Last week, I shared a brief post on alternatives to soda. My original idea had been to offer some alternatives to sweetened drinks in the form of things I actually use.
Because the waters are so muddied when it comes to the subject of sweeteners and whether they do or don’t impact the release of insulin in the body, I will take the safest position which is to avoid all drinks with sweeteners.
One of the easiest ways to trigger the deprivation response in people is to tell them they can’t have something anymore. The very mention of the “something” raises their dopamine in hopes of satisfaction only to crush their desire on the rocks of denial. As I just described this to a friend, “it feels like you are just going to sit around and wait to die.” While I tend to go cold turkey when it comes to change, a gradual progression which you control on your terms is just as good if that works better for you. The human body can’t accurate assess how many calories it consumes by drinking those calories, and any path you take to move you away from soda, juice, and sweetened drinks is a good one.
Here is a list of some of my favorite unsweetened drinks:
Crystal Geyser
Crystal Geyser makes delicious waters in a variety of unsweetened flavors. Widely available throughout California from where the water is sourced, they can sometimes be found on sale at amazingly low prices (Last week, Nob Hill had them at 65 cents for the 32 ounce bottle.) Tasty and refreshing with or without ice, I’ve fobbed these drinks off on my kids instead of soda and to few complaints. My personal favorite flavor is watermelon.
Hint Waters
Hint has a slogan “drink water, not sugar,” and is the brainchild of Kara Goldin, a former soda drinker who developed her product line as an alternative to drinking soda and in the process, noticed a significant weight loss and improved overall health. Available in eighteen flavors, with and without carbonation, the bottles are the perfect size for lunches and purses and the flavors suggest sweetness even though they are actually unsweetened. Hint’s website offers suggestions on how to give up soda and also, coffee, as part of an integrated plan to limit sugar and improve health. All Hint flavors seem delicious to me.
Flavor Drops
The biggest complaint I have about bottled waters is the bottle, and for those who prefer a more environmently friendly approach, unsweentened flavor drops such as those made by Dasani alter the taste of water making it more palatable. Unfortunately, Dasani seems to offer limited unsweetened flavors (Lime and Strawberry Basil) and for those who object to the Coca-Cola conglomerate (of which Dasani is a subsidiary) the drops may not be a good option for you, though they are readily available in most supermarkets.
Lately, I’ve been buying flavorings from Nature’s Flavors in Orange County which may have the largest selection of flavors of all kinds and for all applications. Offering choices including natural and organic flavors and in bottles from 1 ounce to 1 gallon, this is the place to come if you want to experiment with flavors short of making your own extracts. Though the category of flavors available for waters lists nineteen different items, this still allows a wide variety of combinations and some of the flavors designated for other purposes could be used in water as well.
Many flavors trick the tongue into believing it has received something sweet which can be helpful in accepting water instead of sugared drinks. Yesterday, I had a craving for licorice which I was able to settle today using a few drops of Anise flavoring from McCormick Spices mixed into a glass of water. Though flavor essences in the spice section of your local market are limited, they have the advantage of instant gratification, a boon to those with difficulty deferring rewards.
Next week for this topic: Flavored Waters-Part III-Infusions and Teas
Some great suggestions here! I’ve not pursued flavored waters much, but this sounds like a good place to start.
Childofaslan, it seems like a tiny and unimportant thing, though the issue with sweetened drinks is an enormous health and environmental crisis. It sounds largest to say this, but between the bottles and the sugar, there is a reason why so many Americans struggle with sugar-related health issues etc. I’m a big fan of avoiding the sense that doing what is good for us is a giant d-r-a-g and imagine I will drink a soda here or there in the future, but now that I have drastically reduced my sugar over the last few weeks, my head IS clear, my cravings ARE gone, and the adjustment wasn’t hard as I made all my own rules. I know you are a water lover with or without flavorings. Thanks for reading and commenting too.
Lots to think about in this piece. Never thought about my body’s response to sugars vs sweeteners. My decisions were merely made on my taste preferences. Thanks for posting
Lisa, the scientific data seems to go back and forth somewhat on this issue–at which point I look to my own experience. I know my body can’t seem to tell the difference so I stopped using artificial sweeteners. Thanks for reading and commenting.
I’ve been going cold turkey recently. I try to just guzzle down a big glass of water several times a day. I don’t worry about enjoying it. I just get ‘er done. 🙂 I do like flavored waters, but sometimes they have too much flavor.
You know, that’s not a bad idea to stop thinking of drinking water as a pleasure. Another teacher friend I know has a similarly practical point of view and just drinks it as is.
You can overdo it, but what I’ve heard most recently is half your weight in ounces. That feels like a comfortable amount for me. 🙂
nice post and keep up the great work!!