Of all the options for drinks out there, soda is still pretty popular. In fact, it turns out that half of all Americans drink soda every single day and among those people, the average daily intake was 2.6 glasses. This is concerning because of how unhealthy soda is and the obesity epidemic in the United States.
It can be difficult to kick the habit of drinking soda every day, but it can be easier when there are alternatives to replace it with. Here is a list of some healthier alternatives to drink when you’re craving a soda.
1. Iced Tea
Iced tea can be great to drink when you’re craving soda because of how sweet it is. It’s sweet enough to satisfy your sugar cravings but doesn’t contain as much sugar as soda (depending on the brand). It also has caffeine (similar to soda) to give you an extra boost during the day. Of course, it’s best to enjoy iced tea unsweetened if you really want to decrease your sugar intake.
You can enjoy any kind of tea that you prefer, such as green, herbal or black. Making your own iced tea is a great way to control the amount of sugar in the drink — use honey instead of sugar to make it even healthier.
2. Sparkling Water with Fruit
If the fizziness is what you like about soda, sparkling water can be a great alternative. Sparkling water is just carbonated water, so it does not contain any sugar or calories. It can be pretty plain on its own so add some fruit, such as strawberries, raspberries, lemon, or orange, to bring in some flavor without adding any sugar.
3. Iced Coffee
If you prefer to have coffee over tea, iced coffee can be a great drink to have when you’re craving a soda. As long as you make sure you’re not adding tons of sugar to the coffee, iced coffee can be a refreshing drink to enjoy on a hot day (or whenever). Coffee will give you a better caffeine boost than soda, which will perk you up and help you focus.
4. Sparkling Water with Juice
Sparkling water with juice is similar to having it with fruit except with juice, the fruit flavor is more prominent in the drink. The fizziness of the sparkling water mixed with the flavor of the juice creates a drink that tastes very similar to soda. Make sure to use a juice without any added sugar or you’ll have a drink that’s almost just as bad for you as soda.
5. Water
This may seem like an obvious answer, but honestly, nothing is healthier than a plain glass of water. It may not have the sweetness or the fizz that’s associated with soda, but it is more refreshing and is generally easily accessible. This drink may not be the best choice when you first begin to wean yourself off of soda as the taste is dramatically different, but it can be something to work up to.
6. Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that contains sugar, bacteria, and yeast. The tea is fermented by adding the bacteria and yeast to a tea and sugar mixture. Even with the sugar, kombucha has some potential health benefits that are similar to what probiotics do in the body (preventing constipation). The fermentation in the kombucha makes it fizzy so you get the same feel as you would with drinking a soda.
7. Homemade Smoothie
I specify homemade because some store-bought smoothies are loaded with added sugar, so making your own is better because you know exactly what goes into it. The sweetness from the smoothie may help with the soda cravings and helps you get in your daily servings of fruit and vegetables. Making your own smoothies allows you to get creative and use whatever your heart desires to form your favorite flavor.
8. Coconut Water
Coconut water can be a great alternative to soda because it’s very refreshing and sweet. However, make sure to buy coconut water that has no added sugar in it (directly from the coconut is best). Adding too much sugar to the water defeats the purpose of its healthy benefits, like the electrolytes that can help to rehydrate and restore balance to your body on a hot summer day.
It can be hard to stop drinking soda once you get into the habit of drinking it every day but with this list of drinks to drink when you’re craving soda, it gets a little bit easier.