20 Worst Beverages and the Price of Ice

8 ½ scoops of ice cream? 7 bowls of Fruit Loops cereal? One dozen doughnuts? Would you eat that much sugar in one sitting? You may be if you partake in any of the “Worst Beverages” in America.

With categories like “Worst Smoothie”, “Worst Frozen Coffee Drink” “Worst Lemonade”, Men’s Health Magazine presents their “Worst-of” in Beverages. Noting that in the U.S. we no longer make our own teas and lemonades, and that the average American drinks one gallon of soda pop a week (can you believe that?), they include the fat and sugar equivalents for each drink in their “worst-of” categories.

It’s startling and will make you get out your sun tea jars and juicers for the summer, if you haven’t already. Make your own beverages with fruit, teas and water – they are healthier for you and fun to make! Farmers markets offer lots of fresh fruit that are fantastic in lemonades, smoothies and teas.

Here’s a link to the 20 Beverage list:

http://eatthis.menshealth.com/slideshow/20-worst-drinks-america-2010

On a related beverage note, I stopped by a Starbuck’s today because I had a coupon for a free tall (12 oz.) coffee. I asked them for a decaf coffee poured over ice. The barista told me “we can’t do that”. I said, “You can’t pour coffee over ice? (really?)” and she informed me that they have an iced coffee drink called “Café Americano” that I would have to order instead. I asked what was in a Café Americano, and was told it was decaf espresso mixed with water and poured over ice. I said that drink would be fine and ordered it. When I presented my coupon for a free coffee, I was told that it only applied to a 12 oz hot coffee beverage, not an iced drink.

Apparently adding ice to your drink changes everything……