Washington State just imposed a bottle tax as a way to gain revenue to make up for shortfalls in the budget; the soda lobbyists are angry, but I think the American people should be angry about what Americans pass off as a healthy beverage in this country. Men’s Health--who truthfully write much more than just health pertaining to men only--just ran a piece describing the Top 20 Worst Drinks in America. I didn’t include the entire list here, primarily because it is too disturbing for the average person to take. Not all the beverages are supposed to be healthy, but some of them have a much higher calorie content than you could ever imagine.
However, here are a few of the drinks masquerading as healthy:
In the “WATER” category:
Instructions: Understand that what passes for water in a gas station in the US will not pass for water anywhere else.
And the winner for the WORST WATER is: Snapple Agave Melon Antioxidant Water:
Hello? People? This so-called water has 150 calories. Not a good choice.
In the “KID’s Drink Categoy:
Imagine your child (or a child you know) running around the house for 30 minutes and accidentally breaking something as a result of one 20 oz. drink of this delightful beverage dreamed up by no less than Pepsico itself.
And the winner is: Tropicana Tropical Fruit Fury Twister
All calories, all sugar, and no juice. You might as well give your child a Pepsi instead because the impact will be the same.
In the ESPRESSO Category:
Recognize that what you are drinking goes directly to your abs, hips, butt, and thighs faster than you can do 20 push-ups and 10 lunges.
And the winner is: Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha with Whipped Cream
I’ll just say it straight: this delicious concoction has 660 calories. According to the Men’s Health researcher, this is the equivalent of more than 8 scoops of ice cream. I don’t know about you, but I’d rather have the ice cream instead.
In the DRIVE-THRU Shake Category:
Close your eyes to the reality of the calorie-count I am about to reveal to you if you are a chocolate-shake lover-- it may just mean cutting down on your favorite “treat”, but your body will thank you profusely if you do. Also, think about how amazing it is that we live in a country where a shake is considered a beverage.
And the winner is: McDonald’s Triple Thick Chocolate Shake
1,160 calories, which is about the number of calories you could eat in an entire day, and more calories than some people in poverty-stricken countries get in a week. As Men’s Health points out, you could get the same number of calories at McDonald’s by eating 13 Baked Hot Apple Pies.