BY KRISTIN STAUB, Editor
Burgers, fries and candy bars are all infamous for their gut-wrenching calorie counts, but what about the drinks that are so carelessly slurped along with them? Liquid calories and hidden sugars may seem harmless, but may have just as much potential to pack on the pounds as a Whopper does. Obnoxiously-sized drinks and fat-filled fluids have had little acknowledgement, but they have contributed America’s rise to earning the glorious title of “country with the highest obesity rate.”
“[Drinking sugary soft drinks] raises your likelihood of developing diabetes and other health problems,” Kaneland nurse Heather Buelow said. “Most people are unaware of the calories, you’d be surprised.”
Obvious offenders of harboring unhealthy calorie counts are milkshakes and malts. It’s not surprising that these sweet treats are among the highest calorie-corroded concoctions, and are overflowing with heaps of calories, fat and sugar.
Whether it is a milkshake or malt, the calorie content will most likely range anywhere from 500 to 900 for a regular-sized drink. In extreme cases, these delicious little devils can have upwards of 1,000 calories. Cold Stone Creamery’s decadent shakes come with a heavy load and are anything but guilt-free. If there were any expectations of getting out of there with a regular shake under 1,000 calories, prepare for disappointment. No regular shake at Cold Stone, regardless of the size, has less than 1,000 calories. Cold Stone is the proud creator of the “worst” drink in America: the “Gotta Have It” sized PB&C shake. This shake has a total of 131 grams of fat, 68 grams of saturated fat, 153 grams of sugar and 2,010 calories. According to Men’s Health, this “Cold Stone catastrophe” is the same as sucking-up 68 strips of bacon through a straw.
Coffee shops like Starbucks and Caribou Coffee are certainly a hot spot for those in need of a morning caffeine fix, or anyone with a Macbook seeking free Wi-Fi. Besides that, these cafes hold a false reputation that they are “healthy.”
Ironically, espresso drinks are amidst the highest liquid calorie offenders. Many blended coffee drinks use a pre-made base or cream, dispelling any notion of it being a “low-fat latte.”
“I go to Starbucks about once a month, its my favorite,” sophomore Rachel Kowalski said. “I usually get the low-fat or skinny options, because I know the other ones are loaded with calories. Its terrible.”
Ranking in at the 11th worst drink in America is a classic winter favorite: Starbuck’s very own Peppermint White Chocolate Mocha, complete with whipped cream. As tempting as this drink may be, you’d be better off giving in to a Quarter Pounder with Cheese and saving the access 140 calories. This popular holiday treat may be delicious, but with 660 calories, 22 grams of fat and 95 grams of sugar, skipping this peppermint pleasure and opting for a healthier drink would be a much better option.
“That is so much, I can’t even fathom how they could fit all that fat into one drink,” Kowalski said. “I’m disgusted, I’m never going to drink that again.”
Don’t be fooled by the fruit. Smoothies aren’t as “sin free” as they appear to be. Smoothies, being associated with fruit, are typically assumed to be healthy and all natural. In most cases, this is not true.
Jamba Juice lives by the statement that their smoothies are make from real, whole fruit and real fruit juices. While this may be true, their smoothies are not as healthy as they appear to be. For example, a regular Strawberry Surf Rider Smoothie contains 430 calories and 103 grams of carbohydrates; 34 percent of the recommended daily intake.
“If I want a smoothie, I make it at home. I use frozen fruit, and even though it still has a lot of sugar, its natural sugar,” Buelow said.
Liquid calories aren’t always so easy to identify, and can lurk in unexpected, everyday drinks, such as tea or fruit juice. One common misconception with tea is that all teas are healthy and all natural. While it’s true that tea does have many health benefits, the artificial sweeteners and mix-ins are what deteriorate its healthy properties. SoBe green tea isn’t exactly tea at all. The two main ingredients are filtered water followed by 61 grams of sugar. SoBe is not the only company guilty of hiding sugar and calories in their tea, Arizona Iced Tea is as well. Downing a can of Arizona Southern Style Sweet Tea not only fills you with 473 calories, but 121 grams of sugar along with it.
“You should avoid any fake sugars or dyes,” Buelow said. “Drinking water is your best option, the majority of your body is water.”
