9 Offensively Enormous Beverages

These ridiculously oversized sweet drinks provide as many as half a day’s calories and are loaded with sugars. See what you could be eating—instead of guzzling!

istock/OcusFocus

Calories from sugary drinks may be particularly harmful to your health.

New York City Mayor Bloomberg’s proposed ban on large sweet drinks is hardly without controversy. But there’s no debating some beverages are way, way, way more calories, sugar, and sometimes fat than we need. Women who drink two or more of them a day were more likely to develop abnormal levels of fasting glucose—a sign of diabetes, according to research presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions last year.

Bloomberg’s ban would apply to sweetened drinks larger than 16 ounces, but we found many popular chains selling shockingly bigger options. Take a look.

KFC’s 64-Ounce Pepsi

The damage:
780 calories
217 grams of sugar
0 grams fat

This is a whole gallon of fluid, not even close to an individual portion. As a comparison, the American Heart Association recommends adults consume about 6 to 9 teaspoons (the equivalent of just 30 to 45 grams) of added sugar a day.
Instead, you could eat: It’s the caloric equivalent of a KFC Honey BBQ sandwich, a house side salad with ranch dressing, macaroni and cheese, and half an apple turnover.

7-Eleven’s 44-Ounce Super Big Gulp

The damage:
512 calories
128 grams sugar
0 grams fat

We couldn’t help but notice that 7-Eleven describes this as “genetically engineered to quench even the most diabolical thirst.”

Instead, you could eat: It’s the same amount of calories in a bag of salt and vinegar potato chips, a bag of M&Ms, and 24 almonds.

istock/magnez2

White Castle’s 44-Ounce Fanta Orange Soda

The damage:
470 calories
147 grams sugar
0 grams fat

Instead, you could eat: It’s the calorie equivalent of three whole White Castle sliders!

Smoothie King’s 40-Ounce Acai Adventure

The damage:
912 calories
150 grams sugar
10 grams fat

Note the slogan on the side of the cup: “Chewing is over-rated.” Well, with such seemingly healthy ingredients as acai and blueberries, this drink’s main downfall is sheer size. Even the chain’s smallest offering (20 ounces) provides a whopping 456 calories and 75 grams of sugar.

Instead, you could eat: It’s the calorie equivalent of a small Acai Adventure, a bowl of Cheerios with skim milk, a California sushi roll, 8 animal crackers (here are some fun facts about them you probably didn’t know), and a serving of baby carrots with hummus

Taco Bell’s 40-Ounce Dr. Pepper

The damage:
500 calories
135 grams sugar
0 grams fat

Instead, you could eat: At Taco Bell, it’s the calorie equivalent of a chicken soft taco and order of cheesy nachos!

istock/KathyDewar

McDonald’s 32-Ounce Sweet Tea

The damage:
280 calories
69 grams sugar
0 grams fat

Iced tea is a healthy choice, but the sweetened version packs a lot of sugar, especially in a huge size.

Instead, you could eat: For the same amount of calories at McDonald’s, you could order a whole Caesar salad, four-piece Chicken McNuggets, and any size regular iced tea.

Wendy’s 29-Ounce Barq’s Root Beer

The damage:
360 calories
99 grams sugar
0 grams fat

Instead, you could eat:
If you opted for a kid-sized root beer instead, you could also get a half-portion of the Berry Almond Chicken Salad.

istock/dontree_m

Starbucks’ 24-Ounce Chocolate Cookie Crumble Frappuccino® Blended Beverage

The damage (made with whole milk and whipped cream):
560 calories
76 grams sugar
24 grams fat (15 grams saturated)

The jumbo size, whole milk, and whipped cream make for a trifecta of gluttony here. Order the 12-ounce size with nonfat milk and no whipped cream, and it’s 200 calories, 38 grams of sugar, and 3 grams of fat.

Instead, you could eat: Get the smaller, healthier version of the drink and you could also get a spinach and feta breakfast wrap and a fruit cup.

istock/AGL_Photography

Dairy Queen’s 23-Ounce Arctic Rush Frozen Beverage

The damage:
350 calories
70 grams sugar
0 grams fat

A small version of this drink, just 13 ounces, provides 210 calories and 41 grams of sugar.

Instead, you could eat: A mozzarella string cheese, a cup of strawberries, and two chocolate kisses if you got the smaller Arctic Rush.

Reader's Digest
Originally Published in Reader's Digest