Do you find yourself reaching for a soda all too often? Many people are trying to cut back on consuming sugary, fizzy drinks these days in a grasp for better health. Why? It’s well known that drinking soda is linked to an increased risk of developing heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Even the diet stuff is on the chopping blocks. An article published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that the waist size of diet soda drinkers was three times the size of non-drinkers.
And so change is in the wind, but resolutions can be hard to keep. Summer time can be a particularly difficult time to cut soda out: the hot weather makes us too thirsty and sweaty for our own liking, and it can be hard to stick to a plan.
In light of this, it could be prime time to consider adopting additional beverage relationships, and adding some new recipes into the mix, without concentrating on dropping the old.
Check out this list of delicious and refreshing drinks. They can help you cut calories and stay hydrated, all while cutting down on that soda, and your grocery bill.
Making your own iced tea is easy. It’s a great way to enjoy a classic drink without all the added sugar found in store bought powders.
This home brew recipe calls for regular black tea and some fresh orange or lemon to help it steep.
Drink up!
Plain old water got you down? Try adding some fresh cut fruits and veggies to a cold pitcher of H2O for a rejuvenating splash of taste. There are a boatload of flavored water recipes out there to keep your taste buds hopping. From strawberries to cucumbers, celery and watermelon, these zingers are sure to tap into your creativity.
3) Iced Coffee
In the summertime- or anytime- having your coffee cold can be just what the doctor ordered. Follow this recipe and make a whole tub of it to keep on hand in the fridge.
Resist adding cream or sugar- stick to low fat milk and sweeteners- and you’ve got a low calorie iced delight.
When it comes to harboring quantities of sugar, fruit juices aren’t as innocent as they may seem. According to the experts and my midwife, a large glass of orange juice can contain the sugar of up to as many as five oranges!
Cut your juice with sparkling mineral water to reduce your calorie intake. It will give you a good dose of that fizziness you crave, some hydration and great taste.
Natural mint combines with iced green tea to make this delectable thirst-quencher.
Curb your cravings and boost your system while you enjoy all the antioxidants and relative health benefits that come in your cup with this one.
So the challenge is set. Can you cut soda by September? Why not give it a try-put yourself to the test and see where you end up.
Photo Credit: Anna Puzatykh/Shutterstock
