Smoothie equation

Smoothies, fitness waters, herb-infused juices, coffee combos, energy drinks--the thirst for new specialty drinks seems almost unquenchable. But waistlines in the U.S. are expanding along with exotic drink choices. Calorie intake is up as much as 15 percent in the last 20 years, and about half of the extra calories comes from sweetened drinks. No wonder: A 24-ounce Starbucks Vanilla Bean Frappuccino (without whipped cream) or a 20-ounce Smoothie King Pina Colada Island contains about as many calories as a McDonald’s Big Mac.

Energy drinks, fortified juices, exotic teas, and waters often contain other “extras” you don’t need: high levels of stimulants, vitamins, and minerals, as well as questionable herbal ingredients. For example, a 16-ounce can of Burn2 energy drink contains almost as much caffeine as two cups of coffee, plus herbal stimulants. Syzmo energy drink packs 600 percent of the recommended daily value of vitamin B6 and 1,000 percent of B12--far more than most people require.

Here’s how to avoid the pitfalls and choose drinks that won’t pile on the pounds.


Liquid calories go down easy

Drinks don’t fill you up the way solid food does. Suppose you have a small café mocha with breakfast (240 calories), a medium soft drink with lunch (210 calories), an 8-ounce energy drink midafternoon (115 calories), and a beer after work (150 calories). Those add about 700 extra calories to your day, and, by the end of the week, an extra pound of weight.

The main culprit, sugar, lurks in places that might surprise you, such as flavored waters and ready-to-drink teas. Juice drinks and smoothies are among the worst offenders. A 24-ounce Jamba Juice Banana Berry smoothie, for example, has as much sugar as four-and-a-half chocolate bars.

You should also check the fat content of lattes, frappés, chai teas, smoothies, and other creamy drinks. A 32-ounce Dunkin’ Donuts Vanilla Bean Coolatta packs more than an entire day’s ration of saturated fat. You can slash the fat and calories in creamy drinks by skipping the whipped cream and substituting nonfat or soy milk for whole milk.

Alcohol is double trouble for the calorie conscious, since it can boost your appetite. If you imbibe, opt for wine or light beer over mixed drinks, and limit your intake.

Finally, be aware of portion sizes. Restaurants often use huge cups or glasses. And check the number of servings in bottles and cans. Arizona’s Asia Plum green tea initially seems like a reasonable choice, with 70 calories per serving. But if you drink the whole bottle, you’ll actually consume two-and-a-half servings--and 175 calories.


Energy drinks can be risky

Products such as Amp, Monster Energy, Red Bull, Rockstar, and Sobe Adrenaline Rush contain mostly sugar and caffeine. Other ingredients have little or no benefit or are untested. Here are some common additives:

• Amino acids. Drinks can contain up to 10 times the usual dietary intake of taurine, an amino acid vital to the brain, heart, and muscles. But taurine is so plentiful in dietary protein that you typically maintain a large surplus. Drink makers bill it as a detoxifier, but human studies haven’t supported that claim. We could find no evidence that the small amounts of other added amino acids, such as arginine, glutamine, and leucine, speed recovery from exercise as claimed.
  
  
• Herbals. Bee pollen, ginkgo biloba, milk thistle, and other herbals are added for reasons ranging from improving memory to boosting immunity. Often there’s little or no evidence to back up the claims or support the safety of these ingredients. And the amount in a single energy drink is probably too small in most cases to have any effect, good or bad, although allergic reactions are still possible.
  
  
• Stimulants. Ounce for ounce, most energy drinks have about as much caffeine as coffee. Some also contain ginseng, which can intensify caffeine’s effects. Caffeine has the same kick whether it’s refined or extracted from herbal sources. Over time, too much caffeine can speed bone loss and possibly raise blood pressure. And consuming large amounts of caffeine may increase the risk of heart disease and premature death. Moreover, energy drinks can be a dangerous mix with alcohol, because the stimulants create a false sense of sobriety and coordination. The drinks are also a poor choice before exercising, since the caffeine can speed up the heart and reduce its blood supply, while the sugar slows fluid absorption.
  
  
• Sugar. Fructose, galactose, glucose, glucuronolactone, and sucrose are all just sugars, which may produce a short-lived buzz.
  
  
• Vitamins. You need B vitamins to help extract energy from food, but most people get plenty from their diet; the high levels in energy drinks won’t do the job any better. You don’t need the extra vitamin C in many drinks. And fortification can be harmful if the total amount from supplements and fortified foods exceeds safe limits.
  
  

There are many ways to boost the flavor and nutrition of what you drink while avoiding excess sugar, fat, and calories:

• Retrain your palate. Reduce or eliminate sugar in drinks, and in a few weeks you’ll lose your taste for ultra-sweet beverages.
  
  
• Brew tea. You’ll find lots of exotic flavors.
  
  
• Flavor water. Add a few ounces of juice or strongly brewed, flavored tea. Squeeze in half a lemon or lime. Or drop in frozen fruit or ice cubes made from fruit and juice.
  
  
• Blend a smoothie. Combine frozen or fresh fruit, nonfat yogurt, and ice for a quick treat. If you need more liquid, add fruit-flavored tea, water or ice. If you like, add calorie-free flavoring extracts. Blend ingredients until smooth.
  
  
• Make coffee drinks. Blend strong coffee, ice, and nonfat or soy milk for a low-calorie frappé. Add flavoring extracts.