How Much Sugar Are You Drinking?

For lots of people (kids and adults alike), choosing a sweet beverage is something they do without a second thought. Whether it’s ordering a soda with a meal or grabbing a juice blend at the gas station, there’s something about it being a drink that makes people forget about what’s actually inside that bottle or can. The result? In the short term: extra calories, a crash in your energy levels, and possibly disrupted sleep. Over time: increased risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cancer, fatty liver, kidney disease, depression, and gout, not to mention a negative impact on your dental health, cognitive functioning, cellular aging, and the appearance of your skin.

“How bad could my drinks really be?” you may be thinking, After all, maybe you don’t consume anything that looks like the slushy sugar-bombs pictured above. Still, you probably haven’t thought about just how much sugar can be found in your favorite beverages!

A Spoonful of Sugar

As we explore the sugar content of various popular beverages, let’s use a teaspoon of sugar as a point of reference. One teaspoon of sugar is equivalent to about four grams, and is 16 calories. Most of us, at some point, have sprinkled about this much sugar (or a little more) over a bowl of cereal or stirred it into a cup of coffee.

With that in mind, try to rank the following items from most sugar content to least sugar content:

You may be surprised to learn that the full-size Hershey chocolate bar actually contains the least amount of sugar: 3.4 teaspoons. In contrast, the 16 oz. bottle of Nesquik lowfat chocolate milk contains 9 teaspoons. The 20 oz. bottle of Minute Maid fruit punch contains a whopping 17 teaspoons!

Here’s another shock: a 12 oz. glass of grape juice (which is considerably smaller than the 16 oz. bottles sold in convenience stores) has twice the sugar of a two-ounce bag of Haribo gummi bears - 13 teaspoons compared to 6.5 teaspoons. A 20 oz. bottle of Vitamin Water has significantly more sugar (6.5 teaspoons) than a scoop and a half of Breyer’s Natural Vanilla ice cream (4.5 teaspoons).

So, What’s In Your Drink?

Here’s the number of teaspoons of sugar contained in some popular drinks you may have found yourself reaching for from time to time:

Sunkist Orange Soda (20 oz. bottle): 17.5 teaspoons

Grape Crush Soda (20 oz. bottle): 17 teaspoons

Coca Cola Classic (20 oz. bottle): 15.5 teaspoons

Sprite (20 oz. bottle): 15 teaspoons

Snapple Lemonade (16 oz. bottle): 11 teaspoons

Apple juice (12 oz. glass): 10 teaspoons

Pure Leaf Sweet Tea (18.5 oz. bottle): 9.5 teaspoons

Gatorade/Powerade (20 oz. bottle): 8 teaspoons

When you combine the sugar content in these kinds of beverages with the added sugars found in most of the foods you consume, it’s easy to find yourself in sugar overload - something that’s not healthy for anyone. Maybe the next time thirst hits, reach for water instead (throwing in some fresh sliced fruit is a great way to add a burst of flavor, if you want it!). Your body will thank you!