What are the worst drinks for sugar intake?

October 28, 2025 •

5 min read

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), reducing free sugar intake to less than 10% of total energy intake provides significant health benefits. For many people, a huge portion of this consumption comes from beverages, making them a primary driver of weight gain, diabetes, and other health issues. This guide explores what are the worst drinks for sugar and offers insights into making smarter beverage choices for your health.

Quick Summary

This article examines the most common high-sugar beverages, including sodas, energy drinks, and fruit juices. It details their health risks, provides a comparative table of sugar content, and suggests healthier drink alternatives to help reduce overall sugar consumption.

Key Points

Soda is a major offender: A single 12-ounce can of regular soda contains roughly 39 grams of sugar, exceeding daily recommendations.
Energy drinks hide high sugar: Beyond the caffeine, energy drinks are packed with excessive sugar, contributing to weight gain and energy crashes.
Sweetened teas are deceiving: Bottled iced teas often contain more than 30 grams of added sugar per serving, canceling out any potential health benefits.
Fruit juice lacks fiber: Many fruit juices, even '100% juice,' deliver concentrated sugar without the fiber found in whole fruit, causing blood sugar spikes.
Opt for plain water or unsweetened alternatives: The simplest and most effective way to reduce sugar intake from beverages is by choosing water, unsweetened tea, or coffee.
Read nutritional labels carefully: Look for the 'Added Sugars' line on labels, as many seemingly healthy drinks contain hidden sweeteners.
Cumulative effect is significant: The calories from sugary drinks contribute substantially to overall intake and can lead to serious long-term health issues.

The Surprising Truth About High-Sugar Drinks

Many of us know that soda is bad, but the issue with sugary beverages goes far beyond a can of cola. The market is saturated with options that appear healthy but are loaded with added sugars, often canceling out any potential nutritional benefits. For instance, some popular fruit juices and energy drinks contain staggering amounts of sugar that can easily exceed daily recommended limits in a single serving. Consuming these drinks regularly can lead to significant health problems, including obesity, type 2 diabetes, and tooth decay. The body doesn't register calories from liquids in the same way it does from solid food, meaning you can consume hundreds of 'empty' calories without feeling full, leading to overconsumption and weight gain.

The Most Egregious Offenders

When identifying what are the worst drinks for sugar, several categories consistently top the list due to their exceptionally high sugar content. These drinks are often stripped of fiber and nutrients, leaving little more than sweetened water. The immediate blood sugar spike they cause is a major concern, especially for those managing or at risk for diabetes.

Regular Soda and Soft Drinks: A standard 12-ounce can of cola can contain around 39 grams of sugar, equivalent to nearly 10 teaspoons. A larger 20-ounce bottle can push this figure to 16 teaspoons. This concentrated dose of sugar offers no nutritional value and contributes directly to weight gain and blood sugar instability.
Energy Drinks: Marketed for a quick boost, energy drinks are often packed with caffeine and an alarming amount of sugar. A small can might contain over 30 grams of sugar, and larger portions can contain much more. This combination of stimulants and sugar can lead to a dangerous energy crash and contribute to long-term health issues.
Sweetened Iced Teas: While tea itself can be healthy, the bottled and sweetened versions are a trap. A single bottle can contain over 30 grams of added sugar, effectively transforming a healthy beverage into a dessert-like drink.
Sports Drinks: Originally designed for high-performance athletes to replace electrolytes, these drinks are unnecessary for most people and are just another source of added sugar. A standard 20-ounce serving can contain nearly 16 teaspoons of sugar.
Fruit Juice Concentrates and Drinks: Many fruit juices, even those labeled as '100% juice,' can be high in sugar. Juice concentrates and drinks are particularly bad, with some containing over 100 grams of sugar per liter. While they might offer some vitamins, they lack the fiber found in whole fruit, leading to a rapid spike in blood sugar levels.

Making Healthier Choices

To combat excessive sugar intake from beverages, it is crucial to swap out these harmful drinks for healthier alternatives. Many delicious and refreshing options exist that won't compromise your health. Simple changes can make a massive difference in your overall well-being.

Healthier Drink Alternatives

Plain Water: The best choice for hydration, plain water is calorie-free and sugar-free. If you find it boring, you can infuse it with fruits and herbs like lemon, cucumber, mint, or berries.
Unsweetened Tea or Coffee: Enjoying tea or coffee without added sugar or flavored syrups is a great way to reduce your intake. Try adding a dash of cinnamon or nutmeg for flavor instead.
Sparkling Water: For those who miss the fizz of soda, plain or naturally flavored sparkling water is an excellent substitute.
Low-fat or Skim Milk: These options provide important nutrients like protein and calcium without the excessive calories of sugary drinks.
Kombucha: This fermented tea contains probiotics for gut health and generally has very little sugar, though you should always check the label.

Comparison of High-Sugar Beverages


Beverage Type	Serving Size	Estimated Sugar Content	Potential Health Concerns
Regular Cola	12 oz can	~39 grams (9.5 tsp)	Obesity, Type 2 diabetes, tooth decay
Energy Drink	8.4 oz can	~27 grams (6.5 tsp)	Cardiovascular issues, insomnia, anxiety
Sweet Iced Tea	1 bottle	>30 grams (>7 tsp)	Weight gain, blood sugar spikes, nutrient-poor
Sports Drink	20 oz bottle	~48 grams (12 tsp)	Weight gain, dental erosion, unnecessary calories
Fruit Juice Drink	100% juice, 8 oz	~20+ grams (5+ tsp)	Weight gain, blood sugar spikes, lacks fiber

The Cumulative Effect of Sugary Drinks

It is easy to underestimate the impact of sugary drinks because they often don't seem like a significant part of our diet. However, their cumulative effect can be substantial. The World Health Organization's recommendation to limit free sugars is a critical benchmark for a reason. For example, if you drink just one 20-ounce bottle of soda per day, you could consume an extra 5840 grams of sugar annually, which translates to a significant number of additional calories. This constant influx of sugar can overload your body's systems, leading to insulin resistance and setting the stage for chronic diseases. Making a conscious decision to reduce or eliminate high-sugar beverages is one of the most impactful dietary changes you can make for your long-term health.

Reading Labels and Avoiding Hidden Sugars

Many beverages have deceptively high sugar counts. 'Fruit drinks' and 'fruit juice cocktails' are often just sugar water with a small amount of juice. Similarly, specialty coffees with syrups, whipped cream, and other additions can contain as much, if not more, sugar than a can of soda. Always read the nutrition facts label and look for the 'Added Sugars' line. Be wary of drinks marketed as 'healthy' or 'natural,' as these labels can be misleading. Opting for unsweetened options and adding your own flavor with natural ingredients is the safest way to control your sugar intake.

Conclusion

Understanding what are the worst drinks for sugar is the first step toward improving your health. Regular sodas, energy drinks, sweetened iced teas, and many fruit juices are potent sources of added sugars that contribute to obesity, diabetes, and other health issues. By recognizing these offenders and consciously choosing healthier alternatives like water, unsweetened tea, or fruit-infused water, you can make a significant positive impact on your well-being. Eliminating sugary drinks is a simple, yet powerful, strategy for reducing your overall sugar consumption and fostering a healthier lifestyle. The best choice for your health is almost always plain water, but a variety of other low-sugar drinks can keep you refreshed without the negative consequences. For more information on healthier beverage choices, the CDC provides an excellent resource on rethinking your drink.

Frequently Asked Questions

Free sugars are all sugars added to food and drinks by manufacturers, cooks, or consumers, plus those naturally present in honey, syrups, and fruit juices. Naturally occurring sugars, such as those in whole fruits and milk, come with fiber and nutrients that slow absorption.

Diet sodas are calorie-free and sugar-free, but research is mixed on their long-term health effects. Some studies suggest a link between artificial sweeteners and altered gut health or an increased risk of obesity, so water is a safer bet.

To reduce cravings, try replacing sugary drinks with flavored sparkling water, unsweetened iced tea, or water infused with fruits like lemon or cucumber. Gradually reducing intake can help your taste buds adjust.

The body does not register calories from liquids as well as it does from solid foods, which means it doesn't compensate by reducing calorie intake from other sources. This can lead to increased total calorie consumption and weight gain.

For most people, sports drinks are just a source of unnecessary added sugar and calories. They are only beneficial for high-performance athletes engaged in intense, prolonged exercise to replenish electrolytes and carbohydrates, not for casual hydration.

You can add flavor to plain water by infusing it with fresh fruits (lemon, berries, orange), vegetables (cucumber), or herbs (mint, basil). Letting the water sit for a few hours allows the flavors to deepen.

While 100% fruit juice contains vitamins, it lacks the fiber of whole fruit and can be high in sugar, leading to rapid blood sugar spikes. It's generally better to eat whole fruit and drink water instead.