The Sour Truth About Sweetened Drinks

That fruit drink you just downed might seem like a healthy choice, but a recent study by researchers at Boston University says that sweetened fruit drinks are just as harmful as soda – for your health and your waistline. The study,  published in the July 28 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine confirms that sweetened fruit drinks increase your risk of type 2 diabetes and weight gain just as much as a Coca-Cola (KO).

The researchers questioned around 44,000 African American women who were already part of an ongoing prospective study, on lifestyle factors and food and beverage consumption. They concluded that women who consumed two or more sweetened fruit drinks a day had a 31% increased risk of type 2 diabetes versus those who drank less than one a month.

African American women are not the only ones at risk. Thousands of Caucasian women participated in an earlier study that uncovered a similar correlation between the incidence of diabetes and consumption of sweetened fruit drinks.

But not all juices are created equal. “There was not an increased risk of type 2 diabetes associated with regular consumption of orange juice, grapefruit juice or diet soft drinks in our study,” says lead author Julie Palmer of the Boston University School of Public Health.

“So much attention’s given to obesity that marketers are naturally trying to market towards a healthier consumer base,” says Manhattan’s registered dietician and founder of Nourish NYC-Nutrition Counseling and Communication, Marissa Lippert.

But the shelves are lined with a seemingly endless array of “healthy” choices. Lippert helps you navigate the supermarket aisles.
Cut Down on Empty Calories, Artificial Sweeteners and Light Juice Blends