Mind over matter: Quench summer thirst, but measure beverage calories
July 9, 2012
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - People need to stay hydrated as summer
temperatures soar, but consumers should be aware that calories can
quickly add up when you drink to cool down, says a Purdue University
nutrition science expert.
"Beverages can be an important source
of energy, and those calories can add up quickly when the warm weather
prompts people to drink more often," says Richard D. Mattes,
distinguished professor of nutrition science. "It is critical that
people are properly hydrated during hot weather. Fortunately, there are
many affordable and palatable no-calorie and low-calorie beverage
options to meet the need. When drinking a beverage with energy, measured
by calories, consumers need to consciously monitor the calories and
adjust their diet or physical activity levels. Otherwise, those calories
will add to each day's total and can lead to a gain of body weight."
Most
experts agree that beverage consumption influences body weight, but
there are still questions about how these liquid calories make a
difference.
"Are all calories treated equally by the body? The
emerging clear answer is, no. Energy from beverages does not produce as
strong a satiety response - feeling full - as solid foods. Consequently,
people may consume a large amount of energy before realizing they have
done so," says Mattes, who also is director of the Ingestive Behavior
Research Center at Purdue. "Over time, human drinking has transformed
from a behavior that just meets hydration needs to one that also
contributes substantively to energy needs and probably surpluses. About
20 percent of our daily energy intake is from beverages, and, from an
evolutionary perspective, that is a radical change in our dietary
behavior. For example, wild primates obtain about 80 percent of their
daily water needs from food by eating succulent plants. Humans now
consume about 80 percent of their daily water from beverages."
Another dramatic change with today's eating habits is a greater eating frequency, often referred to as snacking, Mattes says.
"The
more often you eat, the more likely you are to have higher energy
intake and gain weight," he says. "Today, 40 percent to 50 percent of
snacking involves beverages. Because this source of energy has weak
effects of appetite and is often consumed at non-meal times, beverages
propose a unique challenge to weight management."
Writer: Amy Patterson Neubert, 765-494-9723, apatterson@purdue.edu
Source: Richard D. Mattes, 765-494-0662, mattes@purdue.edu