Level Four: The Water Challenge
Level Four challenges you to substitute water for sugary drinks like soda, fruit drinks, and sports drinks. Your goal is to accomplish this on at least four days each week. Completing Level 4 requires you to earn 3 F/V tokens, 2 Milk tokens, 3 Whole Grain tokens, and 4 Water tokens. Once you have earned all of your tokens for weeks seven and eight, you have completed the Good Stuff challenge!
Why?
Soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened beverages are the primary source of added sugars in the American diet. Added sugars add calories to drinks but few or no nutrients. These are often called “empty calories”.
- Added sugars are sugars and syrups that are added when beverages are processed or prepared.
- The average American consumes 22 teaspoons of added sugar, or 355 calories per day, of added sugars.
- Substituting water for sugary drinks helps reduce your intake of added sugars and excess calories.
How do I get started?
Sodas, energy drinks, sports drinks, and fruit drinks are the primary beverage sources for added sugars for Americans. Make it a habit to review the ingredient list of your favorite beverages. This will allow you to quickly and easily identify those that have sugar added to them.
Names for Added Sugars
If you spot one of these on an ingredient list, you can be certain that the drink contains added sugars:
| Agave Nectar | Brown Sugar | Cane Crystals |
| Cane Sugar | Corn Sweetener | Corn Syrup |
| Dextrose | Fructose | Fruit Juice Concentrates |
| High-Fructose Corn Syrup | Honey | Lactose |
| Maltose | Molasses | Raw Sugar |
| Sucrose | Sugar | Syrup |
NOTE: It is important to emphasize that unsweetened beverages like fat-free or low fat (1%) white milk and 100% fruit juices can be part of a healthy diet and do not contain added sugars.
Congratulations! You have completed the fourth and final level of The Good Stuff! Reflect back on your scorecard to see the healthy habits you have adopted.
Please log in and complete The Good Stuff Evaluation to earn points for the Wellness Store for completing the challenge. **You do not need to turn in your Good Stuff score card!**
Last updated September 2012