Liquid lunch It looks like supersizing isn't just dangerous when it comes to fries: The December issue of the Journal of the American Dietetic Association featured a study showing that people who are served large portions of beverages at meals increase the total calories consumed at the meal by more than 25 percent. And the really frightening part of this study is that the largest drink size served to study participants was 18 ounces, which looks downright Lilliputian compared to the bucket-sized drinks served up in most fast-food restaurants. The researchers attempted to analyze the overall calorie consumption when subjects were served water, cola, or diet cola in various sizes. They found that the larger the drink portion, the more the participants drank, regardless of what type of beverage they were served. But they also found that when they subjects were served 18-oz. sodas, the total calorie intake went up by 10 percent for women and 26 percent for men. While the study primarily implicated regular soda, that doesn't mean that diet versions get off scott-free: Aspartame and sucralose come with their own list of health hazards, including some evidence that these artificial sweeteners can actually cause weight gain. Your best bet? If you're going to supersize your drink, make it filtered water or iced green tea. Source:
"The effect of increased beverage portion size on energy intake at a meal," Journal of the American Dietetic Association 2006; 106(12): 1,984-1,990 | 
