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What is a Sugary Drink?

Sugary drinks are beverages that contain added sugars or sweeteners. Sugary drinks include soda, sports drinks, energy drinks, fruit-flavored or powdered drinks, vitamin-enhanced water drinks, toddler milks with added sweeteners, and sweetened tea and coffee drinks. Chocolate milk and some milk alternatives also contain added sugar. The additional sugar in these drinks adds calories, but little or no nutrients.

soda

20 oz Soda
16 teaspoons of sugar
256 calories from added sugar

fruit-flavor

20 oz Fruit-Flavored Drink
16 teaspoons of sugar
256 calories from added sugar

sports

20 oz Sports Drink
9 teaspoons of sugar
144 calories from added sugar

energy

16 oz Energy Drink
16 teaspoons of sugar
256 calories from added sugar

vitamin

20 oz Vitamin-Enhanced Water Beverage
8 teaspoons of sugar
128 calories from added sugar

powdered

16 oz Powdered Drink
11 teaspoons of sugar
176 calories from added sugar

Calculations based on calories and teaspoons of sugar per container.

The Play Every Day campaign acknowledges the County of Sonoma Department of Health Services for sharing content and images used on the Choose Healthy Drinks website.

Return to Cutting Back on Sugary Drinks Improves Health.


​​​Webpage updated October 2024