Thirsty? Try One of These 9 Refreshing Alternatives to Soda

When thirst hits, toss the pop and reach for these beverages.

Why You Should Quit Your Soda Habit

Americans continue to guzzle extra calories through sugary drinks like soda — which come with many health dangers. A growing body of research, including a study published in November 2013 in the American Journal of Public Health, has linked soda consumption to an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes, as well as to rising rates of obesity. 

Findings from a study published in August 2011 in the journal Appetite suggested that drinking soda can actually trigger sweet cravings by dulling your sensitivity to sweet tastes, sparking a vicious cycle of eating sweet foods and drinks.

“The sugar in soda is so concentrated and invisible,” says Kelly Kennedy, RD, nutritionist for Everyday Health. “When I tell people that there are more than 16 teaspoons of sugar in a 20 ounce (oz) bottle of cola, they're shocked. It's just so easy to overdo it on both sugar and calories.”

All of that sugar intake has damaging effects. A study published in May 2015 in the journal Diabetologia found that swapping out just one sugary drink a day can cut your risk of type 2 diabetes by as much as 25 percent.

Diet soda fiends aren't off the hook either: A study published in March 2015 in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society found that diet soda intake is directly related to abdominal obesity in adults over age 65. The increase in waist circumference among diet soda drinkers was three times the amount in nondrinkers.

“While you're not getting the same amount of calories or sugar from a diet soda that you would from a regular one, the belief is that with diet soda the body senses the sweet flavor and craves the calories that would normally go with that flavor,” notes Kennedy. “As a result, people end up ‘making up’ for the missed calories in other foods that they eat throughout the day.”

In Kennedy’s opinion, other unhealthy lifestyle factors “often go along with frequent soda consumption, which compounds soda's effect on health. Oftentimes, when someone is having a soda, they're not making the best food choices either.”

So what are some better choices? There are plenty of other refreshing beverages, with nutritional value, that you can drink instead of soda. It’s still important, though, to consider what’s in your soda substitutes. Replacing soda with high-in-sugar fruit juices or tea and coffee drinks loaded with added refined sugar isn’t much better for your health.

But swapping out soda for drinks that are low in sugar, such as unsweetened iced coffee or tea, can reduce your sugar intake while adding beneficial antioxidants to your diet. Low-fat milk, Kennedy adds, is also a better option, providing vitamins and nutrients, such as calcium.

Need some inspiration? Get started with these healthier, low-calorie thirst-quenchers that are sure to still satisfy your taste buds.

Infuse Your Water With Delicious Flavor

Flavored waters are everywhere these days, but many contain sugar or artificial sweeteners. A healthier choice is natural flavoring: Just add slices of your favorite fruits and veggies — lemons, oranges, watermelon, cucumber, mint, or limes — to a pitcher of ice-cold water for a refreshing and flavorful drink. Another great option is to put chopped-up fruit in an ice cube tray, add water, and freeze. Place these colorful fruit cubes in your beverage for instant flavor and color!

Go Natural With Green Tea, Hot or Iced

Studies of green tea suggest that it may help reduce the risk of several types of cancer, heart disease, obesity, kidney stones, and possibly even cavities. In addition to this, green tea is calorie-free (if you have it without milk or sugar) and naturally high in antioxidants. Green tea is available in many varieties. Drink it hot or iced, and if you want a little sweetening, a few drops of honey will serve you well.

Add Juice to Seltzer and You've Got Jeltzer

There's no need to purchase sugary sodas or pricey vitamin-enhanced waters — which also pack calories — when instead you can mix 100 percent, no-sugar-added juice with seltzer. A thick, tart juice, such as pomegranate or grape, makes for a great jeltzer base, in addition to supplying health benefits.

Pomegranate juice and grape juice are sources of antioxidants that may help protect your brain and blood vessels. Still, don’t go overboard with juice. “It's a common misconception that juice is good for you because it's made from fruit,” notes Kennedy. While it does have nutritional benefits that soda lacks, it can also be high in sugar and calories.

To cut down on your sugar intake, mix one part juice with three parts seltzer to create this light and bubbly concoction.

Fake a Lemon-Lime Soda for a Citrus Fix

Can't give up your favorite citrus-flavored soda? Indulge in an occasional treat with a healthier version made with lemon or lime and a small amount of sweetener. Start with a glass of sparkling or seltzer water, and add a few slices of lemon or lime (or both) and a dash of stevia-based sweetener, which is calorie-free and low in carbs. A little goes a long way, so use it sparingly.

Red Wine Is Fine, When Consumed in Moderation

If your drink of choice is a spirit mixed with cola, you're better off ordering a glass of wine. Specifically red wine, which, when consumed in moderation, has been associated with reduced risk for cardiovascular disease. There is also research investigating resveratrol, an antioxidant compound in red wine, and the protective effect it may have against Alzheimer's disease and cancer.

The National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommends that women limit alcohol consumption to one drink per day (4 oz of wine), and men to two drinks per day, in order to reap these benefits. Look for wine without additives, such as sulfites, which can cause headaches and other allergic reactions.

Juice Fresh Vegetables, No Chopping Needed

Vegetable juice offers a quick, low-calorie way to get all the benefits of veggies. It also contains much less natural sugar than fruit juices. But vegetable juice can be high in sodium, so opt for a low-sodium version whenever possible.

Better yet, make your own fresh juice easily at home with a juicer. Simply add your favorite veggies, and even a few slices of fruit if you want to sweeten your drink, to the juicer — no chopping required! If you prefer a little kick, add some black pepper and a drop of hot sauce.

If You Can't Do Dairy, Consider Soy Milk

A glass of nonfat or low-fat milk provides you calcium and vitamin D. But for those who are lactose intolerant or who don't consume dairy, soy milk can be a good, protein-packed alternative, available in a variety of flavors, including almond and vanilla. While the data on soy's health benefits have been mixed, intake of soy protein may reduce the risk for heart disease, according to the NIH.

Look for low-fat, unsweetened soy beverages to reduce calories. Also, pick soy milk that has been fortified with nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, especially if you're drinking it as a substitute for milk.

Let Loose and Brew Your Tea With an Infuser

Loose tea is a low-calorie option that allows you to get tea's health benefits and flavor from the actual tea leaf, without any additives. Brewing loose tea in an infuser, a device that holds tea leaves in a mesh chamber that you submerge in water, works wonderfully to bring out the flavor of your tea of choice. Enjoying a hot cup of loose tea — such as white, green, oolong, or black — is a relaxing pleasure that's also great for your health.

If You Need Caffeine, Have a Cup of Coffee

More and more evidence is showing that coffee in moderation can be a healthy part of your diet. “Unsweetened coffee, either black or with a small amount of nonfat or low-fat milk, would be the healthiest option,” says Kennedy. Coffee drinkers may have a lower risk of developing heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. According to a study published in March 2011 in the journal Stroke, women who drink a cup or more of coffee a day have up to a 25 percent lower stroke risk as compared with nondrinkers.

And — as if you didn't know it already — coffee's caffeine can help with mental alertness and physical performance, as long as you don't overdo it. Too much caffeine can leave you jittery and anxious, so dietitians generally recommend that you drink no more than a couple of cups a day (depending on the way it's prepared).

“It’s generally considered safe to have up to 400 milligrams of caffeine each day,” says Kennedy. “Certain types of brewing will have different amounts of caffeine.” And some people are more sensitive to caffeine than others. Pregnant women and those trying to become pregnant may want to avoid it, though research on this is mixed.