Step on any college campus and you’re bound to find a group of people who are addicted to diet soda. However, despite being “diet” this drink has a whole lot of bad in it. A study found that drinking two cans of diet soda a day can increase your chances of heart failure by 23% . The drink can also lead to addiction, diabetes and weight gain because artificial sweeteners actually cause sugar cravings.
Don’t worry, here are six ways you can kick your diet soda habit and feel great because of it.
Seltzer
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If you’re someone who loves the carbonation of soda, seltzer is the way to go. Not crazy about the taste? Mix in some fruit juice with natural sweeteners. There’s even spiked seltzer now so you don’t have to worry about finding a new mixer to replace your diet coke.
Lots of Water
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Make sure you stay hydrated with plenty of water so you don’t even feel thirsty enough to crave soda. After all, diet soda is mostly water so same thing, right? Here are some ways to make water more exciting.
Tea or Coffee
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If your go-to is Diet Coke or Diet Dr. Pepper, you might experience caffeine withdrawals. Try replacing your soda with more natural caffeine sources, like tea or coffee. If you want to cut down on caffeine in general, drinking tea is the way to go since it is less addictive than coffee and contains more nutrients.
More Protein
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Adding high amounts of protein to your diet can minimize withdrawal symptoms, making quitting way easier. It also increases the amount of serotonin in your brain, which helps you say no to diet coke.
Natural Sodas
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If you miss the taste of soda, many health foods stores and places like Whole Foods sell natural sodas that are lower in calories than normal sodas. They definitely have less junk in them compared to diet sodas.
Alcohol (In Moderation)
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Having one glass of wine or a beer can actually cut cravings. The antioxidants in these drinks cut down on stress hormones that increase cravings. Just don’t replace all the diet soda you drink with alcohol, since that would be counterproductive.