What’s the Alternative?

If you’re buying canned sauce, check your labels. Look for low sugar, low sodium sauces, or make your own by flash-steaming tomatoes and mixing them with a blend of fresh herbs, like oregano and basil, sautéed onions or garlic. You can also opt to buy pureed tomatoes with no added ingredients to better manage flavor and avoid hidden ingredients.

Sports Drinks

Sports drinks are marketed as the ultimate blend of hydration, electrolytes, and vitamins that our bodies need to get through a rigorous workout. What could be the problem with that? Well, sports drinks were designed by scientists looking to address the deficiencies faced by athletes after intense physical activity, who were facing dehydration and glycogen depletion. Because of this, sports drinks are loaded with electrolytes and sugar. For example, one bottle of Gatorade contains over 30 grams of sugar, which is more than the American Heart Association’s recommended daily intake of 25 grams of added sugars.

What’s the Alternative?

Unless you’ve just spent an hour at the gym, stick to drinking water. If you want to add some flavor and vitamin power, infuse a pitcher of water with slices of lemon, lime, or orange for a burst of flavor and vitamin C.

Agave Nectar

Agave has been touted by health food brands as a healthy, “sugar-free” alternative sweetener. It is often marketed as a better alternative to sugar because of its naturally low glycemic index. However, the health risks associated with high sugar intake have less to do with their glycemic index and more to do with their high levels of fructose, which can lead to problems with fatty liver disease and type 2 diabetes (formerly known as adult-onset diabetes). While regular sugar contains around 50 percent fructose, agave contains around 90 percent fructose, making it potentially worse for you than refined sugar.