The common belief is sugar causes cavities. In theory that is correct. An acidic environment is the true factor that induces cavities to grow and worsen, but sugar is a catalyst for cavities. The more frequently sugar coats teeth the more susceptible to cavities they are.
So what drinks contain the most sugar? Do sodas have the most sugar than any drink? What beverages are the best to drink?
In 1981 the average American consumed 4 tsp/sugar a day. Today the average man, woman, AND child consumes 17 tsp of sugar a day! The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends at most 9 tsp of sugar per day for men and 6 tsp for women and children.
To compare apples-to-apples, the quantity of sugar in each drink was calculated as if each beverage were distributed the size of a regular soda can--12oz. Sugar is listed as how many sugar cubes (1tsp) are in each beverage.
KEY
9+ tsp Sugar Exceeds AHA Guidelines for Daily Sugar Consumption
6.1-9 tsp Sugar AHA Guideline for Men (Max 9 tsp/day)
0-6 tsp Sugar AHA Guideline for Women and Children (Max 6 tsp/day)
SPECIALTY DRINKS
Specialty drinks are beverages that are made to order. This is usually coffee, tea, smoothies, etc. We chose popular stores that are often frequented for their drinks. Below are the three MOST sugary drinks on the market that we could find based on the 12 oz scale.
COFFEE
TSP Coffee
ENERGY DRINKS
TSP Energy Drink
12.9 No Fear Regular
11.2 Rockstar OG
11.2 Rockstar Original
10.7 Amp energy Elevate
10.4 Full Throttle Citrus
10.4 Amp energy Overdrive
10.4 Amp energy regular
10.0 Crunk Sour Apple
9.5 NOS grape
9.0 Redbull regular
8.9 Monster Assault
7.6 Monster MIXXD
6.6 Monster Khaos
6.3 Monster Java
1.1 Monster low carb
0.0 Zoa Energy Drink
TSP Energy Drink
JUICE
TSP Juice
11.4 Welch's Cranberry
10.5 Dole Pineapple Juice
10.3 Naked Blue Machine
10.0 Simply Lemonade
9.9 Simply Apple
9.7 Jumex Peach
9.5 Welch's Grape
8.6 Jumex Mango
8.2 Simply Orange
8.1 Jumex Guava
7.6 Tang
4.2 Sunny D Smooth
0.7 Little Hug Grape
Tsp Juice
MILK
Tsp Milk
SODA
Tsp Soda
11.7 Boylan's Grape
11.4 Fanta Pineapple
11.3 Welch's grape soda
11.0 Mountain Dew
11.0 Mountain Dew Voltage
11.0 Jones Root Beer
10.9 Mello Yello
10.9 Sunkist Peach
10.7 A&W Cream Soda
10.7 A&W Rootbeer
10.7 Sunkist Strawberry
10.5 Barq's Rootbeer
10.5 Boylan's Orange Soda
10.5 Fanta Grape
10.5 Fanta Strawberry
10.4 Sunkist Orange
10.3 Crush Orange
10.3 Fanta Orange
10.2 Boylan's Rootbeer
10.2 Crush Grape
10.2 RC Cola
10.0 Coca-Cola Cherry
10.0 Mug Root Beer
10.0 Pepsi Wild Cherry
9.8 Pepsi
9.7 Pepsi Vanilla
9.6 Fanta Peach
9.5 Fanta Berry
9.5 IBC Root Beer
9.5 Maine Root Beer
9.3 Cactus Cooler
9.3 Dr. Pepper
9.3 Shasta Tiki Punch Â
9.0 7up
9.0 7up Cherry
9.0 Sprite
9.0 Mr. Pibb xtra
9.0 Squirt
8.8 Sierra Mist
8.3 Jones Cola
8.3 Jones Lemon Lime
8.3 Grapico
8.1 Jones Cream Soda
7.1 Ale 8-One
7.1 Jones Watermelon
0.0 7up Zero
0.0 Dr. Pepper Diet
0.0 Grapico Diet
0.0 Jones Diet Cola
0.0 Pepsi Diet
0.0 Sierra Mist Diet
0.0 Sprite zero
Tsp Soda
**Soda is considered anything carbonated, sparking, or a seltzer
SPORTS DRINK
Tsp Sports Drink
TEA
Tsp Tea
7.3 SoBe Green Tea
6.8 Snapple Iced Tea
0.0 Lipton Black Tea
WATER
**Assume all non-flavored or non-carbonated water has zero sugar
Tsp Water
OBSERVATIONS
Any drink labeled "Lite" or "Zero" has no sugar in the beverages. "Diet" has a miniscule amount of 1/2 tsp or less in a 12oz drink.
Soda is not the most sugary drink! Many juices are just as acidic AND sugary as soda.
Every sugary soda measured except for Hawaiian Punch and Izzy's has more than 6 tsps of sugar, which exceeds the maximum daily sugar amount for women and children.
Specialty drinks are DEFINITELY more sugary than most store-bought bottled drinks.
All drinks if flavored, carbonated, or even tailored for "diet" are acidic--usually cavity inducing--except water, some black tea, or regular milk (future article pending on acid beverages).
FINAL THOUGHT
Sugar has a neutral pH but when consumed it creates lactic acid and this aggressive acidity is a catalyst to getting cavities. When the mouth's pH falls below 5.5 pH, the anaerobic bacteria that cause cavities start eroding teeth and it can take 30 minutes to 2 hours before your mouth can start regenerating to fight against cavities. If you are constantly eating or sipping on drinks then your teeth do not have enough time to protect themselves from cavity-causing bacteria regardless if you brush your teeth twice a day. Drink wisely my friends.
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