Throughout the day, beverages can add a substantial chunk of calories to the American diet.
Drinks high in calories, fat or sugar can contribute to obesity, tooth decay and a variety of other health problems.
The USDA’s dietary guidelines encourage consumers to choose beverages and foods to moderate their intake of sugar.
Although 100-percent fruit juices are a more healthful choice than sodas, they also can tally up calories quickly. For instance, one cup of cranberry juice cocktail with sugar contains 147 calories, although lighter juice versions with artificial sweeteners are available.
In search of a zero-calorie refresher, many Americans have learned to guzzle unsweetened iced tea on a regular basis. In fact, 40 billion of the 50 billion cups of tea consumed each year in this country are served over ice, according to the Tea Council.
If you’re looking for zero calories and possible health benefits, green tea trumps iced tea. Not only is it rarely served with milk or sugar, it contains powerful antioxidants known as polyphenols, which may help prevent some types of cancer.
The idea is that these polyphenols scavenge for free radicals before they have time to cause injury to the cells. Green tea has roughly 30 percent to 40 percent polyphenols, while black tea contains just 3 percent to 10 percent polyphenols. The average cup of green tea contains 50 to 150 milligrams of polyphenols, according to the University of Maryland Medical Center.
According to the American Institute for Cancer Research, which focuses on the link between diet and health, studies on lab animals have found these polyphenols can reduce the number and size of tumors. However, human studies have yet to reproduce the same results, leading the FDA to refuse health claims for green tea.
So should Americans try to adopt the green tea habit?
“Drinking massive amounts of green tea will never be able to save us from the ill effects of overeating a poorly balanced diet and living a sedentary lifestyle. … However, for those of us who would like to do a little more to reduce the risk of cancer, replacing three or four cups of coffee or soda per day with green tea is a reasonable step that may bring health benefits,” writes Karen Collins, a nutrition expert writing a column appearing on the AICR’s Web site, aicr.org.
A centuries-old folk remedy, green tea is traditionally served hot in Asia. But Americans have developed a taste for iced teas, so the accompanying recipes put a modern twist on this ancient beverage.
Lime and white grape iced green tea
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
– “This refreshing drink is based on the icy, pucker-up limeades I loved when I was a child,” writes Mary Lou Heiss in “Green Tea: 50 Hot Drinks, Cool Quenchers and Sweet and Savory Treats” (Harvard Common Press, $12.95) “This iced tea is, of course, less sugary, and the flavor has a grown-up, polished style.” To fancy-it-up, rub a wedge of lime around the rim and dip the rim in sugar.
2 cups each, chilled: green tea, white grape juice
Juice of 3 medium limes
Sugar to taste, optional
Ice cubes
Small lime wedges or lime slices and white grapes, optional
Pour the green tea, grape juice and lime juice into a pitcher; stir well. Stir in sugar, if desired. Pour the tea mixture into glasses filled with ice. Float lime wedges in each glass or add a skewer threaded with white grapes, or both.
Nutrition information per serving:
81 calories, 2% of calories from fat, 0.1 g fat, 0.1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 20 g carbohydrates, 1 g protein, 8 mg sodium, 0.2 g fiber
Raspberry green tea cooler
Preparation time: 5 minutes
Standing time: 3 minutes
Yield: 4 servings
– This cooler is a tasty blend that combines the tart taste of cranberries with cool green tea for a low-calorie, antioxidant-packed summer cooler. On top of that, it uses cranberry juice, which has been shown to protect against urinary tract infections.
2 cups water
2 raspberry green tea bags
1 cup light cranberry juice cocktail
2 cups zero-calorie raspberry sparkling water
Fresh raspberries, slice of lime, optional
Heat 1 cup of the water to a boil; pour into a large cup or mug. Add tea bags; let steep 3 to 5 minutes. Pour into a pitcher; add remaining cup of water. Stir in cranberry juice and sparkling water. Serve with ice; float a few fresh raspberries in each glass if using. Serve with a slice of lime, if using.
Nutrition information per serving:
7 calories, 0% of calories from fat, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 2 g carbohydrates, 0 g protein, 7 mg sodium, 0 g fiber
