Water Concerns
University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa Food Science and Human Nutrition Program and Human Nutrition Program
At this point you have learned how critical is to support human life, how it is distributed and moved in the body, how fluid balance and composition is maintained, and the recommended amount of fluids a person should consume daily. In America you have a choice of thousands of different beverages. Which should you choose to receive the most health benefit and achieve your recommended fluid intake?
Reading the Label
Most beverages marketed in the United States have a panel and ingredients list, but some, such as coffee (for home consumption), beer, and wine, do not. As with foods, beverages that are nutrient-dense are the better choices, with the exception of plain water, which contains few to no other nutrients. Beverages do not make you full; they satiate your thirst. Therefore, the fewer calories in a beverage the better it is for avoiding weight gain. For an estimate of kilocalories in various beverages see Table 3.9 “Calories in Various Beverages”.
Table 3.9 Calories in Various Beverages
| Beverage | Serving Size (oz) | Kilocalories |
| Soda | 12.0 | 124–189 |
| Bottled sweet tea | 12.0 | 129–143 |
| Orange juice | 12.0 | 157–168 |
| Tomato/vegetable juice | 12.0 | 80 |
| Whole milk | 12.0 | 220 |
| Nonfat milk | 12.0 | 125 |
| Soy milk | 12.0 | 147–191 |
| Coffee, black | 12.0 | 0–4 |
| Coffee, with cream | 12.0 | 39–43 |
| Caffe latte, whole milk | 12.0 | 200 |
| Sports drink | 12.0 | 94 |
| Beer | 12.0 | 153 |
| White wine | 5.0 | 122 |
Beverage Consumption in the United States
According to the Beverage Marketing Corporation, in the United States in 2010 Americans consumed 29,325 millions of gallons of refreshment beverages including soft drinks, coffee, tea, sports drinks, energy drinks, fruit drinks, and bottled water.[1]
As in the past, carbonated soft drinks remained the largest category of consumed beverages. In recent decades total caloric consumption has increased in the United States and is largely attributed to increased consumption of snacks and caloric beverages. People between the ages of nineteen and thirty-nine obtain 10 percent of their total energy intake from soft drinks.[2]
In all age groups the consumption of total beverages provides, on average, 21 percent of daily caloric intake. This is 7 percent higher than the IOM acceptable caloric intake from beverages. Moreover, the high intakes of soft drinks and sugary beverages displace the intake of more nutrient-dense beverages, such as low-fat milk.
Scientific studies have demonstrated that while all beverages are capable of satisfying thirst they do not make you feel full, or satiated. This means that drinking a calorie-containing beverage with a meal only provides more calories, as it won’t be offset by eating less food. The Beverage Panel of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill has taken on the challenge of scientifically evaluating the health benefi