Did you know that soft drinks can stand between you and your goals of living a healthy life? Soft drinks increase the risk of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and derail your fitness goals. Research shows that drinking just one serving of pop a day can increase the risk of fatal heart disease or even a heart attack. Soft drinks are also very harmful to dental health and can make your teeth dull and yellow. To avoid this situation, some people opt for best whitening toothpaste. Surely, which soft drink is worth that risk? Fortunately, if you are trying to kick off your habit of consuming soft drinks such as soda, it means this post is for you. Here are 5 healthy alternatives that will help you cut excessive sugar intake.
1) Flavored water
Instead of that soft drink, why not infuse your water with a delicious flavor and quench your thirst? These days you can easily access flavored waters but watch out to those which contain added sugar or artificial sweeteners. A healthier choice would be natural flavoring. You can enjoy healthy, homemade, flavored, and refreshing water by adding your favorite fruits and veggies such as lemons, oranges, watermelon, cucumber, mint or lime to a glass of ice-cold water. Alternatively, you can chop fruits in an ice cube tray, add some water, and freeze the solution. To get instant flavor and color, just add these colorful fruit cubes to your beverage.
2) Green tea
Green tea is available in many varieties and can be enjoyed in both hot and iced form. Studies have suggested that green tea may help reduce the risk of several cancers, heart disease, obesity, kidney stones, and possibly even cavities. Plus, green tea is naturally high in antioxidants, and when you drink it without milk or sugar, then the drink is calorie-free. If you want some sweetening, just add a few drops of honey, and you will love your drink. The benefits of this awesome drink should make you forget about soft drinks.
3) Fresh vegetable juice
Have you heard about vegetable juice? The most ideal and quick way to get all the benefits of veggies without worries about high-calorie is through consumption of fresh vegetable juice. Vegetable juice contains less natural sugar than fruit juices. Whenever possible, opt for low-sodium version since vegetable juice can be high in sodium. If you have a juicer at home, they make good use of it and make your own fresh juice easily.
4) Soy milk
A glass of non-fat or low-fat milk can provide your body with the required calcium and vitamin D. If you cannot consume dairy due to lactose intolerance, then a good option would be soy milk since it is a good protein alternative. It is also available in a variety of flavors such as almond and vanilla. To reduce your intake of calories, look for low-fat and unsweetened soy beverages. If you are drinking soy as a substitute to milk, ensure you choose soy milk that has been fortified with nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.
5) Plain water
Your day should not end before drinking a few glasses of water if not more. The benefits of water consumption to your body are countless. You need water for your body to function as it should. It is also the fluid your body relies on flashing out those harmful toxins out of the body. You won't get clean water wherever you go, maybe carry your personal water bottle, and if you carry it in a stainless steel water bottle you will have hot or cold water handy. A plastic bottle is a cheaper solution to that but it is not as healthy and neither will keep your water hot /cold compelling you to look for alternate sources which may destroy that goal.
Conclusion
The healthy replacements of soft drinks discussed in this article will give you a chance to quench your thirst without putting your health at risk. Forget about indulging in those unhealthy soft drinks full of artificial sugar and harmful chemicals and embrace a new healthy lifestyle.
