Sweetened beverage

Sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB) are beverages with added sugar.^[1][2] They have been described as "liquid candy".^[3] Added sugars^[4] include brown sugar, corn sweetener, corn syrup, dextrose (also known as glucose), fructose, high fructose corn syrup, honey, invert sugar (a mixture of fructose and glucose), lactose, malt syrup, maltose, molasses, raw sugar, sucrose, trehalose, and turbinado sugar.^[5][6] Naturally occurring sugars, such as those in fruit or milk, are not considered to be added sugars.^[6] Free sugars include monosaccharides and disaccharides added to foods and beverages by the manufacturer, cook or consumer, and sugars naturally present in honey, syrups, fruit juices and fruit juice concentrates.

Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is linked to weight gain and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.^{[7][8][9][10][11]} According to the CDC, consumption of sweetened beverages is also associated with unhealthy behaviors like smoking, not getting enough sleep and exercise, and eating fast food often and not enough fruits regularly.^[1]

Artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) are defined as those containing non-nutritive sweeteners and are marketed as a replacement for sugar-sweetened beverages.^[12][13] Similar to sugar-sweetened beverages, they are linked to weight gain and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease mortality.^{[10][11][12][14]}