Know What You Are Drinking!
By Bodybuilding Fitness Calculator
Today, more people are focusing on what foods they are eating and making better choices. We may read content labels and study some nutrition and even take some vitamin supplements for extra benefit.
However, one thing that can go by the wayside is the beverages that we drink. You would be surprised just how unhealthy some of the popular drinks are out there on the market. So lets take a look at 5 of these disguised offenders.
1) Red Bull
A super popular drink for a fast boost to energy levels or used as a mixer for hard liquor, red bull is all things except good for. A regular 8 ounce can dishes out a crazy 27 grams of sugar that send your blood sugar and insulin levels on a road trip to hell. Just one can is enough to provide somebody on a low-carb diet with their daily quota of carbs – and no, that’s not a good thing.
A great and healthy alternative to red bull(shit) is BSN’s Endorush. It is available in a variety of tasty flavors and contains very few calories. This great drinks boosts your energy, focus and endurance naturally and provides you with lots of electrolytes.
2) Glaceau Vitamin Water
Flavored water are becoming more popular than ever and you can find them at most superstores and vending machines. While some of these flavored waters are a great alternative to sugar-laden sodas, providing few calories and even electrolytes, some you have to keep a watchful eye for. One such product is Glaceau Vitamin Water. It delivers a shocking 125 calories per 20 ounces and a shocking 33 grams of sugar!!! It is essential water candy.
If you are looking for some quality flavored water then try out SciVation Xtend. You mix it with plain water and it adds flavor and muscle-building amino acids.
3) Green Tea Blast at Jamba Juice
Even though green tea provides many wonderful benefits for health and even helps with burning off some fat, getting it in the form of a green tea smoothie at Jamba Juice called Green Tea Blast is not going to do your health any favors. It features 67 grams of sugar a serving – enough said!!!
A great healthy alternative that helps with burning off some fat in a supplement called Lean Xtreme by Designer Supplements. It is loaded with green tea extract, a condensed version of green tea that features a rich supply of the weight-loss antioxidants in green tea leaves.
4) Gatorade
A firm favorite with many soccer, football, hockey and other track and field games, Gatorade is promoted for its balanced levels of electrolytes that help keep muscles contracting and working at their best. While this in itself is a truly a great thing for any intense activity, the regular kind of Gatorade dishes up 35 grams of sugar and 125 calories. For intense athletes this may be ok since they need the rapid energy supply.
However for everyone else who is not running for miles on end there is another healthier option called Arginine Power Super Stack. This great product will balance electrolytes effectively too, but at a more modest 60 calories a serving.
5) Tropicana Fruit Smoothie
Unless you are making your smoothies with fresh raw ingredients at home and therefore know what you are getting, then be wary about commercial smoothies, they are often not as half as healthy as we think. An 11 ounce bottle of Tropicana Fruit Smoothie, for example, is a crazy 220 calories and an equally as crazy 44 grams of sugar!!! Drink this on a regular basis and you may literally see you belly grow in front of you.
For a healthy alternative, make your own smoothie at home with fresh (or frozen) organic fruits, low-fat yogurt and some of the best protein powders for blending well with smoothies, such as ON’s Natural Whey Protein.
A Final Note:
To keep your self from reaching for an unhealthy beverage in the moment of need, plan ahead and make sure you have some healthy alternatives on hand such as those mentioned above. Other great option include meal replacement shakes that come in handy one size serving sachet that you can simply mix up with water.
