Sugary Soda Alternatives

During my college years, I rarely missed my daily Super Big Gulp of Diet Pepsi. Reflecting back, I now cringe at thought of the vast amounts of sugar substitute, caffeine, and chemicals I was drenching my internal landscape with every day.

Sodas, whether diet or regular, are drinks that many Americans partake in on a regular basis. There are, however, some easy, much healthier alternatives that can be extremely quenching and satisfying.

You can literally make any "soda", by starting with a sparkling water base. Next, simply add a splash of fruit juice of your choosing, to provide the sweetness you would otherwise obtain from a sugary soda. My new favorite combo is Pelligrino, with a dash of pineapple juice. The nice think is you can vary the sweetness by adding any amount of fruit juice you like. That's it; two simple ingredients and you have a healthy, processed sugar free, soda! It is 100% natural, so there is absolutely no guilt.

Other fruit juice sodas I enjoy include pomegranate, blueberry, and grapefruit.

Now, if you are thinking this sounds great, but what about my caffeine, there is a solution. Simply grab any tea; black, green, or white(depending on how much caffeine you want), mix with sparkling water, and squirt in some agave nectar. Agave nectar works perfectly, as it is runnier than honey, so it mixes and dissolves with ease; not hardening like honey is known to do with cold liquids. Again, you can control the sweetness factor by simply varying the amount of agave nectar. Agave is also a nice sugar alternative as it does not raise you blood sugar levels like sugar and honey are known to do.

Another refreshing option, especially in the hot summer months, is sparking lemonade or limeade. Simply combine sparkling water, fresh lemon or lime juice, and agave nectar. Leave out the sparkling water if you prefer a traditional non-sparkling lemonade.