Sweet Tea vs. Soda - Page 6

Moonchilde · ‎05-23-2010

Neither. I drink hot tea at Chinese restaurants and at an afternoon tea service, and no other kind. I detest iced tea, sweetened or unsweetened; sweetening improves it slightly, but only slightly.

I drink diet drinks, but not just soda as in Coke or Pepsi. I will drink Sparkling Ice and various similar store knock-offs.

Coffee, including iced coffee in mid day and in the warmer months. If I drink water it's bottled.

Life without Mexican food is no life at all

SisterGoldenHair · ‎12-09-2016

@Tinkrbl44 wrote:
I've seen a comment here that "sweet tea" is a southern drink. I thought sweet tea was just regular tea with lots of sugar in it ...... or is there something more to it?

@Tinkrbl44I'm not sure where the saying "Sweet Tea" came from but my Mother always called it that and we live in Missouri. When we were up north, we ask for "Sweet Tea" and the girl didn't understand. But that was several years ago before the term was used.

Funny, how things change, you would never get sweet tea when you went out to eat, you always had to add sugar.

noodleann · ‎06-10-2015

Water, hands down. I will very rarely indulge in a tall cup of McDonald's sweet tea, but only rarely, because I spent a summer guzzling that stuff and it added nearly a point to my A1C. Love it, but like all sugared drinks, not appropriate for me.

Iced coffee is missing from your list. If it had been on there, it would have been a tossup between that and water.

Unsweetened tea always tastes unfinished to me.

truffle · ‎01-04-2016

@Plaid Pants2 wrote:
If you had to choose between sweet tea, regular soda, unsweetened tea, or water, which would you choose?

Because both sweet tea and soda are loaded with sugar, and because I'm not a big plain water drinker, I would choose the unsweetened tea.

You?

Yuban, best to choose decaffeinated tea because caffeine leaches calcium from the bones (same as coffee) and will lead to osteoporosis. That's what I drink or water. @Plaid Pants2

noodleann · ‎06-10-2015

@truffle wrote:
@Plaid Pants2 wrote:
If you had to choose between sweet tea, regular soda, unsweetened tea, or water, which would you choose?

Because both sweet tea and soda are loaded with sugar, and because I'm not a big plain water drinker, I would choose the unsweetened tea.

You?
Yuban, best to choose decaffeinated tea because caffeine leaches calcium from the bones (same as coffee) and will lead to osteoporosis. That's what I drink or water. @Plaid Pants2

Here's some science. Enjoy!

"Caffeine-containing beverage consumption has been reported to be associated with reduced bone mass and increased fracture risk in some, but not most, observational studies. Human physiological studies and controlled balance studies show a clear but only a very small depressant effect of caffeine itself on intestinal calcium absorption, and no effect on total 24-h urinary calcium excretion. The epidemiologic studies showing a negative effect may be explained in part by an inverse relationship between consumption of milk and caffeine-containing beverages. Low calcium intake is clearly linked to skeletal fragility, and it is likely that a high caffeine intake is often a marker for a low calcium intake. The negative effect of caffeine on calcium absorption is small enough to be fully offset by as little as 1-2 tablespoons of milk. All of the observations implicating caffeine-containing beverages as a risk factor for osteoporosis have been made in populations consuming substantially less than optimal calcium intakes. There is no evidence that caffeine has any harmful effect on bone status or on the calcium economy in individuals who ingest the currently recommended daily allowances of calcium."

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12204390

truffle · ‎01-04-2016

Here is another article @noodleann

https://www.livestrong.com/article/292166-tea-and-calcium-absorption/

Tea and Calcium Absorption

by MATTHEW LEE Last Updated: Oct 29, 2010

Despite the numerous health benefits arising from their high antioxidant content, teas can negatively affect your body's ability to use a variety of minerals. Chief among these is calcium, the most prevalent mineral in your body. Although some teas have a greater impact than others, all varieties of tea contain compounds that can reduce calcium levels. As a result, you should always avoid drinking tea when you take calcium supplements or eat calcium-rich foods.

Caffeine

According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, caffeine affects calcium absorption in two ways. First, your body excretes greater amounts of calcium as your caffeine intake increases. Second, your body's ability to absorb calcium decreases when caffeine is present in your body. To reduce the impact of caffeine on calcium levels, you should drink tea only between meals and avoid pairing tea with a source of calcium. You can also reduce the negative impact of caffeine on calcium levels by opting for decaffeinated teas or herbal teas, most of which are naturally caffeine-free.

Phytic Acid

Phytic acid is a compound in a number of whole-grain foods, vegetables and plants that reduces your body's ability to absorb minerals, including zinc, iron and calcium. According to Drs. Sareen Gropper and Jack Smith, phytic acid does so by binding with these minerals, creating compounds that your body can neither break down nor absorb. As teas are relatively high in phytic acid, you should avoid drinking tea during meals or around mealtimes.

Oxalic Acid

Another compound in teas that negatively affects calcium levels in your body is oxalic acid. Similar to phytic acid, oxalic acid binds with calcium and other minerals, effectively eliminating them from your body. Although oxalic acid has less of an impact on calcium levels than phytic acid, you should avoid consuming sources of calcium with high-oxalate teas, such as rosehip tea and black teas. Instead, you can opt for teas that are lower in oxalates, such as mate and green tea, or teas that contain no oxalates, such as oolong tea.

Boosting Calcium Absorption

Although you should generally try to avoid pairing tea with sources of calcium, Gropper and Smith suggest that you can counteract the negative effects of tea on calcium levels in a variety of ways. First, you can add more protein to your diet, as protein increases your body's ability to absorb calcium. Second, as vitamin D is essential to your body's ability to use calcium, you should always pair these nutrients. Finally, you can sweeten your tea with sugars or low-calorie sugar alcohols, such as xylitol, which also help to boost calcium absorption.

noodleann · ‎06-10-2015

Truffle, that's junk science. The writer is taking liberties with information and reinterpreting what he's reading. He has an MA in psychology, not biology.

For example, he cites the "Office of Dietary Supplements" for his statement that "caffeine affects calcium absorption in two ways. First, your body excretes greater amounts of calcium as your caffeine intake increases. Second, your body's ability to absorb calcium decreases when caffeine is present in your body."

The only mention of caffeine on the ODS's calcium info sheet states: "Many factors can also affect how much calcium the body eliminates in urine, feces, and sweat. These include consumption of alcohol- and caffeine-containing beverages as well as intake of other nutrients (protein, sodium, potassium, and phosphorus). In most people, these factors have little effect on calcium status."

Caffeine info, found under "Weight Loss," says only "Is it safe?
Caffeine is safe at low doses. But it can make you feel nervous, jittery, and shaky. It can also affect your sleep. At high doses (above about 400 milligrams [mg] a day for adults), it can cause nausea, vomiting, rapid heartbeat, and seizures. Combining caffeine with other stimulant ingredients can increase caffeine’s effects."

No mention of calcium depletion with the use of caffeine.

SahmIam · ‎04-16-2010

Water but a cold glass of sweet tea with BBQ on a 100 degree day with 100% humidity? Nothing compares to that sweet tea, lol.

Tinkrbl44 · ‎08-23-2010

@Citrine1 wrote:
Wow, so many healthy water drinkers here. Wish I could get on the water bandwagon, but I JUST CAN'T DO IT!

@Citrine1

I'm guessing that there's probably no reason you can't drink a mere 4 to 6 ounces of water a day, replacing something else you drink. Even a little plain water is good for your body. Or try flavored sparkling water. Experiment a little.