News Item
"Rhea Herald News" featured founding director of the nutrition and dietetics program Christen Cupples Cooper in "They may taste great, but sugary drinks can pack a major punch to your gut and your health"
Whether you’re out with family eating dinner, celebrating a promotion with co-workers after hours, or just looking for a quick-fix of caffeine or an energy boost in the morning, sugary drinks are just about everywhere — and they often can be hard to avoid.
When you’re in the mood for a little something extra, you may order a fresh raspberry iced tea, a cinnamon-infused Coke or a citrusy margarita to quench your thirst. But there’s a problem with those sweet, refreshing treats: Those tasty beverages can be deceptively high in sugar, which in large amounts can lead to life-altering health problems.
“Sugar-sweetened beverages are my personal nemesis as a registered dietitian,” says Christen Cupples Cooper, founding director of the nutrition and dietetics program at Pace University in New York City. “If you think about it, no one needs soda or juice to live. Years ago, when we limited sugary beverage intake to birthday parties and other special occasions, having 6 or so ounces at a time, we didn’t have much to worry about. Today, with Americans regularly drinking 32 ounces of what amounts to sugar, caramel coloring and carbonated water, we have a lot to worry about.”
