Beverages Can Make or Break Your Diet

Eating healthy isn't always as hard as it seems. It's a matter of reading labels and knowing just what is in the food you eat and being aware of the amount of calories you are consuming. Once you've learned to eat properly, counting calories should not be necessary. Few of us want to live by diet diaries and severe calorie restrictions, so it's best to learn how to make healthier food choices. But what about beverages? Do we switch over to diet sodas and call it a day? Is that good enough? Let's look at some beverage choices and decide which ones are best for our overall diet.

Milk
We all know milk is healthy for us, though not many of us love the taste so much that we are going to sit and drink it with three meals each day. However, just having milk at breakfast can provide up to 50% of your daily value of calcium. Skim/fat-free milk and low-fat 2% milk are great alternatives to whole milk as they don't contain the excess levels of fat.

Fruit Juices
These are generally a good idea as they provide essential vitamins such as immune boosting Vitamin C. Incorporating V8 juices which come in a wide variety of flavors (V8 splash, fusion, teas, smoothies etc.) and provide vegetable as well as fruit nutrition. These are a wonderful addition to a diet to ensure you are getting all the vitamins you need for good health. Be careful when purchasing pure fruit juices as many of them have added sugar. Be sure the label says "no sugar added" and always read the packaging to determine the correct serving size and the amount of calories per serving.

Diet Sodas
Diet sodas are a subject of much debate. Most of them contain no calories, no fat and no sugar. So what exactly is in there? Well, that is a very good question. Most of them do contain caffeine which can trigger a stress response in our bodies. This stress response can lead us to overeating and can also cause an insulin response that may trigger our bodies to store fat. Also, diet sodas may trick our tongues into thinking we have had sweets, but they will not fool our brains. If you are craving something sweet, a piece of fruit (dried or fresh) is a better alternative to soda. Diet sodas are not the enemy, but they should be consumed in moderation. They are, however, a better alternative than wasting calories, carbs and fat on a regular soft drink.

Water
What can I say? We all need it, but it can get a little boring. To spice things up, consider protein mixes for your water. They come in a variety of flavors and can be used as a snack or meal replacement depending on the amount of calories and vitamin content of the mix you choose. Be sure to read your labels!

Sports Drinks
I do recommend these for hydration during prolonged exercise over 1 hour especially in a warm climate. Otherwise, you are unlikely to burn off the calories consumed. These drinks contain electrolytes which will encourage you to drink more, even when you are not feeling thirsty. That leads to better hydration as most of us will wait until we are dehydrating and feel thirsty to drink anything. These drinks also help to replace the sodium that is lost during prolonged exercise in hot weather. Though not a suitable drink to have with a meal due to the added sugar, I do recommend sports drinks during outdoor summer activities such as jogging, bicycling, etc.

Alcohol
Moderation is key when it comes to alcohol consumption. Remember that even though wine comes from grapes and, therefore, has some vitamin content, it still contains quite a few calories. Alcohol will break down and metabolize before the fats, proteins and carbs in your body so drinking to excess can cause the fat from everything else you ate to be stored in your body. So the same rule applies when you are planning to drink beer, mixed drinks, wine, etc. Make sure you aren't including a high fat content in your meal because most likely, the fat you eat will be stored while the calories from the alcohol are used to fuel your body.

Tea
English people are going to love this news. Studies in mice have shown that theaflavins and thearubigins found in tea help inhibit weight gain by reducing the amount of fat absorbed in the intestines and may also lower cholesterol. However, these antioxidants are neutralized if milk is added. Teas come in a very wide range of flavors and to sweeten, I recommend a no-calorie sweetener such as splenda or truvia.

Coffee
Studies have shown that coffee is loaded with antioxidants and may reduce the occurrence of Diabetes type II and Alzheimer's disease. It is very low in calories and fat free as long as cream and sugar are not added. If plain coffee isn't your thing, consider using a low-fat substitute for cream and a no-calorie sweetener in place of the sugar. Don't overdo it! The excess caffeine will increase blood pressure and can lead to a fat storing stress response.

The choice is yours! There are plenty of healthy beverages out there. Sample a variety and find what suits you best.

Recipe of the Day:

Turkey Burger and Sweet Potato Chips
Ready in 30 minutes • Makes 2 servings          

Ingredients:

• Non-stick olive oil spray
• 1 medium sweet potato, sliced thinly (1/8" thick slices)
• Sea salt, to taste (optional)
• 8 oz lean ground turkey
• ¼ cup salsa, divided
• 4 slices tomato
• 2 Romaine lettuce leaves
• 2 whole-grain, thin burger buns, toasted

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400°F. Lightly spray a baking sheet with olive oil spray. Spread sweet potato slices on baking sheet and lightly sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until cooked through, turning once halfway through.
2. Meanwhile, lightly spray a large sauté pan with olive oil spray. Mix ground turkey with 2 tablespoons of salsa, divide in half and form each half into a patty. Cook patties over medium-high heat until lightly browned on one side (approximately 4 minutes). Flip burgers over and continue cooking until done, approximately 3 more minutes.
3. On half of each bun, place a lettuce leaf and 2 tomato slices; place burgers on the opposite bun and top with remaining salsa (1 tablespoon each). Place lettuce and tomato side on top of burger and salsa and serve immediately with the sweet potato chips.

Nutrients per serving:

Calories: 353, Total Fats: 11 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Trans Fat: 0 g, Cholesterol: 0 mg, Sodium: 150 mg, Total Carbohydrates: 41 g, Dietary Fiber: 8 g, Sugars: 9 g, Protein: 27 g, Iron, 2 mg