“Drinks are often perceived as an easier choice than food. If a person eats a piece of cake, they understand that it is a dessert. However, after drinking a large coffee with syrup, sweetened milk drink, whipped cream, or toppings, they often still just consider it coffee,” says Aelita Zabulionė, junior research associate at the Sensory Analysis Science Laboratory of the Food Institute at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU), according to a KTU press release.
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According to her, matcha, bubble tea, or fruit drinks are similarly perceived. Words like “coffee,” “tea,” “matcha,” “plant-based,” “fruity,” or “refreshing” can create the impression of a lighter choice. However, from a nutritional perspective, it is important to evaluate not only the name of the drink but also its entire composition – the amount of sugar and syrups, portion size, sweetened milk or plant-based bases, cream, fruit purees, juices, tapioca pearls, and other additives.
There can be as much sugar as in a dessert
According to A. Zabulionė, the amount of sugar in different drinks can vary greatly – it depends on their recipe and portion size. Plain unsweetened iced coffee or tea may contain very little or no sugar at all. However, iced coffee or cold matcha with syrup, bubble tea, lemonades, or fruit cocktails can have sugar levels comparable to desserts.
“People are often most surprised not by classic soft drinks, as we already know they are sweet, but by those we tend to consider healthier choices. For example, iced coffee or matcha with plant-based milk, fruit drinks, smoothies, or bubble tea may seem more modern, natural, or healthier. However, if syrups, sweetened milk or plant-based drinks, fruit purees, sweetened tapioca pearls, or additional toppings are added, the sugar content can be very high,” she notes.
The World Health Organization recommends limiting free sugar intake to less than 10% of total daily energy intake, and for additional health benefits – to less than 5%. If a person consumes about 2000 kcal per day, the 10% limit corresponds to about 50 g, and 5% to about 25 g of free sugars per day. One large sweet summer drink can sometimes approach or even exceed these amounts.
“Natural” does not necessarily mean healthier
The KTU scientist points out that labels creating the impression of a healthier or more natural choice do not automatically mean the drink is actually better for health. They may emphasize one specific product feature but do not reveal its full composition and nutritional value.
“For example, the label ‘lactose-free’ indicates a product characteristic related to lactose but does not mean it contains no sugar or that it is lower in calories,” says A. Zabulionė.
Plant-based drinks can also be either unsweetened or sweetened, and a drink made from matcha can be unsweetened or, with added syrups and other additives, contain a significant amount of sugar.
The word “fruity,” in turn, can mean fruit flavor, juice, puree, or aroma, but by itself does not indicate that the drink is healthier.
“Similarly, the word ‘natural’ should be evaluated. It is not in itself proof of health benefits – sugar, honey, syrups, or fruit juices can also be of natural origin but contribute to a higher amount of free sugars,” shares the KTU scientist.
The same applies to drinks with sweeteners. They can help reduce sugar and energy intake, but this does not mean such a drink automatically becomes a basis for a healthy diet. This is especially important if products sweetened with sweeteners are consumed very frequently and maintain the habit of constantly choosing very sweet flavors.
100 ml is not the whole portion
According to A. Zabulionė, when evaluating a drink, not only its composition but also the portion size is important. In different cafes, small, medium, or large portions can mean very different drink volumes, and information about portion size and energy value is not always presented equally clearly.
“It is important to understand that iced coffee in a small cup and the same drink in a large cup with extra syrup and cream are not the same. Even if the recipe is similar, as the portion size increases, the total amount of sugar and energy consumed usually increases. And if additional additives are chosen, the difference can be even greater,” she explains.
To avoid being misled when choosing a drink, the KTU scientist suggests paying attention to a few things.
“First, it is worth looking not only at the nutritional value indicated per 100 ml but also at the entire portion. The sugar content per 100 ml may seem quite small, but if the drink cup is 400 or 500 ml, the total sugar consumed with the whole portion is much higher. For example, classic cola often contains about 10 g of sugar per 100 ml, so drinking a larger portion can approach or even exceed the recommended daily free sugar intake,” she notes.
Second, it is worth paying attention to sugar sources in the composition: sugar, glucose and fructose syrup, fructose, sucrose, honey, agave or maple syrup, fruit juices and their concentrates, purees, sweetened plant-based drinks, condensed milk, caramel or chocolate sauces. Although the names of these ingredients differ, they can all contribute to the total sugar content.
“Third, it is worth asking yourself whether the drink is an everyday choice or rather a dessert. If it is sweet, large, with syrups and various additives, it should not be considered just a refreshment. It is a dessert in liquid form,” says A. Zabulionė.
From indulgence to daily habit
The KTU scientist notes that an occasionally consumed sweet drink is not a problem in itself. It is not necessary to constantly restrict your diet or count every calorie consumed – overall dietary habits are much more important. More attention should be paid when a sweet drink becomes a daily additional source of sugar and energy – not replacing dessert or a snack but supplementing the usual daily diet.
“Another problem arises when a sweet drink starts to replace a full meal. For example, in a hurry, a person may choose a large sweet coffee drink instead of breakfast, sometimes supplemented with proteins or other additives that create the impression of a healthier choice. However, such a drink does not match a full meal in nutritional value and satiety,” she says.
Regular consumption of large sweet drinks can significantly increase the total amount of sugar and energy obtained from food and drinks over time. Frequent consumption of sugar-sweetened drinks is associated with weight gain and a higher risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular diseases, and dental caries. Moreover, consuming very sweet drinks can maintain the habit of choosing very sweet flavors.
How to make your favorite drink a healthier choice?
According to A. Zabulionė, one of the simplest ways to make summer drinks healthier is to reduce their sweetness. In a cafe, you can ask for less syrup, choose one portion instead of two or three, opt for regular milk or unsweetened plant-based drink, and skip whipped cream, caramel, or chocolate topping. When ordering bubble tea, you can often choose its sweetness level – for example, 0, 25, or 50%.
“The second step is to choose a smaller portion. If you want to enjoy the flavor of the drink, often a small cup is enough. A large portion is often chosen automatically, although it does not necessarily provide more satisfaction,” she notes.
The third step is to distinguish thirst quenching from enjoying a sweet drink. Plain water or water flavored with lemon, mint, berries, or cucumber, as well as unsweetened tea, are best for quenching thirst. Sweet iced coffee or tea drinks are better considered as desserts rather than a daily way to quench thirst.
Drink ranking: what to choose daily and what occasionally?
Summarizing summer drink choices, A. Zabulionė suggests evaluating them based on how often and for what purpose they are consumed.
At the top of the list of the most favorable choices would be water. Plain or flavored with lemon, mint, cucumber, or berries – the best choice for quenching thirst. The KTU scientist would not rush to include various flavor additives or electrolyte drinks in this category. Flavor additives often contain sweeteners, and additional electrolytes are not needed by everyone or always.
“Next would be unsweetened tea, cold tea without sugar, black coffee, or coffee with a small amount of milk. However, if tea or coffee becomes one of the main sources of daily fluid intake, caffeine content should also be considered. For healthy adults, the often recommended limit is up to 400 mg of caffeine per day, but for sensitive individuals, pregnant women, adolescents, or people with certain health conditions, it may be lower,” she says.
Next in line would be drinks with a small amount of sugar or less sweet variants: less sweet coffee, matcha without additional syrups, bubble tea with less sugar and without additional sweet toppings. These can be a compromise choice.
“After them would be fruit cocktails, smoothies, juices, or drinks with fruit purees. Although they may seem healthier, they can also contain a significant amount of sugars and energy, so they should not be chosen as a substitute for water. Such drinks I would rather consider as a snack or dessert choice,” shares A. Zabulionė.
At the end of the ranking would be large dessert drinks: iced coffee with syrups, whipped cream, and toppings, very sweet bubble tea, lemonades, and other sweetened soft drinks. These are not forbidden choices, but they should be chosen occasionally rather than as a daily drink to quench thirst.
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