Everyone should consume water from foods and beverages every day.

Although there is no recommendation for how much plain water everyone should drink daily, there are recommendations for how much daily total water intake should come from a variety of beverages and foods.

Daily total water intake (fluid) is defined as the amount of water consumed from foods, plain drinking water, and other beverages. Daily water intake recommendations vary by age, sex, pregnancy status, and breastfeeding status.Most of your fluid needs are met through the water and other beverages you drink. You can get some fluids through the foods that you eat—especially foods with high water content, such as many fruits and vegetables. Drinking water is one good way of getting fluids as it has zero calories.

Tips to Drink More Water

• Carry a water bottle with you and refill it throughout the day.
• Freeze some freezer safe water bottles. Take one with you for ice-cold water all day long.
• Choose water over sugary drinks.
• Opt for water when eating out. You’ll save money and reduce calories.
• Serve water during meals.
• Add a wedge of lime or lemon to your water. This can help improve the taste.
• Make sure your kids are getting enough water too.

Healthier Drink Options

Of course, there are many other beverage options besides water, and many of these can be part of a healthy diet. 

Low- or no- calorie beverages
Plain coffee or teas, sparkling water, seltzers, and flavored waters, are low-calorie choices that can be part of a healthy diet.

Drinks with calories and important nutrients
Low-fat or fat-free milk; unsweetened, fortified milk alternatives; or 100% fruit or vegetable juice contain important nutrients such as calcium, potassium, or vitamin D. These drinks should be enjoyed within recommended calorie limits.

Other Beverages

Sugary drinks: Regular sodas, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened waters, and sweetened coffee and tea beverages, contain calories but little nutritional value. Learn how to rethink your drink.

Alcoholic drinks: If you choose to drink alcohol, do so in moderation.

Caffeinated drinks: Moderate caffeine consumption (up to 400 mg per day) can be a part of a healthy diet. That’s up to about 3 to 5 cups of plain coffee.

Drinks with sugar alternatives: Drinks that are labeled “sugar-free” or “diet” likely contain high-intensity sweeteners, such as sucralose, aspartame, or saccharine. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, “replacing added sugars with high-intensity sweeteners may reduce calorie intake in the short-term…yet questions remain about their effectiveness as a long-term weight management strategy.” Learn more about high-intensity sweeteners.

Sports drinks: These are flavored beverages that often contain carbohydrates, minerals, electrolytes, and sometimes vitamins. The average person should drink water, not sports drinks, to rehydrate.

Good nutrition is essential for keeping Americans healthy across the lifespan, but most of us do not have a healthy diet. Americans are eating and drinking too many added sugars.

What are added sugars?

Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they are processed or prepared. Naturally occurring sugars such as those in fruit or milk are not added sugars.

Added sugars have many different names. Examples of added sugars include brown sugar, cane juice, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit nectars, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar, and sucrose.

What are the health consequences of too much sugar?

Added sugars contribute calories to your diet, but no essential nutrients. Eating and drinking too many added sugars makes it difficult to achieve a healthy eating pattern without taking in too many calories.

Too much sugar in your diet can lead to health problems such as weight gain and obesity, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

How much is too much?

According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, people older than 2 years should keep sugars to less than 10% of their total daily calories. For example, if an adult consumes 2,000 calories a day, no more than 200 calories should come from added sugars. Or, if toddlers consume 1,200 calories a day, no more than 120 calories should come from added sugars.

Children under 2 years old should not eat or drink any added sugars.

Make a Change

Sugary drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the American diet.

The next time you go grocery shopping, read the nutrition labels on the items in your cart to see which ones have the most added sugars. You may be surprised to see the amount of added sugars in some drinks.

Sugary drinks are the leading source of added sugars in the American diet. These sweetened liquids include regular soda, fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, and sweetened waters. The flavored coffees we grab on the way to work and sweet drinks we order when eating out also count as sugary drinks. Adding sugar and flavored creamer to coffee and tea at home counts, too.

Amount of Sugar and Calories in Common Drinks

People who often drink sugary drinks are more likely to face health problems, such as weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, cavities, and gout, a type of arthritis.

The latest guidelines recommend that people 2 years and older keep their intake of added sugars to less than 10% of their total daily calories. For example, in a 2,000 calorie diet, no more than 200 calories should come from added sugars. Two hundred calories is about 12 teaspoons of added sugar in food and beverages combined. A 12-ounce regular soda has more than 10 teaspoons of added sugar, adding up to about total 150 calories. Cutting out 2 regular sodas per day would reduce total calories by 2,100 in a week.

• Choose water (tap or unsweetened, bottled, or sparkling) over sugary drinks.
• Need more flavor? Add berries or slices of lime, lemon, or cucumber to water.
  
• Missing fizzy drinks? Add a splash of 100% juice to plain sparkling water for a refreshing, low-calorie drink.
• Need help breaking the habit? Don’t stock up on sugary drinks. Instead, keep a jug or bottles of cold water in the fridge.
• Water just won’t do? Reach for drinks that contain important nutrients such as low fat or fat free milk; unsweetened, fortified milk alternatives; or 100% fruit or vegetable juice first. (NOTE: Before infants are 12 months old, do not give fruit or vegetable juice. Juice after 12 months old is not necessary, but 4 ounces or less a day of 100% juice can be provided.)
• At the coffee shop? Skip the flavored syrups or whipped cream. Ask for a drink with low fat or fat free milk, an unsweetened milk alternative such as soy or almond, or get back to basics with black coffee.
• At the store? Read the Nutrition Facts label to choose drinks that are low in calories, added sugars, and saturated fat.
• On the go? Carry a reusable water bottle with you and refill it throughout the day.
• Still thirsty? Learn how to drink more water.

Remember that you can be a role model for your friends and family by choosing water and other healthy, low-calorie beverages.

Energy drinks are often marketed as products that increase energy. In addition to added sugar, these products may also contain large amounts of caffeine and other legal stimulants. Concerns have been raised about the potential health risks of these products, especially for young people. If you’re looking for a quick pick-me-up, alternatives to energy drinks include:

• Plain or unsweetened flavored water. Dehydration is often a reason for low energy.
• Unsweetened tea. A number of tea flavors are available in naturally caffeinated varieties that can be enjoyed hot or cold.
• Hot or iced coffee.
• 100% fruit or vegetable juice. There are many types of juices and juice combinations. Find one that you enjoy!
• Whole fruit. Sometimes a snack can give you as much of a boost as a drink.

What Is an Energy Drink?

• A beverage that typically contains large amounts of caffeine, added sugars, other additives, and legal stimulants such as guarana, taurine, and L-carnitine. These legal stimulants can increase alertness, attention, energy, as well as increase blood pressure, heart rate, and breathing.
• These drinks are often used by students to provide an extra boost in energy. However, the stimulants in these drinks can have a harmful effect on the nervous system.

The Potential Dangers of Energy Drinks

In 2011, 1,499 adolescents aged 12 to 17 years went to the emergency room for an energy drink related emergency.

Some of the dangers of energy drinks include:

• Dehydration (not enough water in your body).
• Heart complications (such as irregular heartbeat and heart failure).
• Anxiety (feeling nervous and jittery).
• Insomnia (unable to sleep).

How Much Caffeine Is Okay?

• The American Academy of Pediatrics states that caffeine and other stimulant substances contained in energy drinks have no place in the diet of children and adolescents.

What Can You Do?

• Teachers and other school staff can educate students about the danger of consuming too much caffeine, including energy drinks.
• Coaches can educate athletes about the difference between energy drinks and sports drinks and potential dangers of consuming highly caffeinated beverages.
• School nutrition staff can provide only healthy beverages such as fat-free/low-fat milk, water, and 100% juice if extra items (i.e., a la carte items) are sold in the cafeteria.
• Parents, school staff, and community members can join the school or district wellness committee that sets the policies for health and wellness and establish or revise nutrition standards to address the sale and marketing of energy drinks in school settings.
• Everyone can model good behavior by not consuming energy drinks in front of kids.

Energy Drink Recommendations for Adolescents

• The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that adolescents do not consume energy drinks, yet between 30–50% reported consuming energy drinks.
• The National Federation of State High School Associations recommends that young athletes should not use energy drinks for hydration, and information about the potential risk should be widely distributed to young athletes.

Fast Facts: Are Your Kids Getting These Drinks at School?

• As many as 11.6% of secondary schools in some districts sell energy drinks in vending machines, school stores, and snack bars.
• Nationwide, 75% of school districts do not have a policy in place regarding these types of beverages that contain high levels of caffeine for sale in high school vending machines, schools stores, or a la carte in the cafeteria.

Energy drinks are widely promoted as products that increase energy and enhance mental alertness and physical performance. Next to multivitamins, energy drinks are the most popular dietary supplement consumed by American teens and young adults. Men between the ages of 18 and 34 years consume the most energy drinks, and almost one-third of teens between 12 and 17 years drink them regularly.

There are two kinds of energy drink products. One is sold in containers similar in size to those of ordinary soft drinks, such as a 16-oz. bottle. The other kind, called “energy shots,” is sold in small containers holding 2 to 2½ oz. of concentrated liquid. Caffeine is a major ingredient in both types of energy drink products—at levels of 70 to 240 mg in a 16-oz. drink and 113 to 200 mg in an energy shot. (For comparison, a 12-oz. can of cola contains about 35 mg of caffeine, and an 8-oz. cup of coffee contains about 100 mg.) Energy drinks also may contain other ingredients such as guarana (another source of caffeine sometimes called Brazilian cocoa), sugars, taurine, ginseng, B vitamins, glucuronolactone, yohimbe, carnitine, and bitter orange.

Consuming energy drinks raises important safety concerns.

• Between 2007 and 2011, the number of energy drink-related visits to emergency departments doubled. In 2011, 1 in 10 of these visits resulted in hospitalization.
• About 25 percent of college students consume alcohol with energy drinks, and they binge-drink significantly more often than students who don’t mix them.
• The CDC reports that drinkers aged 15 to 23 who mix alcohol with energy drinks are four times more likely to binge drink at high intensity (i.e., consume six or more drinks per binge episode) than drinkers who do not mix alcohol with energy drinks.
• Drinkers who mix alcohol with energy drinks are more likely than drinkers who do not mix alcohol with energy drinks to report unwanted or unprotected sex, driving drunk or riding with a driver who was intoxicated, or sustaining alcohol-related injuries.
• In 2011, 42 percent of all energy drink-related emergency department visits involved combining these beverages with alcohol or drugs (such as marijuana or over-the-counter or prescription medicines).

Bottom Line

• A growing body of scientific evidence shows that energy drinks can have serious health effects, particularly in children, teenagers, and young adults.
• In several studies, energy drinks have been found to improve physical endurance, but there’s less evidence of any effect on muscle strength or power. Energy drinks may enhance alertness and improve reaction time, but they may also reduce steadiness of the hands.
• The amounts of caffeine in energy drinks vary widely, and the actual caffeine content may not be identified easily. Some energy drinks are marketed as beverages and others as dietary supplements. There’s no requirement to declare the amount of caffeine on the label of either type of product.

Safety

• Large amounts of caffeine may cause serious heart and blood vessel problems such as heart rhythm disturbances and increases in heart rate and blood pressure. Caffeine also may harm children’s still-developing cardiovascular and nervous systems.
• Caffeine use may also be associated with anxiety, sleep problems, digestive problems, and dehydration.
• Guarana, commonly included in energy drinks, contains caffeine. Therefore, the addition of guarana increases the drink’s total caffeine content.
• People who combine caffeinated drinks with alcohol may not be able to tell how intoxicated they are; they may feel less intoxicated than they would if they had not consumed caffeine, but their motor coordination and reaction time may be just as impaired.
• Excessive energy drink consumption may disrupt teens’ sleep patterns and may be associated with increased risk-taking behavior.
• A single 16-oz. container of an energy drink may contain 54 to 62 grams of added sugar; this exceeds the maximum amount of added sugars recommended for an entire day.

What You Should Know about Carbonated Soft Drinks

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ensures that carbonated soft drinks are safe, sanitary, and honestly labeled. In fact, FDA has established Current Good Manufacturing Practices (CGMPs) for carbonated soft drinks, which describe the basic steps manufacturers and distributors must follow to make sure carbonated soft drinks are safe.

Additives and Contact Substances

Only food and color additives that are determined to be safe, based on scientific information available to FDA, may be used in carbonated soft drinks. For example, this might include additives such as citric acid as a flavoring or a preservative, or caramel coloring. Food contact substances — the materials the carbonated soft drink “comes in contact with,” such as the bottles and cans in which it is sold; also are strictly regulated for safety.

Nutrition Labeling

The Nutrition Facts Panel on carbonated soft drinks typically includes the serving size and the nutrients provided in a serving: calories, total fat, sodium, total carbohydrate, sugars (if present), and protein. If a nutrient content claim, such as “Very Low Sodium,” appears on the label, the manufacturer must also add the statement “Not a significant source of ________,” with the blank filled in by the names of nutrients that are present only at insignificant levels.

According to the American Beverage Association American consumers on average drank just over 54 gallons of carbonated soft drinks each in 2005. That made carbonated soft drinks the most popular beverage in the U.S., almost three times more popular than bottled water, milk or coffee.

Additional Label Information

Additional information on carbonated soft drinks containers includes:

• Name and address of the manufacturer, packer or distributor.
• The “net quantity,” or the amount of carbonated soft drink in the container.
• All the ingredients, listed in order of predominance by weight. In other words, the ingredient that weighs the most is listed first, and the ingredient that weighs the least is last. For carbonated soft drinks, the first ingredient usually will be carbonated water.
• Chemical preservatives with an explanation of their function, such as: “preservative,” “to retard spoilage,” “a mold inhibitor,” “to help protect flavor,” “to preserve freshness,” or “to promote color retention.”

Diet carbonated soft drinks containing phenylalanine must also include the statement, “PHENYLKETONURICS: CONTAINS PHENYLALANINE,” for individuals who suffer from phenylketonuria, a genetic disorder in which the body can’t process that amino acid. If the phenylalanine level gets too high in these individuals, it can damage the brain.

A Note About Benzene

Benzene, a carcinogen, may form at very small levels in some carbonated soft drinks that contain both benzoate salts (added to inhibit growth of bacteria, yeasts, and molds) and ascorbic acid (vitamin C). FDA has no standard for benzene in beverages other than bottled water. For bottled water, FDA has adopted the US Environmental Protection Agency maximum contaminant level of 5 parts per billion (ppb) for drinking water, as a quality standard.

Between November 2005 and May 2007, FDA analyzed almost 200 soft drink and other beverage samples and found that 10 samples contained benzene levels over 5 ppb. All 10 products have either been reformulated or discontinued by their manufacturers. Benzene levels in the reformulated products, if detected at all, were less than 1.5 ppb.

FDA has determined that that the levels of benzene found in beverages to date do not pose a safety concern for consumers. FDA continues to test beverage samples for the presence of benzene.

Most people assume that since sports drinks include the word “sport” in them, then it must be necessary to drink them when participating in any kind of workout or athletic activity. They must contain some special ingredients that increase an athlete’s performance, right? The truth is, they do contain electrolytes, which are the substances that control osmosis in the body and help maintain the acid-base balance required for normal cellular activities.

There are three popular types of sports drinks:

• Isotonic - quickly replaces fluids lost by sweating and supplies a boost of carbohydrates; made for the average athlete.
• Hypotonic - quickly replaces fluid lost, and is best for low-perspiration athletes such as jockeys and gymnasts.
• Hypertonic – supplements daily carbohydrate intake after exercise to top current glycogen stores. This drink is used primarily for athletes such as long distance runners who need the extra carbohydrates and electrolytes.

The body sweats in order to maintain proper body heat, and in the process, electrolytes are lost. Many people do not know that the body’s production of sweat is controlled to ensure that only small amounts of electrolytes are lost in perspiration. The kidneys also conserve fluid and electrolytes by cutting back on urine production during dehydration. Experts say it is only after one hour of strenuous exercise such as running that electrolytes need to be replenished.

The key to good hydration is drinking a lot of water before, during and after any workout or activity. Water is essential for proper bodily function. According to a recent study, after 2% of a person’s body weight is lost through perspiration, the person experiences impaired performance. After 4%, the capacity for muscular work declines, after 5% heat exhaustion, 7% hallucination, and after 10% you experience circulatory collapse and heat stroke. Sports drinks aren’t the only way to consume electrolytes. Eating a normal diet will provide the body with more than enough electrolytes needed for exercising and physical activity.

One of the reasons that sports drinks are so popular is the fact that they taste good. Many manufacturers only add sugar, flavor and color to attract the consumer, even though the drink contains no electrolytes and is simply flavored water. The sugar and flavoring added to the water makes people want to drink more. This is good for your body, but is not so nice for your wallet.

If you enjoy drinking sports drinks you may want to know that you can easily make them at a fraction of the cost. For a hypotonic drink, you can mix 100 ml of frozen orange juice concentrate, 1 liter of water and a pinch of salt. An isotonic drink is made of the same ingredients but you would use 200 ml of the frozen orange juice concentrate. For a hypertonic drink, you would need to increase the amount of concentrate to 400 ml. You can experiment with different juices and vary the amount of juice used and your new mix will have all the benefits of a sports drink without the high cost.

According to the Food and Drug Administration, added sugars include sugars that are added during the processing of foods (such as sucrose or dextrose), foods packaged as sweeteners (such as table sugar), sugars from syrups and honey, and sugars from concentrated fruit or vegetable juices. Added sugars do not include naturally occurring sugars that are found in milk, fruits, and vegetables.

If these appear in the ingredients list of your favorite beverage, you are drinking a sugar-sweetened beverage.

• Cane juice
• Corn syrup
• Dextrose
• Fructose
• Fruit juice concentrates
• Fruit nectars (such as agave nectar)
• Glucose
• High fructose corn syrup
• Honey
• Malt syrup
• Maple syrup and syrup
• Molasses
• Raw sugar
• Sugar
• Sucrose
• Sugar cane

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) or sugary drinks are leading sources of added sugars in the American diet. Frequently drinking sugar-sweetened beverages is associated with weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, kidney diseases, non-alcoholic liver disease, tooth decay and cavities, and gout, a type of arthritis. Limiting sugary drink intake can help individuals maintain a healthy weight and have healthy dietary patterns.

What are sugar-sweetened beverages?

• Sugar-sweetened beverages are any liquids that are sweetened with various forms of added sugars like brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, and sucrose.
• Examples of SSBs include, but are not limited to, regular soda (not sugar-free), fruit drinks, sports drinks, energy drinks, sweetened waters, and coffee and tea beverages with added sugars.

SSB consumption varies by age, sex, race/ethnicity, geography and socioeconomic status.

• In 2011-2014, 6 in 10 youth (63%) and 5 in 10 adults (49%) drank a sugar-sweetened beverage on a given day. On average, US youth consumed 143 calories from SSBs and US adults consumed 145 calories from SSBs on a given day.
• Among youth, SSB intake is higher among boys, adolescents, non-Hispanic Black youth, or youth in families with low incomes.
• Among adults, SSB intake is higher among males, young adults, non-Hispanic Black or Mexican American adults, or adults with low incomes.
• The prevalence of Americans who drink sugary drinks at least once per day differs geographically.
  • For example, 68% of adults living in the Northeast, 67% of adults living in the South, 61% of adults living in the West, and 59% of adults living in the Midwest reported drinking SSBs one or more times per day.
  • About 31% of adults in nonmetropolitan counties and 25% of adults in metropolitan counties reported drinking SSBs one or more times per day.
• Americans drink 52% of SSB calories at home and 48% of SSB calories away from home.

SSB consumption is associated with less healthy behaviors.

Adults and adolescents who smoke, don’t get enough sleep, don’t exercise much, eat fast food often, and who do not eat fruit regularly are more likely to be frequent consumers of SSBs. Additionally, adolescents who frequently drink SSBs also have more screen time, including more time with televisions, cell phones, computers, and video games.

Prevalence of self-reported intake of SSBs at least once daily among US adults, 2010 and 2015

Nationally, 63% of adults aged 18 or older reported drinking sugar-sweetened beverages once daily or more. Sugary drinks include regular soda, sweetened fruit drinks, sports/energy drinks, and sweetened coffee/tea drinks. Data are from the National Health Interview Survey Cancer Control Supplement (NHIS CCS), 2010 and 2015. The map below shows combined 2010 and 2015 data.