We all know it’s important to stay hydrated, especially in the hot summer months. But sugary drinks can add unnecessary calories to your day and poorly affect your health. So, how can you stay hydrated without the extra sugar? Luckily, there are plenty of options for drinks without sugar that you can enjoy!
In this post, I’ll explain why you should be removing added sugar from your diet and give you plenty of sugar-free drink ideas.
Why You Need to Stay Hydrated
Now that it’s summertime, we’re all focused a bit more on keeping ourselves from becoming dehydrated. Even mild dehydration can cause problems such as dry skin, fatigue, and headaches. More severe forms of dehydration can cause serious conditions like rapid heart rate and low blood pressure.
Making sure you drink enough water not only prevents dehydration but also has many benefits. Staying hydrated ensures you properly regulate your body temperature, keep your immune system working well, and it even helps you sleep better. In short, getting those 8 glasses of water each day is totally worth it!
Here are a few tips to help you stay hydrated:
- Drink a glass of water first thing in the morning to start your day off right. We lose a lot of water when we’re sleeping.
- Invest in a reusable water bottle and keep it with you throughout the day.
- Set a goal for how much water you want to drink each day and track your progress.
“Healthy eating is a way of life, so it’s important to establish routines that are simple, realistically, and ultimately livable.” – Horace Click To Tweet
Removing Added Sugar from Your Diet
There are many reasons to remove added sugar from your diet. Firstly, added sugars like the ones in soda, coffee, or energy drinks have no fiber or nutritional value like fruit does. So, when you consume added sugars, you’re getting extra flavor and calories, but that’s about it. Sugary drinks are a great way to pack on the pounds without much effort.
Secondly, added sugar can spike your blood sugar, causing your body to release insulin. While this isn’t a bad thing, excess insulin usage can lead to insulin resistance, which leads to type 2 diabetes. While sugar itself doesn’t cause diabetes, overworking your pancreas does.
Eating too much sugar also has harmful effects on our energy levels and mood, and can cause inflammation in the body. Inflammation can lead to everything from joint pain to damaged arteries.
Check the labels on what you typically drink so you can be aware of hidden sources of sugar, such as honey and agave nectar. Then, you might be surprised at how much sugar you’re actually consuming.
Swapping Sugary Drinks for Sugar-Free Options
Swapping out sugary drinks for sugar-free alternatives is one small change that can make a big difference. Drinks without added sugar are often just as refreshing as their sugary counterparts but dramatically reduce our sugar intake. In addition, sugar-free drinks tend to be lower in calories, which helps with weight management.
Once you’ve checked what you usually drink, pick the beverages that have the most sugar and swap them out for healthier ones. The best thing to do is find another drink you like, so you don’t feel too bad giving up your usual. If you don’t, you’ll likely end up falling back into your old ways.
If you’re a coffee-lover, consider drinking your coffee without sugar or cutting back on it. Even if you’re not a fan of sugar-free coffee, you might find it starts to grow on you. If you don’t, don’t worry too much about it. Find another drink to make a sugar-free swap.
Unsweetened tea, coffee, and sparkling water are all great choices. If you’re looking for something a little more flavorful, try adding some fresh fruit or herbs to your water. Mint, cucumber, and lemon are all great options. And if you’re craving something sweet, there are now many options for sugar-free flavored waters on the market.
My go-to favorites for drinks without added sugar are ones that are easy to make and inexpensive. I make iced tea by adding 2 tea bags to a pitcher of water and letting it steep in the fridge for a few hours. Another thing I love is my Sodastream, which I can add fruit slices or juice to. Even if it’s not completely sugar-free, it goes a long way to removing added sugar from your diet.
Ideas for Drinks Without Added Sugar
Now that you know all about making healthy drink swaps, here’s a list of some great sugar-free drinks to try:
- Unsweetened tea. Don’t forget to try a few to find which tea you like.
- Try a new flavor of Bubly.
- Iced coffee made without the flavor syrup.
- Sodastream with sugar-free water enhancer or fruit slices added. Click my link here to save 20% sitewide!
- Water infused with fresh mint, cucumber, and lemon.
- Coconut water.
- Homemade iced tea made with peach or berry-flavored tea bags.
- Give kombucha a try.
- Make a smoothie with fresh or frozen fruit and oat milk.
- Drink your alcohol on the rocks, neat, or with some flavored sparkling water instead of soda.
Stay Hydrated Without Added Sugar: Conclusion
Avoiding dehydration and reducing sugar intake are great ways to improve your health without much effort. By following these tips and keeping sugar-free drink options ready, you’ll be well on your way to staying hydrated and feeling your best!
So, next time you’re looking for a way to rehydrate without all the sugar, remember there are plenty of delicious and healthy options available. A simple swap is all it takes. Stay cool and drink up!
What’s your favorite way to stay hydrated without added sugar? Share it in the comments!
That’s it for now everyone. If you’ve found some value in this post, please share it to inspire others too! Thanks!
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