It's morning time and you look forward to a glass of orange juice or some apple juice.

Maybe you even like soda, ice tea or sweetened coffee in the morning to help get you going.

While this may give you a boost of short term energy, in the long run these behaviors can lead to serious health issues.

There are reasons we need to be concerned about our beverage choices and one of those reasons is the amount of sugar and carbohydrates they provide. Listed below are the amount of grams of sugars and carbohydrates in only 8 oz. Of some popular juices and drinks.

1. Orange juice- 25 grams of carbohydrate and 20 grams sugar

2. Apple juice-29 grams carbohydrate and 27 grams sugar

3. Grape juice-37 grams carbohydrate and 37 grams sugar

4. Cranberry juice- 32 grams of carbohydrate and 32 grams sugar

5. Coffee with 2 Tbsp. of French Vanilla Coffee mate and 1 tbsp. of sugar-26 grams of carbohydrate and sugars.

6. Soda-(12 oz.) -39 grams of carbohydrate and sugars

The main problem with drinking these juices is that they lack fiber, nutrients and enzymes that are available in the equivalent fresh fruit. When you drink a juice or soda it is absorbed very quickly and can raise blood sugar, lead to hunger and obesity. In fact it takes over 4 oranges to make an 8 oz. Glass of juice, if you were to eat the oranges you probably would be full on just 1-2, but with juice your body doesn't sense that fullness and you end up having much more than is healthy. The same goes with soda, ice tea, lemonades.

A much healthier choice for beverages is of course to drink water. If that gets boring other beverages to choose could be seltzer, sparkling mineral waters, unsweetened green tea or even coffee. If you find that bland you could use a 2 oz. Portion of juice and add seltzer to that making a great tasting sparkling drink.

One other note fresh squeezed vegetable juices or even V8 contain much less sugar and have many more nutrients leading to more optimal health.