Christmas is over and we are heading into New Year and a lot of people are starting to think about New Year’s resolutions. I personally do not make New Year’s resolutions, because I find they are fleeting and I never stick to them. I like to set goals around how I want to feel and I find that most women I speak with want to start to feel healthier, lose weight, and have more energy. One way of achieving this is to cut down on sugar and especially sugary drinks like sports drinks, energy drinks and soft drinks.
Too many sugary drinks can lead to increased risk of heart disease, diabetes, and obesity, also, sugar is highly addictive.
Just by swapping out one can of soft drink you are cutting out around 9 teaspoons of sugar, not to mention all the other additives, colours and chemicals.
So what can you have instead I hear you cry? Well, you could just start drinking plain water all the time, which is what I do, but there are times when I feel like something fizzy and a little “fancy” and here are my 5 favourite alternatives for you to try.
1. Sparkling mineral/soda water
This is one of my favourites and super simple. I use my SodaStream to make the plain soda and then I add slices of lemon or lime. If I have friends over or I’m making it for more than myself I fill a jug with soda water then add chopped fruit, like orange, lemon, strawberries, some sprigs of mint and let it infuse. You can pretty much use any fruit in season.
2. Herbal Tea
You can try mint, apple, liquorice root, cranberry, or pomegranate. There are so many to choose from, and all you have to do is brew the tea, let it cool and add soda/sparkling mineral water to it. I like to make the brew extra strong, so when you add the water it’s not too weak. Get creative with the flavours.
3. Kombucha
Kombucha is a naturally fermented fizzy drink and contains good probiotic bacteria, so it will help keep your gut healthy while satisfying your soft drink craving. It comes in all different flavours, but I love anything with ginger in it. You can find it in some IGA stores and most health food stores. I usually drink half Kombucha and half mineral water.
4. Coconut water
Coconut water is a great base for any drink. You can drink it plain or you can add fizzy water, or fresh juice; pineapple juice goes great with coconut water. The best is of course fresh from a young coconut, but not really practical. Buy only plain 100% coconut water and add your own flavour. Coconut water is high in potassium which can help with hydration in the hot weather.
5. Freshly juiced vegetables and fruit
Freshly squeezed vegetables and fruit can be a healthy option and you will get all the vitamins and minerals as well. Just a word of caution, fruit juice is the sugar from the fruit, so try and have more vegetables than fruit. To make it fizzy just add half juice and half soda/mineral water.
Well that’s my list for you, I really hope you found it helpful. It can be tough giving up soft drinks but it is definitely worth the effort.
Now I would love to hear from you! Have you tried any of these recipes or have you come up with something yourself that you love? Leave me a comment below or join the Shop Swap community on Facebook
Want to know more about how to gain more energy, lose weight or just feel better? Then come and join in the conversation in my private Facebook group. We are all about Food, Mindset, Connection and Support. We are waiting to welcome you!
Happy swapping
Sue