No added sugar drinks

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Kathrynha77
Kathrynha77 Posts: 103 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Like many on here, I was drinking an awful lot of fizzy drinks, especially caffeine ones. Last year (long before joining MFP) I switched from sugary ones to diet ones, which is obviously good calorie wise, but not neccessarily health wise. Because of this I decided to cut out all fizzy drinks, and in the last 2 months I have gone from about 2 litres a day (6 cans) to now 1 can every 2 ays, just using up what's in the cupboard.
Obviously that is good, and I feel better for it. All that fizz isn't good in your stomach. The thing is I have replaced it with NAS squash. For those non-Brits, squash is a dilutable fruit flavoured drink. I am now thinking maybe this squash isn't actually that good, for similar reasons to diet fizzy drinks. The ingredients include asparteme.
What can I drink as a healthier option?
For a cold drink, I don't really like water, and don't want the calories of pure fruit juice.
For hot drinks (I currently drink hot squash instead of tea and coffee) I don't want to go back to caffeine hot drinks and don't like fruit teas.
Feel I should replace squash, but what with? Any suggestions would be most welcome. Thanks

Replies

  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
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    Cold drinks = skimmed milk. Love the taste, love the protein
    Hot drinks = Cappuccino with skimmed milk = Love the tatse, love the protein

    If anyone is thinking of telling me how bad milk is for me then please wait a second while I put my fingers in my ear, shut my eyes and shout. I do NOT want to know!
  • higgins1988
    higgins1988 Posts: 38
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    Kathrynha77 I have the same problem! but i hate milk :S any other suggestions?
  • PhenomeNae
    PhenomeNae Posts: 130 Member
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    Cold drinks = skimmed milk. Love the taste, love the protein
    Hot drinks = Cappuccino with skimmed milk = Love the tatse, love the protein

    If anyone is thinking of telling me how bad milk is for me then please wait a second while I put my fingers in my ear, shut my eyes and shout. I do NOT want to know!

    i don't think skimmed milk in moderation is all that bad for you. like you said, it has protein.
  • Joannie30
    Joannie30 Posts: 415 Member
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    I drink no added sugar squash, for the same reason as you- that i HATE water!!!! What i do though is i just put literally a tiny splash into a pint of water. Enough just to give the water a teeny bit of a flavour and just sip it throughout the day.

    If you're looking for an alternative to coffee, i can highly recommend Chai Tea. It is made with spices and cinnamon. It does have a tiny amount of caffeine, but i figure the antioxidants and other health benefits it has far outweigh that. It also tastes REALLY lovely!

    Add me if you like!
    Jx
  • FearTheFool
    FearTheFool Posts: 29
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    Personally I don't think squash is too much of a problem. I have mine fairly weak, at least it gauntnesses I get in my water, I'm sure maybe some health food shops might have natural squash without the aspartame/artificial sweeteners.
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
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    Cold drinks = skimmed milk. Love the taste, love the protein
    Hot drinks = Cappuccino with skimmed milk = Love the tatse, love the protein

    If anyone is thinking of telling me how bad milk is for me then please wait a second while I put my fingers in my ear, shut my eyes and shout. I do NOT want to know!

    i don't think skimmed milk in moderation is all that bad for you. like you said, it has protein.

    Oh just like most foods there is a school of thought that says cow's milk is bad for you. Don't google it if you ever want to drink it again!
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    I can't stand the taste of artificial sweeteners so I give them a miss (I got mighty cranky when I got a free powerade zero after a race - I'd just run 14km and they gave me an energy drink that had a total of 9 calories of energy, they must be mad!!)

    If you just can't drink plain water, try using 100% fruit juice like squash - water it down so it just flavours the water.
    You can also try squeezing lemon or lime juice into your water.
    Sparkling water is great too - in a glass with ice and lemon it looks like an alcoholic drink when you are at the pub :smile:

    Have you tried some of the herbal teas out there for a hot drink? I like green tea, lemon and ginger herbal tea.
    Or try flavouring your hot water with lemon or ginger - or lemon and ginger!

    Or you could make some soup (just watch the salt and calorie content) for a hot drink.
    Don't you English drink Bovril or is that an urban myth?
  • valorieflowers
    valorieflowers Posts: 154
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    I have come to love the zero calorie drinks out there that are only naturally sweetened (stevia and such). My faves are Sobe Lifewater Zero and Vitamin Water Zero Naturally Sweetened.
  • kathyms13
    kathyms13 Posts: 497 Member
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    i drink zero drinks all the time and it hasnt killed me yet. i hate water but fizzy flavored i can cope with. there is to much hype these days whats supposed to be bad for you. KEEP CALM AND DRINK ZERO.
  • Kathrynha77
    Kathrynha77 Posts: 103 Member
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    Thank you people. Definately have some ideas to try there.

    Like skimmed milk, just a bit concerned about the calories. Maybe I could dilute it down a bit with crushed ice. Obviously could only have that at home not work.

    Joannie30, think you have a point about strength of it. Could over time just make it weaker. Like the sound of Chai tea though, I love cinnamon.
    Also Rubybelle, I like the idea of lemon or lime juice in water. That used to be part of the weight watchers plan back 10+ years ago. I remember not been keenon it to start with, but grew to like it over time. Also good hot of cold.
    As for bovril, one of my teachers at school used to drink it. It stunk awful, think I'll give that one a miss :sick: :bigsmile:
  • Ceffy
    Ceffy Posts: 235
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    If you're looking for an alternative to coffee, i can highly recommend Chai Tea.

    ^^ This but I normally have it in a skinny latte :blushing:
  • yarwell
    yarwell Posts: 10,477 Member
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    there are No Added Sugar squashes sweetened with sucralose (splenda) in Asda, Coop, Sainsbury (all of whom don't use aspartame in own brand products).

    I think they're a good idea if you don't like plain water.
  • poptastic
    poptastic Posts: 151 Member
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    I think No Added Sugar squash is not that great anyway as it still has some sugar naturally - I started drinking a lot of squash instead of water because my boyfriend loves it and it's always around, but it all adds up if you drink a lot and I think it's not helping me in my weight loss. I used to always have a cup of hot water with a slice of lemon instead of tea - which is lovely and refreshing - or a cold sparkling water with ice and lime/lemon - both much better for you than squash, I'm trying to go back to it myself!
  • ahamm002
    ahamm002 Posts: 1,690 Member
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    I'd recommend ditching any drinks with sugar or artificial sweeteners alltogether, with the exception of milk, coffee, and tea. If you're used to drinking sugary drinks, of course water won't taste great. But if you drink water for awhile it will start tasting fine. Try getting a birta or pure water filter.

    Tea and coffee both have positive health benefits as opposed to negative health consequences like diet sodas and sugary drinks. So stick with coffee, tea, and water.

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