August 15, 2008
A refreshing summer beverage…
You're out shopping in the lovely summer sun and pass a cafe and, oh, that iced coffee-ish treat looks fantastic! Or, perhaps you've stopped by the local smoothie shop to pick up a nice, 'healthy' juice?
WAIT!
You may be getting more than what you pay for, calorically speaking! Some of the iced coffee drinks you'll run into will cost you upwards of 600 or 700 calories, lots of sugar and possibly a nice topping of saturated fat to book. In fact, you may as well refer to them as a milkshake; at least then you'll associate it with what it should be: an occasional treat. A great alternative would be an iced Americano or perhaps a chilled sun tea.
As far as the smoothies are concerned, hold out until you can get home and make your own, unless you can get ahold of the nutritional info. Again, nothing wrong with a splurge once in a while, but if you find you're making a daily stop at the juice bar, you'll want to get a sense of just how many calories and how much sugar you're getting in that whipped, frothy treat. Another great option is green vegetable juice. True, they're not going to provide that sugary rush of a pineapple/peach/mango/ice cream delight, but nutritionally speaking, they're a great way to get vitamins and minerals from raw veg if you're not getting enough in your diet. (Do keep in mind, however, that if you juice, you're not getting the fibre so do keep it balanced!).
Of course, there's always the tried and true beverage- good old water! Have it flat, sparkling, iced, room-temp, infused with lemon or lime…
Bottoms up!
