According to a study published in November 2017 in Obesity, roughly 61 percent of children and 50 percent of adults reported drinking soda daily in a 2013 – 2014 survey, compared with over 80 percent and 62 percent, respectively, in a 2003 – 2004 survey. Altogether, 18,600 children ages 2 to 19 and 27,652 adults 20 years old and older were polled across the complete time period.
Consuming soda can be a disadvantage to human health. Drinking soda raises the risk of heart disease, stroke, colorectal cancer, and all other causes of death, according to a study that was published in September 2019 in JAMA Internal Medicine.
According to a review published in August 2017 in QJM, the journal of the Association of Physicians of Great Britain and Ireland, it is also connected to obesity. Findings from a review of three small studies and published in the journal Appetite suggested that drinking soda can trigger sweet cravings by dulling your sensitivity to sweet tastes, sparking a vicious cycle of eating foods and drinks with added sugar.
Go Natural With Green Tea, Hot or Iced
A earlier analysis of green tea research indicated that it may help reduce the risk of numerous types of cancer, heart disease, obesity, liver disease, and type 2 diabetes. In addition, the USDA notes that green tea is naturally high in antioxidants and calorie-free (if consumed without milk or sugar) in the aforementioned review. Green tea is available in many varieties. Drink it hot or iced.
To make “Jeltzer,” add juice to seltzer.
There’s no need to purchase sugary sodas or pricey, so-called vitamin-enhanced waters — which also pack calories — when instead you can mix 100 percent no-sugar-added juice with seltzer. A thick, sour juice, such as pomegranate or grape, makes for a superb “jeltzer” basis, in addition to giving potential health advantages. Mix 1 part juice with 3 parts seltzer to create this light and bubbly concoction.
Pomegranate juice and grape juice are sources of antioxidants that may help protect your brain and blood vessels. A tiny, earlier study found that pomegranate juice could improve elderly adults’ minor memory impairments. However, one of the study authors’ educational grants were funded by Pom Wonderful, the producer of a well-known pomegranate juice, which might have had an indirect impact on the study’s findings. In addition, this study only lasted four weeks and only included 32 participants, so more research is required.
Grape juice, meanwhile, may help protect the heart, according to a past article. The type of grape and dosage of grape juice that promotes cardiovascular health are unknown to scientists, but the authors of the current study noted that as little as 12 to 1 cup of Concord grape juice contains flavonoids, which are disease-preventing compounds found in plants including grapes.
You shouldn’t consume excessive amounts of juice, regardless of the type. After all, whole fruit trumps juice when it comes to health benefits. “It’s a popular misperception that juice is good for you because it’s created from fruit,” observes Kennedy. While it can have nutritional benefits that soda lacks, it can also be heavy in added sugar and calories. According to research published in May 2020 in the Journal of the American Heart Association, that added sugar can spell trouble for your health.
3.Fake a Lemon-Lime Soda to Satisfy Your Citrus Fix
Can’t give up your favourite citrus-flavored soda? Delight in an occasional treat with a healthy version made with lemon or lime and a modest quantity of sweetness. Start with a glass of sparkling or seltzer water and add a few slices of lemon or lime (or both) and a splash of stevia-based sweetener, which is calorie-free and low in carbs. A tiny, short-term study suggests drinking liquids sweetened with 1 g of stevia doesn’t boost hunger, while more thorough research is needed.
Vegetable juice
Vegetable juice offers a quick, low-calorie way to get many of the benefits of veggies, without fibre. It also has significantly less natural sugar than fruit juices, according to chapter eight of Culinary Nutrition. For example, per the USDA, 1 cup of orange juice contains around 24 grammes (g) of sugar, while 1 cup of tomato juice contains 6 g of sugar. Yet vegetable juice can be rich in sodium — 1 cup of tomato juice has 629 milligrammes (mg) of sodium, which is around 27 percent of your daily intake — so go for a low-sodium variety whenever feasible.
Better yet, make your own fresh juice easily at home with a juicer. Simply add your favourite veggies, and even a few slices of fruit if you want to sweeten your drink, to the juicer — no chopping required! If you prefer a little kick, add some black pepper and a drop of hot sauce.
If You Can’t Do Dairy, Try Soy Milk
According to the USDA, one cup of nonfat milk contains 2.7 micrograms of vitamin D, or about 13.5 percent of your daily value, and 322 mg of calcium, or almost 25% of your recommended daily intake. However, for those who cannot or do not consume dairy, soy milk can be a good protein-rich plant-based substitute. It comes in a variety of flavours, including almond and vanilla. While the research on soy’s health benefits have been mixed, intake of soy protein may lower LDL (“bad”) cholesterol, as well as blood pressure, according to a prior assessment.
Look for low-fat, unsweetened soy beverages to reduce calories. Also, pick soy milk that has been fortified with nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, especially if you’re drinking it as a substitute for milk.
Other plant-based milks — such as almond, coconut, rice, or oat — are also potential dairy alternatives. But keep in mind that soy is the most nutritionally comparable substitute for dairy milk in terms of protein, Kennedy says.