5 Better Beverage Replacements
Last week I talked about why water is so important. This week is to help to get to that point that you drink more of it. And when you don’t, some better options:
- Electrolyte drinks (e.g. Gatorade) contain artificial colors, sugars and/or artificial sweeteners. Try replacing with unsweetened coconut water. Coconut water is one of the richest, natural sources of electrolytes.
- Sweetened or diet teas contain a lot of sugar and/or artificial sweeteners that have numerous negative side effects – including weight gain. Consider replacing with herbal teas like green tea, black tea or oolong. Sweeten with liquid stevia or raw honey as desired. These teas contain antioxidants, which have been shown to be used with weight loss, cancer prevention, and stronger bones and lower probability of developing arthritis due to the phytochemicals in them. Also consider using teas in place of sodas.
- Regular or diet sodas – research has proven a direct relationship between consuming too many sugary drinks and obesity, which promotes diabetes, heart disease, stroke, and many other health problems. Consider replacing with carbonated water (plain club soda). If you absolutely need the carbonation, consider an unsweetened club soda and add a wedge of lemon or lime for flavor. Club soda is acidic and can contain high sodium so limit accordingly.
- Fruit juices can contain additional sweeteners, are high in natural and/or processed sugar and are pasteurized, which
strips much of the nutrition. Try making a healthy smoothie or fresh squeezed lemonade sweetened with liquid stevia. Lemons help detox the liver, has little to no impact on blood sugars, alkalizes the body, cleans out the bowels and is high in vitamin C. - Also consider adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil (make sure to choose a reputable oil to avoid fillers and synthetics – feel free to contact me for some suggestions). A few examples:
- Grapefruit oil contains powerful antioxidants that help protect the body’s cells from damage. Grapefruit oil contains limonene that has natural anti-cancer properties, particularly against stomach and pancreatic cancer.
- Orange oil helps reduce anxiety and is microbial and insecticidal, and also contains limonene.
Ultimately the goal is to drink more (pure) water. In the meantime, small changes, great gains. Drink up buttercup!