UC Berkeley

Caloric beverages may promote weight gain by simultaneously increasing total energy intake and limiting fat oxidation. During moderate intensity exercise, caloric beverage intake depresses fat oxidation by 25% or more. This randomized crossover study describes the impact of having a caloric beverage with a typical meal on fat oxidation under resting conditions. On 2 separate days, healthy normal-weight adolescents (n = 7) and adults (n = 10) consumed the same breakfast with either orange juice or drinking water and sat at rest for 3 h after breakfast. The meal paired with orange juice was 882 kJ (210 kcal) higher than the meal paired with drinking water. Both meals contained the same amount of fat (12 g). For both age groups, both meals resulted in a net positive energy balance 150 min after breakfast. Resting fat oxidation 150 min after breakfast was significantly lower after breakfast with orange juice, however. The results suggest that, independent of a state of energy excess, when individuals have a caloric beverage instead of drinking water with a meal, they are less likely to oxidize the amount of fat consumed in the meal before their next meal.