Nutrition and Health

Beverages as Part of a Healthy, Balanced Diet

Beverages are an important part of a healthy, balanced diet: they quench thirst, provide hydration, and depending on the type of beverage product you drink, give you energy or deliver essential vitamins or minerals. Beverages complement the foods we eat and, consumed responsibly, are a needed component of a balanced diet. In fact, many of the beverage industry’s products, including bottled waters, juices, sports drinks, teas, milk and diet soft drinks can be catalysts to health and fitness.

In this section you will find information on:

Ingredients found in refreshment beverages, including:

• Sugar substitutes;
• High fructose corn syrup (HFCS);
• Caffeine; and
• Other ingredients.

Health issues relating to refreshment beverages, such as:

• Obesity;
• Bone health;
• Oral health;
• Hydration; and
• Benzene.