5 Ideas to Avoid Sweetened Sugar Drinks for Avoiding High Blood Pressure

There's no doubt that consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages has skyrocketed in recent decades, particularly in the United States. What was once an occasional treat has become a normal part of the diet for many in the U.S., with some estimates as high as 8% of daily calories coming from soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages.

There is increasing evidence overconsumption of these drinks is associated with weight gain, insulin resistance, and diabetes. Many studies have shown that drinking sugary drinks doesn't depress the appetite as much as food containing the same number of calories.

Sugar-sweetened soda, fruit drinks, sweetened iced teas, and other beverages with added sugar usually contain about 6 or 7 teaspoons of sugar in each cup of drink. A 12 oz. can of regular (not diet) soda has about 10 teaspoons of sugar in it. This is about the same as the total added sugars the USDA recommends that the average person consume in a whole day. People with diabetes and related disorders should almost certainly consume much less.

There are a lot of ingredients which mean "sugar" - everything from high fructose corn syrup to "evaporated cane juice". Most of them are about half fructose and half glucose. Fructose in an of itself may be related to such problems as weight gain, high blood triglycerides, and diabetes. Added sugars are in most processed foods, from obviously sweet foods (cookies, candies, etc.) to ketchup to crackers. However, it's hard to think of any other food that will deliver as much sugar to our bodies as quickly as sugary drinks.

Downing just one sugar-laden drink a day may result in high blood pressure.
Harvard researchers found that women who drank one or more sugar-sweetened soft drinks per day were 83% more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than women who drank less than one a month.

A new study by UK and US researchers found that blood pressure is pushed up by every extra sugar-sweetened drink we down a day. The Harvard School of Public Health offers these ideas for low an no-sugar drinks:

1. Infused water

You can easily buy flavored water, but it's just as simple to make your own by adding citrus fruits, ginger or fresh mint to a jug of water

2. Tea

Black or green, hot or cold, tea is an excellent sugar-free beverage. Try fruit-flavoured herbal, teas, or teas with cinnamon, vanilla or other sweet spices

3. Sparkling juice

Make your own with 350ml of sparkling water and 40ml of juice. For a flavour boost, add sliced citrus or fresh herbs.

4. Fresh fruit coolers

Smoothies are marketed as "health" foods, but they're loaded with sugar. Instead, make a refreshing fresh fruit cooler; blend ice, sparkling water and melon or berries until slushy. Garnish with mint or citrus slices.

5. Low sodium broth

There's no rule that says we must satisfy our thirst with something sweet. A low-sodium variety of miso soup can be a satisfying way to give your body the fluid it needs.