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By Heide Kennedy, Arizona Farm Bureau Communications Intern

Many of us pay close attention to the ingredient labels on the foods that we eat. We know that it isn’t good to eat a lot of foods that are high in fats, sugars, and empty carbohydrates. But foods aren’t the only culprit when it comes to being full of unhealthy ingredients; beverages can be just as unhealthy.

Some of the beverages that we consume that dieticians say can be full of unhealthy ingredients include:

Energy drinks – These contain lots of artificial sugars, regular sugars, excess caffeine, and other chemicals that aren’t always the best for our health.

Teas – Unless it’s plain tea, sweetened teas contain a lot of sugar, some having as much as sodas.

Fruit juices – While they may seem healthy, fruit juices are basically all of the sugar pulled out of the fruit with none of the fiber and other nutrients that fruit has to offer.

Coffees – Unless it’s black, coffee can be made incredibly unhealthy when lots of creamers and syrups are added.

Sodas – Sodas are an obvious one, as they are loaded with sugar and high fructose corn syrup and have absolutely no other nutritional value.

Excess sugars, caffeine, fats, and carbohydrates can lead to a variety of different health issues including type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome, gut microbiome disruption, brain health disruption, and more. Try opting for healthier drinks such as sparkling water, plain teas, plain coffees, or matcha!

For more health-related articles, check out the Fill Your Plate blog!