When thirst hits, toss the soda and reach for these beverages!
Americans continue to guzzle extra calories through sugary drinks like soda. Cutting soda out of your daily diet is a great idea, but finding a great replacement makes dropping the habit a lot easier to do. We all know soda isn’t good for you for a number of reasons, including the fact too much sugar can lead to liver toxicity, soda decays teeth, and studies indicate that even diet soda can increase your risk of a heart attack. Thankfully, a few alternatives to soda will satisfy your cravings without affecting your health. In the end, it’s all about deciding what it is about soda you love and supplementing the craving with a drink that both satisfies that craving and is healthier. These are just a few suggestions, but plenty of alternatives to soda are out there. Speaking from experience, it doesn’t take long to cut the soda habit. Get rid of the soda in the fridge and find another drink you enjoy to supplement it. Within a couple weeks you’ll forget soda even exists.
Spruce up Water
Flavored waters have been popping up all over the place, but many still contain sugar or artificial sweeteners. A healthier choice is natural flavoring: Just add slices of your favorite fruits and veggies – lemons, oranges, watermelon, cucumber, mint, or limes – to a pitcher of ice-cold water for a refreshing and flavorful drink. Another great option is to put chopped-up fruit in an ice cube tray, add water, and freeze. Place these colorful fruit cubes in your beverage for instant flavor and color!
Go Natural with Green Tea
Studies of green tea have shown that it may help reduce the risk of several types of cancer, heart disease, hypertension, kidney stones, and possibly even cavities. In addition to this, green tea is calorie-free (if you have it without milk or sugar) and naturally high in antioxidants. You can pick any flavor you enjoy, because green tea is available in many varieties. It can be drunk hot or iced, and if you want a little sweetening, a few drops of honey will serve you well – though most people enjoy it au naturel.
Juice + Seltzer = Jeltzer
There’s no need to purchase sugary sodas or pricey vitamin-enhanced waters, which also pack calories. Mixing 100 percent juice with seltzer yields a tastier, healthier, and less expensive drink. A thick, tart juice, such as cranberry, pomegranate, or grape, makes for a great jeltzer base in addition to supplying health benefits. Studies have shown that cranberry juice might protect against urinary tract infections and kidney stones; pomegranate juice is a great source of vitamins C and B; and grape juice has antioxidants that may help protect your brain and blood vessels. Mix one part juice with three parts seltzer to create this light and bubbly concoction.
Drink Your Vegetables
Vegetable juice offers a quick, low-calorie way to get all the benefits of veggies. It also contains much less natural sugar than fruit juices. But vegetable juice can be high in sodium, so opt for a low-sodium version whenever possible. Better yet, make your own fresh juice easily at home with a juicer. Simply add your favorite veggies, and even a few slices of fruit if you want to sweeten your drink, to the juicer – no chopping required! If you prefer a little kick, add some black pepper and a drop of hot sauce.
Let Loose With a Tea Infuser
Loose tea is a low-calorie option that allows you to get tea’s health benefits and flavor from the actual tea leaf, without any additives. Brewing loose tea in an infuser, a device that holds tea leaves in a mesh chamber that you submerge in water, works wonderfully to bring out the flavor of your tea of choice. Enjoying a hot cup of loose tea – such as white, green, oolong, or black – is a relaxing pleasure that’s also great for your health.