This may be because we're always encountering them away from home in various situations - among refreshments at conferences and meetings, kids' birthday parties, lobbies and waiting rooms, restaurants, and more, or maybe simply because we feel a need to "treat" ourselves: "Just one cup, what harm could it do?" By the way, if we don't always resist the temptation, just think of our children who are surrounded by snack bars and shops on the way to and from school, in malls, etc.
Sweet trap
The fact is, sweetened drinks provide our bodies with enormous amounts of sugar and energy without giving us a sense of satiety, thus making us want to eat more. Furthermore, some believe that they're addictive which is why we always want to drink more of them.
Also, we aren't always aware of the fact that they're high in sugar because there's a long list of ingredients with different names which are all actually sugars, including: fructose, dextrose, glucose, inverted sugar, maltose, malt syrup, molasses, raw cane sugar, natural fruit concentrate, and the list goes on.
Time to put a stop to it
When faced with the choice between sweetened beverages which don't hydrate the body, but actually harm it, and water, water is the healthy choice. Water also apparently helps us maintain our proper weight - it boosts the metabolism and cleanses the body of fatty acids.
If you have a Strauss Water machine at home, chances are that most members of your family drink plenty of water at home, thus consuming 0 calories and 0 sugars! However, as we've seen, away from home there are plenty of temptations. So, we've put together four tips that can help you keep tabs on things:
1. Change your attitude toward soft drinks - Teach yourself and your kids to think of a can or bottle of soft drink as a thick slice of chocolate cake. Maybe if you treat them as actual desserts you'll take them more seriously and drink less when away from home.
2. Keep your reusable Equa water bottle around - Get everyone used to leaving the house only after they've filled their water bottle that keeps your water cold for 24 hours and hot for 12 hours. When you encounter a “temptation” you'll already have the right answer in hand. Plus, the blinking light of Equa’s smart bottle helps you keep track of your water hydration levels and reminds you to take a sip of water.
3. Re-imagine the way you drink water: An astonishing 78% of people who’ve invested in a Strauss machine have stated that their children drink more water and less sugary drinks!
Awarded and certified for their quality and safety standards, there are 3 models for you to choose from. Their breakthrough technology makes them fully programmable to your needs, offering an endless supply of certified triple-filtered, highest-quality water, at adjustable water temperatures, making life easier and more fun!
It’s also important to note that the TS Plus operates on the patented “Single Serve” technology that offers freshly carbonated water at your pre-chosen carbonation strength (light/regular/strong).
4. Get those around you involved too - Ever notice that there are always sweetened beverages at every meeting at work? Bring the topic up for discussion and come to the conclusion along with the management that it's a good idea to cut down on them.
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