Helen Chickering reporting
Food isn't the only culprit in America's battle with the bulge. Nutrition experts say at least a fifth of the calories we consume come from what we drink.
Now a panel of top nutrition scientists has created a beverage guide in hopes Americans will start counting the calories in their cups!
Today, a cup of coffee isn't complete without a shot of something sweet and a creamy top..
"I get two or three refill."
Add a soft drink or a fruit juice and pretty soon you've consumed a meal's worth of calories - without even feeling full!
Barry Popkin Ph.D., Nutrition Researcher: "We're getting heavier and heavier and more and more unhealthy, we have to be concerned about these calories from beverages."
That caloric concern inspired nutrition scientist Barry Popkin to spearhead a panel that has created a beverage guide for consumers - think of it as the food pyramid for drinks.
Barry Popkin Ph.D., Nutrition Researcher: "The core beverage we need for life for health? It's water."
Along with four to six 8 ounce serving of water - the guide recommends up to 8 cups of unsweetened tea and up to four cups of coffee.
"No sugar. No milk - nothing"
Artificial sweeteners are okay. And up to four servings of diet drinks and two of skim or lowfat milk.
"I like the natural juice."
But juices are packed with sugar - only one serving is recommended. Ditto For soft drinks and other sugary beverages Popkin says are like the candy of the food chain - only worse.
Barry Popkin Ph.D., Nutrition Researcher: "If you consume this you will consume more calories."
The take home message from Popkin and the beverage panel? When it comes to a healthy lifestyle don't forget to think about what's in your drink.
Dr. Popkin notes the typical American beverage diet of sugary drinks can add five to eight hundred extra calories a day.
He says when we eat too much food - we feel full, but we don't get the same signal when we drink too many calories.
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