Alternatives to Drinking Diet Soda
Thirsty? Try One of These 11 Refreshing Alternatives to Soda
When you're parched, toss the pop and reach for these healthier beverages instead.
Soda contains empty calories, which can contribute to weight gain.
Americans' obsession with soda is waning, but not everyone is sipping with their health in mind.
According to a study published in November 2017 in Obesity, about 61 percent of children and 50 percent of adults reported drinking soda daily in a 2013–2014 survey, compared with nearly 80 percent and 62 percent, respectively, in a 2003–2004 survey. Overall, 18,600 children age 2 to 19 and 27,652 adults 20 years old and older were surveyed over the total time period.
Drinking soda can be a detriment to human health. According to a study published in September 2019 in JAMA Internal Medicine, drinking soda is associated with a higher risk of heart disease, stroke, colorectal cancer, and all causes of death.
It's also linked to obesity, notes a review published in August 2017 in QJM, the journal of the Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Ireland. Findings from a study published in the journalAppetite suggested that drinking soda can trigger sweet cravings by dulling your sensitivity to sweet tastes, sparking a vicious cycle of eating foods and drinks with added sugar.
"Soda has no nutritional value, and therefore, there is no nutritional benefit to having it," says Kelly Kennedy, RD, staff nutritionist for Everyday Health. "Just one can of cola contains over 9 teaspoons of sugar — that's 1½ times more than the American Heart Association recommends a woman have in an entire day."
All of that added sugar intake has damaging effects. A study published in 2015 in the journal Diabetologia found that swapping out just one sugary drink a day for coffee, tea, or water may reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 25 percent.
Diet soda fiends aren't off the hook either. "While diet soda does not contain added sugar or empty calories, as regular soda does, there is some evidence to suggest that it isn't much better — if at all — than regular soda," Kennedy says. A study published in March 2015 in theJournal of the American Geriatrics Society found that diet soda intake is directly related to abdominal obesity in adults over age 65. The increase in waist circumference among diet soda drinkers was three times the amount that it was in nondrinkers.
Earlier research suggests that the artificial sweeteners in diet soda may change how the brain's reward system processes sweetness.
"While you're not getting the same amount of calories or sugar from a diet soda that you would from a regular one, the belief is that with diet soda the body senses the sweet flavor and craves the calories that would normally go with that flavor," notes Kennedy. "As a result, people end up making up for the missed calories in other foods that they eat throughout the day."
RELATED: Diet Soda Linked to Higher Risk of Stroke and Heart Attack in Women
Drinking Soda Goes Along With Other Unhealthy Behaviors
In Kennedy's opinion, other unhealthy lifestyle factors "often go along with frequent soda consumption, which compounds soda's effect on health," she says. "Oftentimes, when someone is having a soda, they're not making the best food choices either."
So what are some better choices? There are plenty of other refreshing beverages, with nutritional value, that you can drink instead of soda. It's still important, though, to consider what's in your soda substitutes. Replacing soda with high-sugar fruit juices or processed tea and coffee drinks, which often contain added sugar, isn't much better for your health.
But swapping out soda for drinks that are low in sugar, such as unsweetened iced coffee or tea, can reduce your sugar intake while adding beneficial antioxidants to your diet, notes research. Low-fat milk, Kennedy adds, is also a better option, providing vitamins and nutrients, such as calcium, per the University of California in San Francisco.
Need some inspiration? Get started with these healthier, low-calorie thirst quenchers that are sure to still satisfy your taste buds.
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Infuse Your Water With Delicious Flavor
Flavored waters are everywhere these days, but many contain sugar or artificial sweeteners. A healthier choice is natural flavoring: Just add slices of your favorite fruits, veggies, and herbs — try 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!
RELATED: 5 Tricks for Getting Enough Fruit and Veggies
7 Foods With More Sugar Than You Think
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Go Natural With Green Tea, Hot or Iced
A review of green tea research reveals that it may help reduce the risk of several types of cancer, heart disease, obesity, liver disease, and type 2 diabetes. In addition to this, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) notes that green tea is calorie-free (if you have it without milk or sugar) and naturally high in antioxidants, according to a review. Green tea is available in many varieties. Drink it hot or iced, and if you want a little sweetening, a few drops of honey will serve you well.
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Take Your Water Sparkling for That Bubbly Feeling
Plain, old-fashioned H20 is the healthiest substitute for soda, "but sometimes, people have a tough time making the switch directly from drinking soda to water," Kennedy says. One way to smooth this transition: Sip seltzer. You'll get the hydration of water with the feel of carbonation from soda, Kennedy says, and there are no downsides in terms of health.
You may have noticed that CBD sparkling water is having a moment. One brand, Recess, has infused sparkling water with hemp extract, ginseng, and L-theanine (an amino acid that may boost mental alertness, according to research) to bring the drinker calm and focus. As to whether it's worth buying, that decision is ultimately up to you, Kennedy says. "CBD has yet to be approved by the [Food and Drug Administration], and while there is some evidence that CBD may help with conditions like anxiety and chronic pain, there simply have not been enough studies to recommend it for either of these."
RELATED: 8 Medical Conditions That CBD Can Help Treat
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Add Juice to Seltzer and You've Got 'Jeltzer'
There's no need to purchase sugary sodas or pricey, so-called vitamin-enhanced waters — which also pack calories — when instead you can mix 100 percent no-sugar-added juice with seltzer. A thick, tart juice, such as pomegranate or grape, makes for a great "jeltzer" base, in addition to supplying potential health benefits. Mix one part juice with three parts seltzer to create this light and bubbly concoction.
Pomegranate juice and grape juice are sources of antioxidants that may help protect your brain and blood vessels. A small study published in Evidence-Based Complementary and Alternative Medicine found that pomegranate juice helped improve older adults' mild memory problems. That said, Pom Wonderful, the maker of a popular pomegranate juice, funded one of the study author's educational grants, which may have indirectly affected the study results. Also, this study included only 32 people and lasted four weeks long, so more research is needed.
Grape juice, meanwhile, may help protect the heart, according to an article published in December 2015 in Nutrients. Scientists don't know the type of grape and the specific dose of grape juice that offers cardiovascular benefits, but authors of the current study noted that the perks of flavonoids — disease-fighting compounds found in plants including grapes — could be seen in just ½ to 1 cup of Concord grape juice.
Regardless of the juice you drink, you don't want to go overboard with this beverage. After all, whole fruit trumps juice when it comes to health benefits. "It's a common misconception that juice is good for you because it's made from fruit," notes Kennedy. While it does have nutritional benefits that soda lacks, it can also be high in sugar and calories. Plus, fruit juice lacks the filling fiber that fruit offers, notes the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health.
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Fake a Lemon-Lime Soda to Satisfy Your Citrus Fix
Can't give up your favorite citrus-flavored soda? Indulge in an occasional treat with a healthier version made with lemon or lime and a small amount of sweetener. Start with a glass of sparkling or seltzer water and add a few slices of lemon or lime (or both) and a dash of stevia-based sweetener, which is calorie-free and low in carbohydrates. A little goes a long way, so use it sparingly.
RELATED: Is Sparkling Water Good or Bad for Your Health?
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Red Wine May Be Fine When Consumed in Moderation
If your drink of choice is a spirit mixed with cola, you may be better off ordering a glass of wine, specifically the red variety. "Drinking red wine has been associated with some potential health benefits, such as improved heart health and decreased risk of certain types of cancer," Kennedy says. There is also research investigating resveratrol, an antioxidant compound in red wine, and the protective effect it may have against Alzheimer's disease and cancer.
"However, it's important to keep in mind that these health benefits are associated with moderate drinking habits only," Kennedy says. "If you do not currently drink alcohol, it's important that you not start in an attempt to gain these potential benefits."
Research published in the August 2018 issue of The Lancet reveals that alcohol use is a leading risk factor for death and disability globally (it was the seventh leading risk factor for death in 2016). Study authors also warn that alcohol is a leading risk factor for global disease and causes significant health loss.
If you do enjoy the occasional glass of red wine, watch your consumption. The National Institutes of Health recommends that women limit alcohol consumption to one drink (4 ounces of wine) per day and men to two drinks per day.
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Juice Fresh Vegetables, No Chopping Needed
Vegetable juice offers a quick, low-calorie way to get many of the benefits of veggies, without fiber. It also contains much less natural sugar than fruit juices, according to chapter 8 of Culinary Nutrition. For example, 1 cup of orange juice contains roughly 24 grams (g) of sugar, while 1 cup of tomato juice contains 6 g of sugar. But vegetable juice can be high in sodium — 1 cup of tomato juice has 629 milligrams (mg) of sodium, which is roughly 27 percent of your daily value — 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.
RELATED: Is Juicing a Good Idea if You're Managing Type 2 Diabetes?
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If You Can't Do Dairy, Consider Soy Milk
One cup of nonfat milk provides 250 mg of calcium, or 19 percent of your daily value, and 40.8 international units of vitamin D, roughly 10 percent of your daily value. But for those who are lactose intolerant or who don't consume dairy, soy milk can be a good protein-packed, plant-based alternative, available in a variety of flavors, including almond and vanilla. While the data on soy's health benefits have been mixed, intake of soy protein may lower LDL ("bad") cholesterol, as well as blood pressure, according to a 2016 review in Nutrients.
Look for low-fat, unsweetened soy beverages to reduce calories. Also, pick soy milk that has been fortified with nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, especially if you're drinking it as a substitute for milk.
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If You Need Caffeine, Have a Cup of Coffee
A wealth of research suggests that drinking coffee in moderation can be a healthy part of your diet. "Unsweetened coffee, either black or with a small amount of nonfat or low-fat milk, would be the healthiest option," says Kennedy. Coffee drinkers may have a lower risk of heart disease, prostate cancer, endometrial cancer, and death from any cause, according to a 2017 review published inBMJ.
And — as if you didn't already know — coffee's caffeine can help with mental alertness and physical performance, as long as you don't overdo it. Too much caffeine can leave you jittery and anxious, so dietitians generally recommend that you drink no more than a couple of cups a day (depending on the way it's prepared).
"It's generally considered safe to have up to 400 milligrams of caffeine each day," says Kennedy. "Certain types of brewing will have different amounts of caffeine." And some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. Pregnant women and those trying to become pregnant may want to avoid it, though research on this is mixed. Coffee consumption is also associated with an increased risk of fracture in women, so if you're a woman with a high risk of fracture, you may want to steer clear of coffee, according to a 2017 review inBMJ. Yet authors say more research is needed.
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Sip on Kombucha, a Fermented Tea
Kombucha, which is fermented tea, is another great way to satisfy your craving for carbonation while slashing your added-sugar intake. Plus, kombucha offers many potential health benefits, thanks in part to the fermentation process, which produces gut-friendly bacteria known as probiotics, according to a paper in the February 2019 issue of Annals of Epidemiology. "More studies are needed on the health benefits of kombucha, but it is a good source of probiotics and could help to improve gut health," Kennedy says. The fermentation process gives kombucha a mildly acidic flavor, not unlike apple cider, according to a review published in 2015 in Nutraceuticals: Recent Advances of Bioactive Food Components.
"One thing to keep in mind is that a small amount of alcohol is produced by the fermentation process," Kennedy says. You may want to avoid kombucha if you're sensitive to the effects of alcohol or if you're pregnant or breastfeeding.
People who are fighting off a serious illness, going through chemotherapy, or taking immune-suppressing drugs may also want to avoid kombucha, as the probiotics can cause harmful side effects, warns the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health.
But if you're good to go, you can brew your own kombucha at home, or find it in the refrigerated aisle of the natural food section at the grocery store.
RELATED: 10 Potential Benefits of Kombucha
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Refresh With a Glass of Coconut Water
Unsweetened coconut water is a natural source of vitamins and minerals, and has the added benefit of being low in sugar (only 12 g per cup), according to estimates from the USDA. Plus, coconut water contains electrolytes (minerals that help maintain fluid balance), such as potassium, magnesium, and sodium, which are often depleted during long or strenuous exercise, according to the Cleveland Clinic. The hospital adds that coconut water also contains less sodium than sports drinks. Research on 10 men found that coconut water was just as effective as a sports drink for rehydrating after a 90-minute run while causing less nausea and stomach upset.
But don't confuse coconut water with coconut milk. Typically, coconut water is used to hydrate, while coconut milk is used in cooking. Coconut water comes directly from the coconut fruit itself and is roughly 94 percent water. Meanwhile, coconut milk is made by grating the meaty coconut flesh and is only 50 percent water — the rest is mainly fat and protein, according to a study.
Alternatives to Drinking Diet Soda
Source: https://www.everydayhealth.com/photogallery/soda-alternatives.aspx