Drink too many "healthy" fruit drinks, and you'll get fat. They are no more nutritious than carbonated soft drinks. After water, the No. 1 ingredient in most so-called fruit drinks, including Gatorade, V8, Minute Maid, CapriSun, and Sunny Delight, is some form of sugar--sucrose, fructose, glucose, or sorbitol, reports The Fort Worth Star-Telegram. While most of these drinks are packed with good vitamins, they are so full of sugar they could do more harm than good, especially for children.

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The Star-Telegram says the most prevalent nutrient is simple carbohydrates, which just add empty calories that contribute not only to weight gain, but also tooth decay. The worst offender on the list of sugar ingredients is fructose, which is sometimes listed as high fructose corn syrup. Because of the way it is metabolized and used by the liver, it can raise the level of triglycerides in the blood. High fructose corn syrup is the primary sweetener in soda and most fruit drinks. Greg Critser, author of "Fat Land: How Americans Became the Fattest People In the World," told The Star-Telegram that corn syrup can set off a reaction that ultimately causes our bodies to store more fat. And that makes us put on the pounds--even kids.

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What can you do? Read the labels. They will tell you what you need to know and will fully indicate if the drink is "not a significant source of saturated fat, cholesterol, or dietary fiber." Some labels will even point out there is no vitamin A, calcium, or iron in the drink, and others will clearly indicate "no fruit juice" or "0 percent fruit juice." Also, look for products that are 100 percent fruit juice or reconstituted juice.

Find out more about high fructose corn syrup and why it makes us fat.