(CHAPEL HILL) -- UNC researchers are looking at an issue that's making headline in New York - the impact that drinking high-calorie beverages has on our health.

They asked people to reduce their intake of sugar drinks by two per day, and found that they lost five pounds over six months. Debra Tate with the School of Public Health says beverages have a big impact on our weight.

"Depending on where you live and depending on some of the charactistics of individuals you could be consuming anywhere upwards of three hundred calories a day from beverages."

Tate says Southerners consume more calories through beverages like sweet tea than people in other parts of the country. We drink up to 500 extra calories a day.