Carbonated drinks

ReenieHJ
ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I never gave those products much thought. I used to drink Diet Coke by the car loads. Right now, dh has 10 6-packs(bought on sale) stored away in the basement that he drinks himself. I've been able to resist them. BUT some days I just need something carbonated.

My sister gave me an 8 pack of Spindrift flavored carbonated water as part of a Christmas goodie package. It's lime and raspberry. After the 1st 2 cans did nothing for me and ended up throwing the away, I had the brilliant idea of adding a little Splenda. Now I really like them.

Any suggestions for a carbonated drink that's good tasting and mildly sweet, little to no calories, yet isn't unhealthy?

Thanks!

Replies

  • L1zardQueen
    L1zardQueen Posts: 8,753 Member
    ^^ this.

    I love Coke Zero. I like it even better than Diet Coke.
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
    SuzySunshine99 wrote: »
    What's wrong with the Diet Coke? It fits all your criteria.

    It gets expensive for me because I drank it all day long. :( I also don't believe it's that healthy. But mostly cost.
  • IronIsMyTherapy
    IronIsMyTherapy Posts: 482 Member
    My go to is sparkling water and low sugar cranberry juice.
  • 2furryfriendz
    2furryfriendz Posts: 283 Member
    edited January 2021
    Invest in a Sodastream. Worth every penny. You can buy the syrups and make your own diet colas. I do believe they make a diet cola syrup but you can adjust the sweetness depending on how much you use.
    I use mine for just soda and sometimes throw in lime and/or lemon juice but usually it's just carbonated water if I want that fizz.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,439 Member
    Can you wean down the Diet Coke? Commit to drinking a glass of water between each soda? Then slowly increase the water and decrease the soda.
  • SuzySunshine99
    SuzySunshine99 Posts: 2,989 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    SuzySunshine99 wrote: »
    What's wrong with the Diet Coke? It fits all your criteria.

    It gets expensive for me because I drank it all day long. :( I also don't believe it's that healthy. But mostly cost.

    Oh, okay, you didn't mention cost in your OP. I think any pre-made/canned/bottled individual serving beverage is going to be at least as expensive as Diet Coke, if not more.

    In that case, maybe the Sodastream is a good option. I have never used one, but people who do really like them, and say that it's cheaper in the long run.
  • Luke_rabbit
    Luke_rabbit Posts: 1,031 Member
    Is it specifically carbonation that you crave, or just flavor and sweetness?

    Just wondering, because there are a lot of zero calorie powder options that make water more flavorful but cost a lot less than soda. For example, my spouse drinks Crystal light, which makes a whole bunch of glasses per canister (maybe about 40 glasses for $3). I drink propel sticks ($2 for a box of 10 @ Walmart) in a 20 oz water bottle. I'm more limited in what I can drink because I am intolerant to caffeine, stevia, and red #40. I also make my own herbal iced tea in the summer which is uber cheap, even including the Splenda cost.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    SuzySunshine99 wrote: »
    What's wrong with the Diet Coke? It fits all your criteria.

    It gets expensive for me because I drank it all day long. :( I also don't believe it's that healthy. But mostly cost.

    I would say it's neither healthy, nor is it unhealthy...it's just a benign beverage if consumed in reasonable amounts. Biggest thing if you're drinking a ton of it is probably acid and what it could do to your teeth.

    I used to drink regular full sugar sodas by the truckload...I have maybe one or two 10oz Coke Zeros per day these days...some days I don't have any.
  • 7rainbow
    7rainbow Posts: 161 Member
    I try to avoid carbonated drinks, sugar/calories or not, just because it stimulates the brain into wanting more sugar/sweets and doesn't fill you up. When I'm craving one though I do enjoy Sparkling Ice drinks. They are fizzy like pop and have lots of good flavours (that aren't watery in my opinion). They are no sugar/calories so they are much better than a straight up pop drink. Lime is my personal favourite!
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    Any suggestions for a carbonated drink that's good tasting and mildly sweet, little to no calories, yet isn't unhealthy?

    The Diets Cokes that are sitting in your basement that you bought on sale would seem to hit all your criteria.

    As regards the health issue you do realise it wouldn't be on sale if it was regarded by experts as being unhealthy?
    Not just in your country but right across the world.
  • Joanna2012B
    Joanna2012B Posts: 1,448 Member
    quiksylver296 wrote: »
    Can you wean down the Diet Coke? Commit to drinking a glass of water between each soda? Then slowly increase the water and decrease the soda.

    I second the soda steam. I now drink my water sparkling with no flavour, I just love the fizz! My water intake has increased as a result.
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
    sijomial wrote: »
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    Any suggestions for a carbonated drink that's good tasting and mildly sweet, little to no calories, yet isn't unhealthy?

    The Diets Cokes that are sitting in your basement that you bought on sale would seem to hit all your criteria.

    As regards the health issue you do realise it wouldn't be on sale if it was regarded by experts as being unhealthy?
    Not just in your country but right across the world.

    I guess I'm looking for something that I'm not going to rely on as a replacement for good old water. Diet Coke was a terrible habit for me and I do NOT want to get back into that. I'm merely asking for a flavorful carbonated substitute as a once-in-awhile thing.

    And I need to question the statement you made about unhealthy things being on sale? We could get into a whole discussion about that and it all comes down to 'moderation is key'. Anything I(personally) cannot moderate is most likely unhealthy in my own terms. :) There are so many things for sale out there, that are not really healthy. Foods that are mostly fat, sugar, flavorings, preservatives and filled with dyes.

    And my dh can choose to drink whatever he wants; *I'm* the one with a personal problem with spending all that money on soda. :blush: That's part of the reason why I chose to quit drinking it many years ago, when I was living alone.

    Thanks for all the replies. :)
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    sijomial wrote: »
    ReenieHJ wrote: »
    Any suggestions for a carbonated drink that's good tasting and mildly sweet, little to no calories, yet isn't unhealthy?

    The Diets Cokes that are sitting in your basement that you bought on sale would seem to hit all your criteria.

    As regards the health issue you do realise it wouldn't be on sale if it was regarded by experts as being unhealthy?
    Not just in your country but right across the world.

    I guess I'm looking for something that I'm not going to rely on as a replacement for good old water. Diet Coke was a terrible habit for me and I do NOT want to get back into that. I'm merely asking for a flavorful carbonated substitute as a once-in-awhile thing.

    And I need to question the statement you made about unhealthy things being on sale? We could get into a whole discussion about that and it all comes down to 'moderation is key'. Anything I(personally) cannot moderate is most likely unhealthy in my own terms. :) There are so many things for sale out there, that are not really healthy. Foods that are mostly fat, sugar, flavorings, preservatives and filled with dyes.

    And my dh can choose to drink whatever he wants; *I'm* the one with a personal problem with spending all that money on soda. :blush: That's part of the reason why I chose to quit drinking it many years ago, when I was living alone.

    Thanks for all the replies. :)

    So tackle the habit or maybe whatever substitute you pick may also become problematic?
    Maybe you will get a flavourful carbonated water habit instead?

    Part of the testing and passing all foodstuffs as safe for human consumption does of course include reasonable dosage. But if someone eats butter all day long that doesn't make butter unhealthy, it makes over-consumption unhealthy. Personally, I can't think of any foodstuff on general sale that I would knock out of the hands of a starving person because it is unhealthy.

    One a week, one a day or a dozen a day are all choices that are in your power to make. I'm pretty sure you have faced tougher choices in your life. Your habits were unhealthy and not the items, transferring the blame is avoiding instead of resolving the issue.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    7rainbow wrote: »
    I try to avoid carbonated drinks, sugar/calories or not, just because it stimulates the brain into wanting more sugar/sweets and doesn't fill you up. When I'm craving one though I do enjoy Sparkling Ice drinks. They are fizzy like pop and have lots of good flavours (that aren't watery in my opinion). They are no sugar/calories so they are much better than a straight up pop drink. Lime is my personal favourite!

    I would clarify that it seems to prompt cravings in some people, but I personally find my afternoon diet coke actually satisfies any craving I might have for a sweet. I don't expect it to fill me up (it's just liquid), but in the context in a day where I'm getting enough to eat, that isn't really a problem.
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,741 Member
    If your husband has all this diet coke in the house and you're not drinking it, right? You ARE moderating it. 😀

    But this is my unconventional suggestion. When I started drinking diet soda again, I got it from the fountain area at convenience stores...mostly at the Circle K. I went from 2 a weekend to 2 a day.

    I figured buying the soda for home would be cheaper but it turns out, per ounce, it really wasn't. I was paying .97 for a 32 oz. and 1.08 for a 44 oz.

    Sooooooooooo, when you want a soda, go for that fountain drink. Plus it'll help you with the moderation part.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    i dont care what others drink.

    i drink diet coke all day. still lost 130 pounds.

    whatever.

    there are plenty of carbonated beverages that are not soda on the market. you can buy a soda stream and make your own stuff.

    cant be about the $ when your husband is still buying it for himself and you are looking for a replacement that will quite possibly be more expensive. even if you only drink water, the $ for the soda is still coming out of the same bank account. i don't drink beer but it comes out of our account. hubby doesn't drink diet coke. same $ same account.
  • Mrscanmore
    Mrscanmore Posts: 862 Member
    We really like our dogs steam. Sometimes I just add juice and sometimes a little flavoring.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    Walmart has Clear American sodas that are really good.
  • Noreenmarie1234
    Noreenmarie1234 Posts: 7,492 Member
    Mrscanmore wrote: »
    We really like our dogs steam. Sometimes I just add juice and sometimes a little flavoring.

    ......dogs stream? :D
  • corinasue1143
    corinasue1143 Posts: 7,464 Member
    I don’t know you, but I know me. Every time I caved and said I’d have just one can a day, I was right back on 2-3 2 liter bottles a day. I couldn’t really quit until I really quit. Now I can have one, not one a day, just one, and still be okay, but I’m very aware of how easily I could fall right back down that hole. Water is great!
  • Jruzer
    Jruzer Posts: 3,501 Member
    Mrscanmore wrote: »
    We really like our dogs steam. Sometimes I just add juice and sometimes a little flavoring.

    I really hope this is supposed to be "sodastream". Otherwise you might want to get your dog to the vet. :p
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    DancingMoosie wrote: »
    Walmart has Clear American sodas that are really good.

    they are good! i go in phases of drinking that. i really like the blackberry lemonade one but its not usually in stock at my Walmart....
  • dsc84
    dsc84 Posts: 208 Member
    The Crystal Light/Drink mix above is a good suggestion. If you want the carbonation you could buy Tonic Water or Club Soda and add a bit of the mix to it to hit both wants. I fully understand what you are getting at. I'm the same way with Cookies. One cookie won't hurt me, but I don't want to start because I can't just have one cookie mentally. I know this about myself and I know that it's better to not partake and prevent over consumption. Sometimes you have to moderate by having zero.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,282 Member
    From a cost point of view generic brand diet cola drinks will be cheaper than Diet Coke and IMO taste virtually the same.
  • swimmchick87
    swimmchick87 Posts: 458 Member
    edited January 2021
    I hated all of the sparkling water I tried until Waterloo. It's not going to have the flavor that pop does, obviously, but it's got a lot more flavor than others I've tried, and it's still 0 calories. I also found it to be a bit of an acquired taste. After drinking Waterloo for awhile I now really like most other sparkling water brands I try. Bubly is pretty flavorfull as well. I also find that for me it has to be super cold; best in a glass with ice.

    FWIW, I still drink diet pop as well. Getting into the sparkling water was a way for me to stop drinking so much of it. I had it with all of my meals and snacks, as well as sometimes in between, and was often literally drinking 8 or more cans every single day. No, it didn't impact my weight loss, but there's no way having that much pop a day is good for you. Now I probably average 2 cans a day, and have gotten in the habit of only packing the sparkling water with my lunch.

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