Make no mistake, sugary drinks and candy are both bad for you. Both have “empty calories,” which means plenty of calories and sugar without nutrition.
But if you ARE going to have one, is there a lesser of two evils?
Nutrition Facts: 20 oz Original Coca Cola Classic
Calories: 240
Carbs: 65g
Sugars: 65g
Nutrition Facts: King Size Snickers Bar
Calories: 220
Carbs: 28g
Sugars: 23g
Even though the calories are comparable, Coke is the king when it comes to sugar. One teaspoon of sugar is about 4g. This means one 20-oz can of Coke has 16 teaspoons of sugar while the Snickers bar has just under 6 teaspoons of sugar. The other difference is the type of sugar. Coke contains high fructose corn syrup, while the Snickers bar contains regular sugar.
There are many key differences in the way our bodies process fructose (fruit sugar) and standard sugar (glucose). One of the key differences is that the processing of fructose stimulates weight GAIN. Animals that hibernate for the winter will chow down as many fruits as possible right before they go into hibernation to store up fat for the winter. I guess bears have the right idea, except for Coke’s polar bear mascot who probably gets compensated with unlimited fountain Coke.
Research suggests that our bodies are less aware of excessive intake when the calories are liquid. This means you can drink way more calories (and sugar) than you can eat. Can you imagine sitting down and eating 16 teaspoons of sugar? One medium banana has 14g of sugar, so you would need to eat four bananas just to approach the amount of sugar in a 20 oz Coke. This would still be better for you because bananas are natural foods that have fiber and other nutrients.
Aside - I am reminded of a great joke by the late comedian Mitch Hedberg. Someone asked me if I wanted a frozen banana. I said, “No” but I want a regular banana later so “Yes.”
Why do Coke and other sugary drinks have so much sugar? We are born with taste receptors built-in for sweetness. Children, in particular, tend to like sweeter foods. When I was a kid, I was able to eat a giant bowl of Lucky Charms no problem, and all I wanted was more marshmallows. The last time I had a bowl of Lucky Charms as an adult, I was shocked by how sweet it tasted. The food industry uses scientific studies to determine our taste preferences sweet spot. The technical term is bliss point--the precise amount of sweetness, no more and no less, that makes food and drinks more enjoyable. Coke has the exact amount of sugar scientifically determined to be the ideal amount that makes it taste the best and keeps us wanting more.
By the way, a 12-oz Coke has 140 calories and 39g of sugar. Even the “mini” 7.5 oz Coke has 25g of sugar beating out the King Size Snickers!
I picked on Coke because that was my go-to drink back in the day. If I get the craving nowadays, I make it a Coke Zero. Artificial sweeteners have their own issues, but diet soda is the lesser evil between the two.
Bottom line: Sugary drinks are one of the worst evils. It’s not even close.