WEST PALM BEACH, FL -- Whether you're drinking a caffeine packed coffee to give you a boost, gulping down cold refreshment after a hard workout or consuming vitamin enhanced waters to stay healthy, all those liquid calories add-up.
According to a recent study from Johns Hopkins University, people who cut liquid calories lose more weight and keep it off longer than people who cut food calories. And there are some liquid calorie culprits looming out there.
The worst "functional" beverage is Snapple's Tropical mango Antioxidant water. Because the drink is fat-free, your body can't absorb the fat-soluble anti-oxidants in it. A better bet is plain water and vitamins.
In the gym, we found a regular exerciser who prefers fruit and protein packed smoothies as his energy drink. But when we started talking about those caffeine packed beverages, he admitted: "My son would drink five in a row if I'd let him."
When it comes to energy drinks, Rockstar Original has 20 more calories than its closest competitor and a whopping 62 grams of sugar. Coffee gives you the same boost and is a proven source of antioxidants.
Not all coffee is alike though. Starbucks Frappuccino gets top billing as the worst bottled coffee for its calories, fat and sugar. Have one every morning and you're guaranteed to pack on the pounds.
At Roco's Tacos in downtown West Palm Beach, a local patron exclaimed: "It's 5 o'clock somewhere!"
The worst cocktail award goes to Red Lobster's Traditional Lobsterita. We had Roco's bartender make us four on-the-rocks Margaritas because that's how many you could have to equal the calories and carbs in the Lobsterita. The good news. It doesn't have any fat.
And topping our top 5 list of unhealthy drinks. The smoothie. Smoothie King offers something called the Strawberry Hulk. More than two thousand calories, 70 grams of fat and 240 grams of sugar.
One customer of Smoothie King said: "I am surprised that it's that high and I'm horrified." That customer ended up getting a 200 calorie smoothie drink that was both low in carbohydrates and low in sugar.
Now in Smoothie King's defense, the Strawberry Hulk is a beverage designed for people trying to gain weight. But keep in mind; two-thirds of Americans are already overweight.
To see the complete study from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, click here.
