|
Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 10, 2019 15:16:54 GMT -5
I mentioned in another thread that I'd given up soda pop. After consuming them for several years I feel like it's time for a change.
Why? Well I dunno, I guess I'm tired of consuming fake sugar, caramel coloring, and such.
I tried this last summer and did ok giving them up, but found I was consuming things just as bad a soda in my book.
Kool-Ade
Peach Iced Tea with fake sugar
Lemonade with fake colors and fake sugar.
This year, I've decided to try again.
First off, I drink a lot. If I'm guessing it's at least a gallon a day. I keep something in my hand round the clock. Well, not quite, but you get the picture.
I tried making drinks with Apple Cider Vinegar, but oh my, it just makes me sick. Make my stomach go 246.
ok, So now I've come across Perrier. I like it pretty well, but there's no taste. Plus, it's expensive.
I found seltzer, it's cheap, but again no flavor.
I guess your wondering why I don't just drink water or tea. It's because I like Bubbles. I like the carbonated drinks.
What I'm trying to figure out is how to flavor seltzer without chemicals and artificial sweeteners.
I also need to watch my glucose levels. Whatever I add needs to be mindful. All I need is a slight flavor, not over powering or anything.
I thought about a small amount of juice, but that is so full of sugar.
Not a big lemon fan as it leaves me thirty.
Perrier makes peach and Strawberry flavored drinks, but it has natural flavor which in my book is test tube flavor.
Any ideas?
|
|
|
Post by brownrexx on Apr 10, 2019 15:43:08 GMT -5
I used to drink a lot of iced tea but 2 years ago I decided to start drinking water. I have a refrigerator with a cold water dispenser and I have a particular green clear plastic solo cup that I reuse. For some weird reason I like drinking out of that cup instead of a glass.
Anyway it seemed pretty boring at first but I grew to like it. I go to the gym a couple of times a week and everyone there drinks water so I usually take a bottle with me to drink after my workout.
I can't get hubby to drink plain water, he wants flavored water and those contain artificial sweeteners but I figure that I would rather have him drink that than soda or iced tea which dehydrates the body.
I wish I could offer a better suggestion but I like plain water. I think that you can also find carbonated water. I think that seltzer water contains sodium.
|
|
|
Post by ladymarmalade on Apr 10, 2019 16:31:48 GMT -5
Have you tried kombucha? It's pricey to buy it in quantity, but if you like it, it's very inexpensive to make.
It's fermented tea and very good for you! I'm not personally a fan, but I know plenty of people who love it.
|
|
|
Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 10, 2019 16:44:41 GMT -5
Have you tried kombucha? It's pricey to buy it in quantity, but if you like it, it's very inexpensive to make. It's fermented tea and very good for you! I'm not personally a fan, but I know plenty of people who love it. Ummm yeah. Remember me? fermented and pickled no bueno.
|
|
barefoot
Junior Member
Posts: 16
Zone:: 8a
Joined: April 2019
|
Post by barefoot on Apr 10, 2019 16:48:09 GMT -5
My favorite is plain ol' club soda. I'm not a fan of sweet drinks. I was recently introduced to Bubly. It comes in a can. They're very bubbly, not sweet, and have a nice hint of fruit flavor. Two ingredients listed: carbonated water, natural flavor. La Croix is the same but comes in one liter bottles. Eta: just caught your natural flavor thing. Agreed. I tell my kids they are gambling with natural flavors but between the two I'd prefer natural flavor than artificially flavored.
|
|
|
Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 10, 2019 16:52:57 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 10, 2019 16:53:16 GMT -5
There is also Zevia - fruit-flavored carbonated water, no artificial ingredients, sweetened with stevia. If you like stevia you might enjoy it.
What I do for fizzy cravings is mix Bai (a naturally flavored fruit drink sweetened with stevia and erythritol) with generic club soda. Bai is expensive, and it is too sweet for me. So cutting it with club soda gives me a fizzy drink, makes it cheaper per ounce, and cuts the sweetness. You could use seltzer if you like it better than club soda.
(Erythritol is technically a natural sweetener, found in small amounts in some fruits and vegetables. But commercial erythritol is not extracted from fruits or vegetables - manufacturers use special yeast to ferment wheat or corn starch to create it. So you can decide if it's natural or artificial by your standards. It's low calorie and doesn't spike insulin or blood sugar. It's better tolerated (less likely to cause digestive upset) than most sugar alcohols, but as with any sugar alcohol, it's good to start with small amounts until you know how you react to it.)
EDIT: You could also try some of the fruitier herbal teas. If you like stevia, you can buy it in drop form to sweeten your teas.
For that matter, there are some stevia-sweetened water flavoring drops that are naturally flavored. You could put them in club soda or seltzer instead of plain water for a fizzy drink, and they come in tiny bottles so you could even bring some in your pocket to a restaurant, order plain water/club soda/seltzer and flavor it at the table. Some brands I know of are Stur, H2wOw, and Sweet Leaf Water Drops. You can get them online if you can't find them in stores. If you like stevia, you might like these; I am one of those people who taste a strong aftertaste when I consume things sweetened only with stevia, so I haven't tried any of them.
|
|
|
Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 10, 2019 16:54:41 GMT -5
brownrexx, My seltzer is sodium free. I get it at wallyworld for 3 bucks a 12 pack. The brand is called vintage. The club soda I found has sodium.
|
|
|
Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 10, 2019 16:57:34 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL, I love zevia, but it's so expensive here. I used to be able to get it for 3.99 a twelve pack, now it's 7.99 to 8.99 in most places.
|
|
|
Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 10, 2019 17:03:15 GMT -5
hairymooseknuckles, gotcha about the Zevia cost. I added to my previous post a couple of other suggestions.
|
|
|
Post by brownrexx on Apr 10, 2019 17:18:24 GMT -5
My seltzer is sodium free. I get it at wallyworld for 3 bucks a 12 pack. The brand is called vintage. The club soda I found has sodium. Sounds like seltzer could work for you by adding some flavored juices to make it more interesting tasting. I actually don't like the carbonation so I always buy non carbonated flavored waters and juices.
|
|
|
Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 10, 2019 17:42:21 GMT -5
Laura_in_FL, I hear ya about the aftertaste with stevia only. When I make my jelly, I mix stevia with agave. I don't consume too much agave, but I figure no more than I use it's not a bad thing. Thank you for all the ideas.
|
|
|
Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 10, 2019 17:43:10 GMT -5
My seltzer is sodium free. I get it at wallyworld for 3 bucks a 12 pack. The brand is called vintage. The club soda I found has sodium. Sounds like seltzer could work for you by adding some flavored juices to make it more interesting tasting. I actually don't like the carbonation so I always buy non carbonated flavored waters and juices. I love those bubbles popping in my ears.
|
|
|
Post by mgulfcoastguy on Apr 10, 2019 17:47:06 GMT -5
St. Croix is a lightly flavored seltzer with no sweeteners at all. It is like the Buble somebody else mentioned. Prices vary widely depending on the store. You will probably have some withdrawal symptoms from the fake sugar judging by my experience 3 years ago.
|
|
|
Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 10, 2019 21:26:48 GMT -5
mgulfcoastguy, I've been pretty sluggish and have had headaches. I thought one Coke a day would be enough to keep me from the headaches, but I recon not.
|
|
|
Post by mgulfcoastguy on Apr 10, 2019 22:28:54 GMT -5
mgulfcoastguy, I've been pretty sluggish and have had headaches. I thought one Coke a day would be enough to keep me from the headaches, but I recon not. The only way past it is through it. On the plus side a few months of no nutrasweet or Splenda and you will slowly start losing weight. Try some coffee for caffeine but it isn’t just caffeine that you are withdrawing from. I relapsed once for a few months.
|
|
|
Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 10, 2019 23:03:51 GMT -5
mgulfcoastguy , I've been pretty sluggish and have had headaches. I thought one Coke a day would be enough to keep me from the headaches, but I recon not. The only way past it is through it. On the plus side a few months of no nutrasweet or Splenda and you will slowly start losing weight. Try some coffee for caffeine but it isn’t just caffeine that you are withdrawing from. I relapsed once for a few months. Thanks. I wish I could drink coffee, but it turns me sick to my stomach for reason.
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Apr 10, 2019 23:05:48 GMT -5
Gatorade or Powerade for thirst-quenching here. Ginger ale if there's something strong to mix with it. Also usually some Minute Maid orange juice in the fridge. If not that, something based on cranberries.
(Just checked my outside fridge. Minute Maid, Powerade, and Guinness. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner!)'
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
|
|
|
Post by pepperhead212 on Apr 10, 2019 23:46:31 GMT -5
I'm an iced tea drinker, and most of my tea I make with half Thai tea (just the tea, not the evaporated milk and all that sugar they use). I really don't like carbonated drinks, but I know that you can carbonate anything - just buying the equipment to carbonate smaller amounts (i.e. not a soda fountain!) would probably be cheaper than buying any of those bottled things.
I make almost a gallon of tea a day, and only put a scant Tb of sugar, and 8 drops of a liquid stevia. The stevia lasts almost 3 months, and costs $16 for 8 oz.
|
|
|
Post by brownrexx on Apr 11, 2019 7:57:47 GMT -5
it turns me sick to my stomach for reason. My brother drinks regular coffee but says that decaf really upsets his stomach. I don't know why that would be but I think that coffee is acidic so maybe that's why it upsets your stomach. If I wake up with a headache, a cup of coffee usually gets rid of it. It's the caffeine that does that. I actually love Splenda or sugar in coffee but about 6 months ago I cut it out and now I drink my morning coffee with just cream. I can't stand black coffee and would rather drink nothing than that.
|
|
|
Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 11, 2019 8:30:47 GMT -5
paquebot, I like Gatorade, but I'm trying to get off artificial sweeteners. I like orange juice too, but it shoots my glucose over the moon. I'm not a fan of Gingerale. I don't drink, not even socially. I guess I just never acquired a taste for it. Plus, beer stinks to me. pepperhead212, I love iced tea and drink it quite a bit, but it goes right through me. It's strange how that works, but the carbonated water doesn't do me that way. Tea also leaves my mouth dry and I still feel thirsty. brownrexx, I had an Uncle that wanted me to be a coffee drinker. When I was a young teen, he tried adding anything he could think of to coffee, so I would drink it. I just never could keep it down. I had a cast iron stomach back then too. I could roll outta bed and eat a bowl of chili, but I couldn't drink coffee. It smells real good though. I'm doing pretty good with sparkling mineral water. I saw a small bottle of Cherry juice at the health food store. It's supposed to be good for something, either your joints, or something. I might grab a bottle and a few drops to my water.
|
|
|
Post by brownrexx on Apr 11, 2019 8:41:45 GMT -5
I love iced tea and drink it quite a bit, but it goes right through me. It's strange how that works Tea is a diuretic and it makes you pee.
|
|
|
Post by brownrexx on Apr 11, 2019 8:53:14 GMT -5
Tea is a diuretic and it makes you pee. Update - I thought that this was true but it turns out that, according to the Mayo Clinic, coffee and tea are bladder irritants, not diuretics and you can still be adequately hydrated while drinking coffee or tea. I had a friend who struggled with constipation for years and also had a bad iced tea habit. He was dehydrating himself and became "regular" when he cut back to one iced tea per day and started drinking water. Eating lots of fruits and vegetables also hydrates us because they are full of water.
|
|
|
Post by octave1 on Apr 11, 2019 9:41:33 GMT -5
Carbonated drinks slowly erode your bones, I read somewhere. Try La Croix. I don't like because of the carbonation, but it is the the most amazing flavored water out there. Or try Evian. It's just plain bottled water but it tastes heavenly.
|
|
|
Post by brownrexx on Apr 11, 2019 10:11:24 GMT -5
Carbonated drinks slowly erode your bones, I read somewhere. I think that it is just the cola sodas that due this due to phosphoric acid content. That is one reason I quit drinking Diet Coke and Pepsi. I don't drink any soda anymore except for possibly one or two Diet colas per month.
|
|
|
Post by ladymarmalade on Apr 11, 2019 10:59:21 GMT -5
I'm doing pretty good with sparkling mineral water. I saw a small bottle of Cherry juice at the health food store. It's supposed to be good for something, either your joints, or something. I might grab a bottle and a few drops to my water. Sour cherry juice is fabulous for inflammation and joint health. I think that's a great thing to try! You totally reminded me that one time I bought 100% cherry juice for DH and made homemade gatorade with it. He really liked it, and I honestly don't know why I haven't made it again_ I wanted to try it with blueberry juice as well. You might want to try this recipe, you can use any juice you prefer- he really liked the cherry juice. I suspect you can reduce the honey and/or sub it out for agave or a few drops of stevia if those are better for your blood sugar. It might take some trial and error to get the taste exactly where you like it. Homemade Gatorade 1 cup 100% juice 2 Tablespoons honey 1/4 teaspoon sea salt 6 cups cold water Instructions In a saucepan stir juice, honey, and sea salt over medium heat until the honey and salt dissolve. Pour mixture into 6 cups of cold water. Shake to combine. Chill mixture in the fridge until ready to serve.
|
|
|
Post by hairymooseknuckles on Apr 11, 2019 11:10:44 GMT -5
|
|
|
Post by ladymarmalade on Apr 11, 2019 11:20:03 GMT -5
And, if you're watching your sodium intake at all (not that 1/4 teaspoon is much) I think you could sub in a salt alternative (potassium chloride) with no issues.
|
|
|
Post by Laura_in_FL on Apr 11, 2019 12:03:38 GMT -5
Or compromise by using Lite Salt, which is half salt and half potassium chloride. The NoSalt (pure potassium chloride) tastes bitter to some folks. But you probably wouldn't notice the taste of your salt or salt substitute much anyway with only 1/4 tsp in 7 cups of liquid.
Either way, that sounds like a very tasty and refreshing beverage once you get the sour and sweet balanced the way you like it.
|
|
|
Post by brownrexx on Apr 11, 2019 13:55:08 GMT -5
Tart cherry juice is supposed to help with gout and my brother says that it works. He mixes it with water to dilute it.
|
|