Think Your Drink
When it comes to nutrition, not all drinks are created equal.
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Beverage Battles
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Today's kids are more often reaching for carbonated beverages and juice drinks instead of milk. Read on to find out how this trade-off is taking a toll on our children's health and nutrition.
Over the last 30 years, consumption of carbonated beverages has tripled while the consumption of milk has declined by 40 percent. Girls and boys today generally drink twice as much soda as milk.
Along with the skyrocketing intake of what some experts call "liquid candy" comes concerns about weaker bones, cavities and obesity.
At the same time, some schools have signed exclusive contracts with soda manufacturers in exchange for funding certain programs.
Recent research using USDA data show that milk consumption begins to decline in the elementary school years when children start displacing milk with soda. By the time a child is a teen, he or she may drink more than two 12-ounce cans of soda daily and less than 1 cup of milk. That's a far cry from the recommended four glasses of milk a day.
Consequently, heavy soda drinkers have lower intakes of essential nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, riboflavin and vitamin A.
An inadequate calcium intake is of particular concern because it can set the stage for osteoporosis and bone fractures later in life. Because adolescents gain 15 percent of their adult height and 45 percent of their skeletal mass during teen years, calcium intake is absolutely critical.
On the other hand, soft drinks offer no nutritional value. In fact, not only do they fill children's stomachs with empty calories, studies show some properties of soda may have even more negative effects.
For instance, the sugar and acid in soft drinks promote tooth erosion and cavities. Even the serious epidemic of childhood obesity has been linked to increased soda consumption.
Milk seems to be the easy victor in this battle. It packs essential nutrients including calcium, vitamins A, B12 and D, potassium, protein, riboflavin and niacin.
The combination of these nutrients has been linked to the prevention of chronic diseases including high blood pressure, kidney stones and some forms of cancer.
Milk, cheese and yogurt also have been proven to strengthen teeth and prevent cavities. And recent research suggests a calcium-rich and low-fat dairy diet may actually lower the risk of obesity. The winner of the beverage battle is clear. Milk packs the best punch!