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| Drinks |
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From fruit juice and
milk, to carbonated
and energy drinks, find
out what your favourite
soft drinks really contain.
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Dairy
drinks |
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milk-
flavoured drinks
and yoghurt drinks
are great sources
of calcium, needed
for strong, healthy
teeth and bones,
and to help reduce
the risk of osteoporosis.
A recent National
Diet and Nutrition
Survey revealed
that calcium intake
in teenagers and
children is
at an all-time low,
with up to 25 per
cent of teenage
girls having intakes
below recommended
levels. |
Dairy
products and milk
are great sources
of easily absorbable
calcium and should
provide about half
of our daily requirement.
The National Dairy
Council advises
that one glass of
milk at every meal
is sufficient for
most people to ensure
their calcium needs
are met. As some
dairy products contain
quite a high proportion
of fat, many people
have cut their consumption.
However, the increased
availability of
reduced-fat products
means we can enjoy
the nutritional
benefits of dairy
products without
worrying about piling
on the pounds.
Semi-skimmed and
skimmed milk are
much lower in fat
than whole milk,
yet still contain
the same amount
of calcium. These
types of milk are
advised for the
general population
over the age of
five. For children
under five, whole
milk should be encouraged,
although semi-skimmed
milk may be used
from the age of
two if the rest
of the diet supplies
adequate amounts
of energy. |
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Carbonated
soft drinks |
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More
than 5,560 million
litres of carbonated
soft drinks are
consumed every year
Such drinks are
crammed full of
sugars and acid
that attack our
teeth and may result
in dental decay.
Tooth decay happens
when teeth are attacked
by acid, and this
can happen in two
ways. Acid attacks
can happen as a
result of plaque
bacteria acting
on the sugars in
our diet,or as a
direct result of
the acids in food
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dissolving away
the enamel on the
surfaces of our
teeth. As carbonated
soft drinks tend
to contain high
amounts of both
sugars and acids,
they're the worst
possible combination
for dental health.
Not only are sugary
drinks detrimental
for oral health,
they're calorific
and provide little
in the way of nutrients.
Even drinks labelled
'sugar free,' 'reduced
sugar' or 'low sugar'
can still contain
enough sugar to
cause damage to
your teeth, and
have the same acids
as the standard
carbonated drinks.
Therefore, it's
recommended that
you replace carbonated
drinks in the diet
with other options. |
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Fruit
juices |
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Pure,
unsweetened fruit
juices are particularly
good sources of
vitamins and minerals,
and are a great
way of replenishing
lost fluids in the
body.It's recommended
that we consume
five portions of
fruit and vegetables
every day to protect
against a variety
of diseases. Pure
fruit juices contain
the same vitamins,
minerals and special
phytochemicals as
fresh fruit (although
not the fibre or
pectins) and are
included in the
'five-a-day' message.
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One
glass of pure unsweetened
fruit juice counts as
one portion. So why not
start the day right by
including a glass of pure
fruit juice with your
breakfast? Or you could
try a nutritious fruit
smoothie. They're easy
to make, full of vitamins
and, because they contain
real fruit, are filling
too - making them the
perfect breakfast drink.
Don't confuse pure fruit
juice with fruit/juice
drinks, which usually
contain between five and
25 per cent pure fruit
juice. These drinks don't
have the same health benefits
and tend to contain added
sugar. Tooth decay has
been linked to excessive
consumption of sugary
drinks; the sugar added
to such drinks is more
harmful to teeth than
the naturally occurring
sugars found in fruits
and pure fruit juice. |
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Energy
drinks |
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Energy
drinks contain complex
carbohydrates - a blend
of slow-, medium- and
fast-acting sugars - and
are able to supply energy
to the body over an extended
period of time. They may
also contain 'energy enhancing'
ingredients such as caffeine
or taurine to boost alertness. |
There
are three basic types
of energy drinks: |
| * Refreshment
energy - formulated to replenish
energy levels for someone
who's perhaps run down or
recovering from illness.
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| * Sports
drinks - formulated to rapidly
replace fluids during exercise
and maintain the body's
blood glucose levels. |
| * Functional
energy - aimed at anyone
who wants to gain a quick
burst of energy and alertness.
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| The
safety of energy drinks,
in particular their energy-enhancing
ingredients, most energy
drinks were found to contain
the same amount as a cup
of filter coffee. The committee
therefore felt there was
no concern about the contribution
of energy drinks for non-pregnant
adults. In relation to other
energy-enhancing ingredients,
such as taurine, the committee
was unable to conclude that
the level reported in energy
drinks was within any upper
safety limit. |
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