If you are someone who looks forward to a soda during the day, it may seem like a hard pass to switch out your soda for a healthier alternative.
It used to be that you only had a few drink options: water, milk, juice, or soda. With choices like these, it’s no wonder so many people are addicted to their sugary soda. Luckily for soda lovers, there are more alternatives than ever before. People are realizing the effects of sugar, and companies are listening and creating new products to fill the void.
If you are looking to understand why you should make a switch, what to look for in a soda alternative, keep reading. We have also picked some of our favorite soda alternatives that everyone should know about, with VINA at the top of our list, of course!
Why Should You Skip the Sugary Soda?
The number one worst thing about traditional soda is the extremely high sugar content from high fructose corn syrup. These sodas usually have around 40 grams of added sugars in one can. That is about ten teaspoons of sugar in one can!
To put that in perspective, the average adult woman should have not more than 25 grams of sugar or six teaspoons a day, and men should limit their sugar intake to 36 grams or nine teaspoons. Too much sugar in your diet can lead to poor heart health and a rise in blood pressure, as well as negatively impacting weight management.
Another issue with traditional soda is it is very high in empty calories. Empty calories are calories with absolutely no nutritional value. The average can of traditional soda is around 150 calories, which is 7.5% of a 2000 calorie diet. It is much better to use your calorie intake on foods and drinks that add nutrition to your diet.
What to Look For in a Soda Alternative
Good for you! You have decided to cut back on traditional soda; are you wondering what you can drink to fill the void? There are many beverages out there that are great alternatives to soda. But, if you are looking for a new favorite drink, there are a few things you want to look for.
No Added Sugars
You wouldn’t want to switch one high sugar drink out for another with just as much sugar. Make sure to look for soda alternatives that are low in sugar that only include sugars from natural ingredients like fruits.
Look for ingredients like stevia, a great natural sugar alternative, instead of artificial sweeteners like aspartame for added sweetness.
Functional Ingredients
Meeting your daily nutritional recommendations can be tricky some days, and having beverages with the right ingredients can help. Functional ingredients can include prebiotics for gut health, brain-boosting minerals, and vitamins and antioxidants for overall health.
Real Ingredients
Being able to read every ingredient on the ingredient list always brings peace of mind. Look at soda alternatives that use real ingredients like organic fruits for flavor and color instead of artificial flavors and dyes.
Not only do natural ingredients bring more peace of mind, but they also bring their own potential nutrients. For example, if your drink has ginger, you can benefit from its antioxidants, metabolic health benefits, and its ability to ease a queasy stomach.
Soda Alternatives
Here are some suggestions for delicious soda alternatives. Some are bubbly, some are caffeinated, but all will leave your thirst quenched and your tastebuds singing.
Prebiotic Soda
If you are looking for a delicious, bubbling beverage, VINA has you covered. VINA Prebiotic Soda brings you bright flavors like cherry pop and lemon-lime, all made with real, organic fruit juices and sweetened with organic stevia.
We add in organic inulin, a prebiotic, too. Prebiotics are special plant fibers that provide fuel to the good bacteria in the gut. When you feed the good bacteria, you’re helping to maintain a healthy gut. A healthy gut has many benefits, such as immune health, mental health, weight management, and overall health.
VINA doesn't stop at prebiotics. Our soda alternative also has brain-boosting minerals like calcium, iron, and potassium. Calcium benefits your brain by helping with memory and learning. Iron brings oxygen to the brain through red blood cells. Potassium helps with the electrical signals between cells.
Sparkling Water
Sparkling water has been around for a long while, but there has been a seltzer renaissance in the last few years. To limit any added sugars, you can also add fruits of your choice to plain sparkling water to give it a kick.
While sparkling waters do not provide much in the name of nutrients, they are also not full of sugar and empty calories. Unless you are adding in your own fruit for a boost of vitamins, this is a good option if you are simply looking to replace the bubbles you would get from a traditional soda without all the sugar.
Sparkling Juice
Sparkling juices are much like sparkling water. The main difference is they are more juice forward than water. Sparkling juices should be made with 100% juice and not sweetened with sugar or artificial sweeteners to be a good soda alternative.
Sparkling Coconut Water
Another option for a fizzy drink is sparkling coconut water. Coconut water is high in electrolytes which keep you hydrated and your muscles healthy after intense workouts.
Tea
If your soda habit started because of the need for caffeine, try switching to tea. No, tea doesn’t have the bubbles that we all love, but it does have a small dose of caffeine.
Tea is also loaded with antioxidants and can benefit heart health, mental health, and metabolic health. When it comes to tea, it is usually best if you make it yourself. Many pre-packaged teas can be loaded with sugars and additives.
Coffee
Much like tea, coffee can give you the caffeine you may be looking for in a much higher dose. Coffee is potentially good for liver health, gut health, brain health, and heart health.
The catch is, the coffee cannot be filled with sugary syrups. Loading up your coffee with a bunch of sugar will cancel out all of the good benefits of the coffee with the negative impacts of the sugar. You can still enjoy coffee by using natural sweeteners like stevia.
Conclusion
Switching out your traditional sugar-filled soda may not be easy if you are like a lot of people, but it is definitely the best option for your health. Beverages that are low in sugar and high in functional, real ingredients are great soda alternatives. Whether you like the bubbles of soda, like in our prebiotic soda, or need the caffeine found in tea, you are sure to love one of our suggested soda alternatives.
Next time you go to grab a soda, reach for a VINA Prebiotic Soda. We know you will love the delicious bubbly fruitiness, and your body will be thanking you for the extra boost of nutrients.
Sources:
How much sugar is too much? | American Heart Association
The Effects of Ginger on Fasting Blood Sugar, Hemoglobin A1c, Apolipoprotein B,
Apolipoprotein A-I and Malondialdehyde in Type 2 Diabetic Patients | nih.gov
