drink this, not that (men's health)

Kids' Juice

Drink This
Minute Maid Kids Multi-Vitamin Orange Juice
120 calories
24 g sugars

Not That
Welch's Grape Juice
170 calories
40 g sugars


Kids love grape juice for one reason: It's loaded with sugar. That also means it's loaded with calories. In fact, when it comes to sugar and calories, no juice is worse for you than grape. More than offering a huge calorie and sugar discount, enhanced orange juices like this are mother nature's multi-vitamin, providing your kids with monster doses of calcium and vitamin D for bone growth and protection, plus a host of powerful antioxidants.

Lunchbox Drinks

Drink This
Minute Maid Fruit Falls Tropical
5 calories
1 g sugars

Not That
Capri Sun Pacific Cooler
100 calories
26 g sugars


You might as well just pack your kid a can of soda, because ounce-for-ounce, a Capri Sun has more sugar and calories than a Coke or 7-Up. Minute Maid's new line is a natural fruit-juice-flavored water with 100 percent of your kid's daily Vitamin C requirements, plus a healthy hit of calcium. Make this switch in the little ones' lunch boxes every day and you'll cut 20 cups of sugar—enough to make 1,280 chocolate chip cookies!—from their diet by the end of the school year.

Juice

Drink This
Ocean Spray White Grapefruit 100% Juice (8 oz)
90 calories
17 g sugars

Not That
Ocean Spray Ruby Red Grapefruit 100% Juice (8 oz)
130 calories
29 g sugars

Same juice, different color, right? Not quite. The higher level of naturally-occurring sweetness in red grapefruits make for a stiff 70% hike in the overall sugar content of this juice. Reap the same rewards at a fraction of the cost by sticking to with white grapefruit juice.

Beach Booze

Drink This
Mojito
160 calories
15 g sugars

Not That
Long Island Iced Tea
700 calories
40 g sugars


The LIT, the boozehound's libation of choice, is the absolute worst thing you can order at a bar. That's because it's loaded with five different liquors (gin, vodka, tequila, rum, and triple sec) and a huge hit of high-fructose corn syrup from the sweet-and-sour mix and Coke they use to drown out the strong liquor taste. One of these has more calories than a slice of cheesecake. Catch a similar buzz with a mojito. Thanks to a lighter hand with the liquor, this popular Cuban cocktail is a dramatic calorie saver—with healthy accents of fresh mint and a squeeze of lime.

Summer Cocktail

Drink This
Cosmopolitan
150 calories
12 g sugars

Not That
Margarita
500 calories
32 g sugars


Pre-made margarita mix, the neon green standard in most bars and restaurants, is essentially high-fructose corn syrup with a splash of artificial lime flavoring, making this warm-weather favorite a serious threat to your beach body this summer. Ask you bartender to shake up a real margarita—fresh lime juice, tequila, and a touch of sugar—or switch over to the cranberry-based Cosmo for dramatic caloric savings.

Classic Cocktail

Drink This
Bloody Mary
150 calories
10 g sugars

Not That
Pina Colada
625 calories
75 g sugars


The pina colada isn't far behind the LIT in the running for the world's unhealthiest cocktail. Most of the calories come from sugar-spiked pineapple juice and fat-laced coconut milk. In fact, the only thing healthy about this drink is the chunk of pineapple garnish hanging from the rim. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the brunch boozer's beverage of choice, the bloody mary, is one of the healthiest cocktails you can belly up to. You get a couple of servings of vegetables from the tomato juice, plus a healthy punch of lycopene, a potent cancer-fighting antioxidant. Keep the salt in check by asking for low-sodium tomato juice or V8.

Beer

Drink This
Guinness
126 calories
10 g carbohydrates

Not That
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
200 calories
12 g carbohydrates


Surprised? Most people think of Guinness as a beer milkshake: dark, thick, and rich enough to induce tremors of guilt in thirsty partakers. But a 12-ounce serving is as low in calories as some watery light beer selections and can save you up to 75 calories over other full-flavored brews like Sierra Nevada. Part of that comes from the alcohol percentage: Guinness has 4 percent alcohol, and the Pale Ale has 6 percent. Switch out a six-pack a week and you've just saved yourself nearly 7 pounds this year.

Light Beer

Drink This
Beck’s Premier Light
64 calories
4 g carbohydrates

Not That
Bud Light
110 calories
7 g carbohydrates


Think all light is right? Wrong. Beck’s Premier takes the crown for being the lowest-calorie beer we’ve found yet. In fact, it has fewer calories than many non-alcoholic beers. With most of the major brands—Bud, Miller, Michelob, Coors—weighing in at around 110 calories, you stand to save big by making Beck’s your cerveza of choice.

Coffee

Drink This
Double Espresso Macchiato
15 calories
0 g fat

Not That
Large Caffe Latte
190 calories
7 g fat


In the hierarchy of espresso drinks, lattes sit squarely at the bottom. That's because they're more milk than java, and are susceptible to huge pumps of sugary syrup from eager-to-please baristas. A macchiato gives the same caffeine kick for a tiny fraction of the caloric cost by swapping out the excess steamed milk for a thick crown of frothed milk. It's a simple but meaningful switch for caffeine junkies looking for a healthier fix.

Iced Coffee

Drink This
Dunkin’ Donuts Caramel Crème Iced Latte (16 oz)
260 calories
9 g fat
40 g sugars

Not That
Starbucks 2% Iced Dulce de Leche Latte (16 oz)
420 calories
16 g fat
52 g sugars


Do you really want to take in more than half a day’s worth of saturated fat through a straw? That’s what you get, plus more sugar per ounce than a Coke, when you sip on Starbuck’s fancy iced caramel latte. Make this simple swap twice a week this summer and save over a pound of body fat.

Wintry Starbucks Treat

Drink This
Venti Starbucks Peppermint Café Au Lait
170 calories
5 g fat

Not That
Venti Starbucks Peppermint White Chocolate Latte
660 calories
22 g fat


People stopping off at Starbucks for a quick pick-me-up leave with a meal's worth of calories under their belt when they order this dubious drink. The latte packs just 100 fewer calories than a Whopper with a blood-sugar spiking mix of whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and high-fructose corn syrup. Instead, you can have a similarly great-tasting winter drink by ordering a low-cal cafe au lait and having the barista add a few squirts of peppermint syrup.

Protein Shakes

Drink This
Slim Fast High Protein Extra Creamy Strawberry (11.5 oz can)
190 calories
5g fat
13 g sugars

Not That
Boost Plus High Protein Strawberry (8 oz bottle)
240 calories
6 g fat
16 g sugars

Besides having less calories and sugar than the smaller Boost shake, the Slim Fast also has more protein and five extra grams of fiber, which means it will work harder at keeping your belly full in the hours after sipping it.

Fruit Smoothie

Drink This
Jamba Juice Power Mega Mango
420 calories
97 g sugars

Not That
Jamba Juice Power Mango-a-go-go
600 calories
129 g sugars


This is the perfect example of how a few words on a menu board can be the difference of 5 pounds by the end of the year. The "go-go" gets its zip from a huge scoop of pineapple sorbet, which is why it ends up with as many calories as a hot fudge sundae. But the Mega Mango is made from 100 percent fruit, so it's lighter on the sugar and the calories, and heavier on the vitamins and the antioxidants.

Yogurt Smoothie

Drink This
Dannon Light & Fit Strawberry Banana Smoothie
70 calories
12 g sugars

Not That
Stonyfield Farm Organic Wild Berry Smoothie
150 calories
25 g sugars


The Stonyfield is smaller in size but has more than twice the calories and sugar of the Dannon Light. Don't be fooled by the "organic" in the name—this yogurt smoothie is thick with added sugars, which spikes your blood sugar and tells your body to start storing fat. (Definitely not the way you want to start your day.) The Dannon Light still gives you a nice protein kick to get your metabolism jumpstarted in the morning, but spares you the sickly sweetness that sinks the Stonyfield.

Iced Tea

Drink This
Honest Tea Green Dragon Tea
60 calories
10 g sugars

Not That
Arizona Iced Tea
200 calories
25 g sugars

Arizona Tea is a closer relative of the soft drink than the steeped beverage you read about in all of those health studies. That's because the beverage barons of Arizona have a heavy hand with the sugar, all but canceling out any of tea's formidable nutritional benefits. Opt for a bottle of Honest Tea and you get all the cancer-fighting, metabolism- boosting catechins found in green tea, with only a tiny hint of sweetness.

Blended Fruit Drink

Drink This
Krispy Kreme Very Berry Chiller
290 calories
71 g sugars

Not That
Starbucks Venti Strawberries and Creme Frappuccino Blended Creme
750 calories
120 g sugars


Let’s get one thing straight: Neither of these are the healthy, fruit-based beverages they may seem to be. Little to no fruit goes into either of these, and in the case of the Starbucks Frappuccino, this drinkable disaster contains as much sugar as six Haagen Dazs Vanilla and Almond ice cream bars. The Krispy Kreme Chiller proves to be a more reasonable indulgence, with little of the excessive added sugar or whipped cream that plague most blended "fruit" drinks.

20 worst foods in america (men's health)

20. Worst Fast-Food Chicken Meal
Chicken Selects Premium Breast Strips from McDonald's (5 pieces) with creamy ranch sauce

830 calories
55g fat
(4.5g trans fat)
48 g carbs

The only thing "premium" about these strips is the caloric price you pay. Add a large fries and regular soda and this seemingly innocuous chicken meal tops out at 1,710 calories.


19. Worst Drink
Jamba Juice Chocolate Moo'd Power Smoothie (30 fl oz)

900 calories
10 g fat
183 g carbs
166 g sugar

Jamba Juice calls it a smoothie; we call it a milk shake. In fact, this beverage contains more sugar than 2 pints of Ben and Jerry's Butter Pecan ice cream.

18. Worst Supermarket Meal
Pepperidge Farm Roasted Chicken Pot Pie (whole pie)

1,020 calories
64 g fat
86 g carbs

The label may say this pie serves 2, but who ever divided a small pot pie in half? Once you crack the crust, there will be no stopping.

17. Worst "Healthy" Burger
Ruby Tuesday Bella Turkey Burger

1,145 calories
71 g fat
56 g carbs

We chose this burger for more than its calorie payload: Its name implies that it's healthy.

16. Worst Mexican Entree
Chipotle Mexican Grilled Chicken Burrito

1,179 calories
47 g fat
125 g carbs
2,656 mg sodium

Despite a reputation for using healthy, fresh ingredients, Chipotle's menu is limited to football-size burritos, overstuffed tacos, and gigantic salads — all of which contribute to a humongous waistline.

15. Worst Kids' Meal
Macaroni Grill Double Macaroni 'n' Cheese

1,210 calories
62 g fat
3,450 mg sodium

It's like feeding your kid 1½ boxes of Kraft mac 'n' cheese.

14. Worst Sandwich
Quizno's Classic Italian (large)

1,510 calories
82 g fat
3,750 mg sodium
106 g carbs

A large homemade sandwich would more likely provide about 500 calories.

13. Worst Salad
On the Border Grande Taco Salad with Taco Beef

1,450 calories
102 g fat
78 g carbs
2,410 mg sodium

This isn't an anomaly: Five different On the Border salads on the menu contain more than 1,100 calories each.


12. Worst Burger
Carl's Jr. Double Six Dollar Burger

1,520 calories
111 g fat

Carl's brags about this, but also provides convenient nutrition info on its Web site—so ignorance is no excuse for eating it.


11. Worst Steak
Lonestar 20 oz T-bone

1,540 calories
124 g fat

Add a baked potato and Lonestar's Signature Lettuce Wedge, and this is a 2,700-calorie blowout.


10. Worst Breakfast
Bob Evans Caramel Banana Pecan Cream Stacked and Stuffed Hotcakes

1,540 calories
77 g fat
(9 g trans fat)
198 g carbs
(109 g sugars)

Five Egg McMuffins yield the same caloric cost as these sugar-stuffed flapjacks.

9. Worst Dessert
Chili's Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream

1,600 calories
78 g fat
215 g carbs

Would you eat a Big Mac for dessert? How about three? That's the calorie equivalent of this decadent dish. Clearly, Chili's customers get their money's worth.

8. Worst Chinese Entree
P.F. Chang's Pork Lo Mein

1,820 calories
127 g fat
95 g carbs

The fat content in this dish alone provides more than 1,100 calories. And you'd have to eat almost five servings of pasta to match the number of carbohydrates it contains. Now, do you really need five servings of pasta?


7. Worst Chicken Entree
Chili's Honey Chipotle Crispers with Chipotle Sauce

2,040 calories
99 g fat
240 g carbs

"Crispers" refers to an extra-thick layer of bread crumbs that soaks up oil and adds unnecessary calories and carbs to these glorified chicken strips.

6. Worst Fish Entree
On the Border Dos XX Fish Tacos with Rice and Beans

2,100 calories
130 g fat
169 g carbs
4,750 mg sodium

Perhaps the most misleadingly named dish in America: A dozen crunchy tacos from Taco Bell will saddle you with fewer calories.

5. Worst Pizza
Uno Chicago Grill Chicago Classic Deep Dish Pizza

2,310 calories
162 g fat
123 g carbs
4,470 mg sodium

Downing this "personal" pizza is equivalent to eating 18 slices of Domino's Crunchy Thin Crust cheese pizza.

4. Worst Pasta
Macaroni Grill Spaghetti and Meatballs with Meat Sauce

2,430 calories
128 g fat
207 g carbs
5,290 mg sodium

This meal satisfies your calorie requirements for an entire day.

3. Worst Nachos
On the Border Stacked Border Nachos

2,740 calories
166 g fat
191 g carbs
5,280 mg sodium

More fat and sodium than you should be getting in one meal, let alone in a single appetizer.

2. Worst Starter
Chili's Awesome Blossom

2,710 calories
203 g fat
194 g carbs
6,360 mg sodium

It takes a special talent to turn a single oversized onion into the fat equivalent of 67 slices of bacon, but the line cooks at Chili's manage this horrific feat with the help of a thick batter, a calorie-loaded dipping sauce, and a vat of bubbling fat.

1. The Worst Food in America
Outback Steakhouse Aussie Cheese Fries with Ranch Dressing

2,900 calories
182 g fat
240 g carbs

It's the caloric equivalent of eating 14 Krispy Kreme doughnuts, before your dinner arrives. Even if you split this "starter" with 3 friends, you'll have downed a meal's worth of calories.