Sodas (is there anything else to drink)?

[Gwenniver]

I'm dragging this one over from Healthy Living to see what everybody has to say. Currently my drink of choice for most of the day is either Caffeine Free Coke (had to give up caffeine due to heartburn) or Ginger Ale.

Water bores me to tears if I drink it all day (no flavor) and I keep hearing that diet sodas are bad for you (Aspartame and all)--besides which they don't taste all that great. What does everybody drink to help with a healthy lifestyle?

Juice has the same calorie and sugar problem as soda, right? Milk is okay, but not really all that thirst-quenching.

This is a dilemma for me, as I bet I could lose a bunch of weight just cutting out soda, but can't imagine what I'd replace it with. (I actually love V8, but that has a sodium problem. Aaaarrrgggh...)

[Mamasue]

Gwenniver,

I drink flavored soda water which has no calories, no caffiene and find it very refreshing. My favorite is raspberry with lime, lemon and lime, and just lemon. I am not a big water drinker either but find this a good substitute to get my water intact daily. I will drink one or two glasses of spring water inbetween. I have cut out caffiene too and stay away from caffiene products. Drink decaf coffee and tea. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

[Dorothy]

I just gave up drinking soda for the past couple of months for the same reason--to cut calories. I was drinking water instead but that got boring. I starting drinking iced tea sweeten slightly with Sugar Twin. Luzianne makes a tea especially for iced tea that's really good. But the tea I really like is Bigelow's Perfect Peach. Give it a try.

[Carrie W]

I have become a fan of unsweetened iced tea. Lipton makes a particularly good bottled variety. You can also try making your own sun tea with tea flavors of your choice.

Good luck!

[mah]

i also gave up soda (diet and regular. i now drink flavored seltzer water. you still get the carbonation(sp?) but no sodium, calories, etc.

[BethR]

I'm a big fan of unsweetened decaf flavored ice tea (not herbal teas, I don't care for those). I've found several good decaf flavors (like black currant--yum!) in grocery stores near me and www.stashtea.com (http://www.stashtea.com) has several decaf selections. I haven't scouted out gourmet stores or tea stores, but I know they're out there.
Beth

[Natasha]

Hi,
I haven t always been a big water fan, but found that it got easier with time, and now it seems natural. I try to always have some within reach at the office, in the car, or wherever, and whenever I get a moment or take a break I have some. Before I know it I ve had several glasses without really thinking about it - in fact, I miss it if I don t have it! (Yes, drinking water can be boring, but sitting at a red light and doing nothing is even more boring! May as well have a couple of sips of water while waiting. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif)
I also like cold fat-free milk. I find that it works much better than low- or reduced-fat milk because it s not as creamy.
Anyway, hope this helps and good luck!


[This message has been edited by Natasha (edited 07-08-2000).]

[LSB]

A few years ago I decided I needed to drink more water - I found it really hard to get down 8 glasses. Then I bought a Brita filter and it got a bit easier altho I still wanted soda or something else. Then I tried spring water and I'm hooked! I drink nearly a gallon a day and it definitely has become my drink of choice (well - the non-alchoholic one!) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif I still like my Diet Coke every once in a while, but it doesn't quench my thirst like water does.

[shortcook]

I have never liked soda so I know it is not easy finding substitutes. Another problem is that all the bottled teas, fruit drinks, etc. are sweetened with high fructose corn syrup which is the same as drinking soda. I love flavored ice teas and therefore find that making herbal flavored teas from scratch is the best thing to do. I also cut all my juices with water and ice. When it is very cold it is quite refreshing. Another alternative to boring water is to add lemon to it. Basically, I add juices to my water. If you progressively start with 3/4 juice/ 1/4 water, and then go to 1/2 and 1/2, it will not be so drastic.

[Pat]

I have learned to drink water by putting a lemon slice in it. You can add a cherry or a strawberry to liven up the looks. I now carry a glass around all day. When we go on trips, I take a cooler with water bottles so that I can have one even if there is not a service station close by.

Also, cranberry juice is very good for you. I try to drink one glass a day.

[Susann]

To add to Pat's lemon slice suggestion: I put some mint leaves in my water. This year, I got a banana mint plant, which makes the water taste really fresh and minty.

[karen w]

I too was never a big water drinker and also not a caffeine drinker(you'd have to peel me off the ceiling if I drank the stuff!) I have had to increase my liquid consumption in the last year, however, since I am breast feeding my daughter(11 months old now.)Beleive it or not, boring as it may be, the stuff grows on you. Sometimes it truly is the only thing that quenches your thirst. Yes, I do still like an occasional soda(decaffeinated) too, but if you have a water bottle in hand and sip during the day perhaps it may distract from nibbling on the junk food too!

[Angela]

I would agree with the others regarding water, it was hard to get used to but now I don't even think about it. A co-worker and I got together as support for one another to drink the recommended 8 glasses a day. That was a big help and I had a restroom buddy since we were running there every hour http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif I gave up soda a few years ago for lent and haven't liked the stuff since. I basically only drink water and 100% fruit juices.

[Annette]

Hi there,
I, too, am not a fan of drinking all of that water if I actually sit and think about it. What I have done is I keep a bottle of water in my car, one on my desk at work, one next to my bed, at my desk at home, etc.. whereever I tend to 'be'. I also keep one in my lunch bag. Since I have been doing this, I have graduated from the small 8-12 oz bottles to the 24-32 oz bottles. On a warm day I will consume on bottle on the way to dropping my son off at camp/day care as well as another on the way to picking him up. My objective is to avoid getting the 'thirsty feeling' as when we are at that point, we are already dehydrated. Regarding juices, I only buy 100% juice, nothing extra added, and I use 5.5 cans to mix rather than the 3 that they state for the directions.
One other note: Over the issues with Cooking Light, there have been some great beverage recipes that call for little or no sugar. We had our CL group dinner last night and Gail made a Peach Melba from an '88 issue!! It was wonderful! Peaches, FF milk, a small container of raspberry yogurt, a dash of vanilla and some honey! It was so yummy, and so good for you! An issue last summer I think had a recipe for Watermelon Punch.. and many other beverages.. so they are certainly worth investigating. I get migraines from Nutrasweet/Aspartame so I avoid anything 'lite' or 'diet' like the plague.

[Beth]

Unlike many here, I drink a lot of water and always have, but like many, I also add lemon, lime, or orange slices and/or mint to water or tea. I also like the unsweetened flavored sparkling waters. Another thing I sometimes like to do is splash orange or grapefruit juice in with either sparkling water or 7-up (about 1/3 to 1/2 juice, more or less to taste). I's also tried this with cranberry juice or blends. It's very refreshing, and if you use the calcium fortified juices, you get a little more for the calories.

[Katrina]

Everyone is offering great suggestions about improving the taste of water. Someone mentioned a Brita water pitcher filter earlier and I'd like to expand on that. If your local water supply is anything like ours there's only one word for it:YUCK! If you can get your hands on a chlorine test kit for swimming pools and use it to test your tap water, you may very well find that in addition to poor taste, city drinking water sometimes contains more chlorine than is considered safe to swim in! If that is the case, I don't blame you for not wanting to drink much water! All that to say that a quality water filter at home is well worth the investment. Filters improve taste and, depending on type and quality, can remove materials missed by municipal treatment plants. Also, after the initial investment, home purified water will cost only pennies a galon instead of shelling out much more for store-bought purified water. I swear by the taste and health benefits of water from reverse-osmosis or distillation systems, but they can be expensive. If the water coming from your home tap tastes better, you will definitely drink more. I know my family sure does!

If you're content to simply purchase bottled water from the store, take the advice given by so many in previous posts:squeeze juice of a fresh lemon, lime, or add mint to your glass of water to improve taste.

[This message has been edited by Katrina (edited 07-09-2000).]

[christinew]

Here's an alternative that works for us! Try drinking spring water with part cranberry juice. Makes the water much tastier without all the sugar and calories. Hope this makes you smile.

[shoyski]

Please don't give up on learning to drink more water. I myself am a big drinker (not a lush) and have converted quite a few people.
As mentioned earlier in this thread, if you keep at it, your body really will crave more and more water.

[Annette]

I had meant to mention this earlier.. but I rarely buy the bottled water unless I need the bottles themselves *L* Our water where I live is delicious...I drink alot of it at home in addition to all of my water bottles... It helps with having that advantage

[lorilei]

I've become hooked on something called "fruit water" made by Glaceau. It is unsweetened, but comes in a variety of flavors, including watermelon, cranberry mint, peach ginseng, and raspberry lime. It's definitely something different if you're looking for a bit of flavor in your water, and it comes complete with electrolytes like calcium & magnesium (but no calories).

I also like to make lemon or orange water. Clean fruit thoroughly. Cut up an entire fruit into slices, place in a pitcher and cover with water. The large amount of citrus infuses the water deliciously, and it adds a nice "zinge" to the otherwise bland water http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif

Good luck making the transition from soda. It's a great choice, and you'll be pleased with yourself once you've lived without it for a while. I myself have been "off" of soda for quite some time, and I can't tell you how much better I feel!!

[Jessica]

I like water but when I want something with a little more taste I make iced tea with Celestial Seasonings fruit teas. No caffeine or calories and it tastes wonderful--peppermint, peach and black cherry are favorites in our house. Just brew a few bags in a pan of hot water and chill in a pitcher.

[Denise]

I have recently started trying to cut back on sodas. I now drink a mix of half soda water and half soda. It still has the taste of soda and the bubbles(which I love!), but half as many calories and caffeine! Not perfect, but at least its better than straight soda.

[MrsReber]

I agree with the other avid water drinkers. I, too, thought it was boring to drink water and nothing else, but now my body craves it too. I drink almost a gallon a day and it's like nothing. At first it was hard, but now I hate when we go out to eat and they have nothing decaf to drink except sprite. The soda gives me a bloated feeling that makes me feel awful. Once in a while I still go for a sprite at home, but nothing beats a cold bottle of water. Plus, the more you drink, the less you retain and the less bloated you'll feel. Lemon water is good once in a while or home brewed ice tea.

[Beth]

If chlorine is your main concern, you can fill a pitcher and let it stand uncovered at least overnight....the chlorine will disapate. However, there may be salts or minerals that effect the taste of your water more than chlorine. If that's the case, you can get a filter or buy drinking water.

[RunnerKim]

I think I'm one of the rare people who loves to drink water - I absolutely hate to be thirsty and nothing quenches my thirst like water. When the weather is at all warm though I do drink quite a bit of lemonade - have to stalk up when the concentrate goes on sale.

Kim

[SandyDee]

Looks like it has all pretty much been said, but I will put my 2 cents in, too. I am not a soda drinker, never really was. I love water but I know that alot of people don't. I buy bottled "Spring" water, I find that to be the best but it really is all a matter of preference. If you don't like it I recommend drinking it ice cold with lemon or lime in it, I have gotten several of my friends converted that way. If you really can't get water down I think fresh brewed iced tea to be very thirst quenching and again if you aren't big on the taste there are several good brands of flavored tea. Some of my favorites are "Black Current", "Blackberry" or (one of my all time faves} "apricot". Sometimes it is just a matter of staying with it until you can develop a taste for it. Iced Coffee could be an alternative, but then I can't promote that one myself because I don't like it http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/frown.gif
Hope this helps.

[Shelly]

SandyDee you are right, it has all been said, but I'm adding my 2 cents worth too. I love my diet Dr. Pepper, not to mention coffee since I have be at work very early. So I have my coffee in the morning, then just try to make sure I drink at least 2 liters of H2O throughout the rest of the day. I like the flavored selzter - no calories or sugar. I buy the 1 and 2 liter bottles and usually take one to work with me. I do get tired of seltzer though, and when I was breastfeeding my daughter (SEVERAL years ago!) I started putting fresh lemon in my water because that was the only way I could make myself drink enough of the stuff every day! Since then, that's how I like my water, and I always ask for lemon in my water when we eat out (I squeeze it in the water). I also bought a Brita pitcher a few years ago, and I can't say enough good things about it! Our local water was not very good, and a Brita was much cheaper than buying bottled water every week. I LOVE my Brita. One more suggestion,(as if I haven't said enough) http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/wink.gif Half juice and half seltzer is good, and you can mix and match flavors of both to find something you really like.

[SandyDee]

Shelly, you make another good point that I forgot to mention. I always water down my juice, I have for years. Even Orange juice. I find now that I don't like straight juice it's too heavy. (sort of like trying to drink whole milk after years of drinking skim) So that is also a way to go, you don't get all of the calories or sugar of the juice if you add water to it. With that you can also work up to that. Just keep adding alittle more water as your taste adjusts to it. http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/biggrin.gif

[Anne]

I love carbonation so try and keep plain carbonated water on hand or something with a bit of flavor and no calories like LaCroix. For a bit more zing I add a squirt of lemon or lime or an 'ice cube' made from frozen orange or cranberry juice.

[Shelly]

Anne that is a great idea: ice cubes made from juice to put in plain seltzer. I will try that! Thanks http://www.cookinglight.com/bbs/smile.gif