Reader’s Requests: What to sip?
Hi guys! How’s your day been? Hopefully lovely 😀
I got a reader’s request that I thought would be an awesome topic for this week: DRINKS!
From Ashley:
Maybe a reader request post topic could be about ‘Drinks’. What are some good healthy drinks to drink besides water. Also, what some drinks really mean when it says low/no calorie. We probably think they are healthy but in reality they aren’t. I love Hansen’s: they contain no artificial colors or flavors, no sodium, no caffeine, and no preservatives, and are gluten and dairy free. But am I missing something? Is this good for me? I get a little weird when I see these sorts of drinks. Not really sure if it something I could be drinking. So maybe you could post some suggestions of drinks out there that are okay to drink.
Here’s the lowdown on food labeling, from this website:
- Saturated Fat–
*Saturated fat free: Less than 1/2 gram saturated fat in a serving; levels of trans fatty acids must be not more than 1 percent of total fat.
**Low saturated fat: 1 gram saturated fat or less in a serving and 15 percent or less of calories from saturated fat. For a meal or main dish (like a frozen dinner): 1 gram saturated fat or less in 100 grams of food and less than 10 percent of calories from saturated fat.
- Cholesterol–
*Cholesterol free: Less than 2 milligrams (mg) cholesterol in a serving; saturated fat content must be 2 grams or less in a serving.
**Low cholesterol: 20 mg cholesterol or less in a serving; saturated fat content must be 2 grams or less in a serving. For a meal or main dish: 20 mg cholesterol or less in 100 grams of food, with saturated fat content less than 2 grams in 100 grams of food.
- Fat–
*Fat free: Less than 1/2 gram fat in a serving.
**Low fat: 3 grams total fat or less in a serving. For a meal or main dish: 3 grams total fat or less in 100 grams of food and not more than 30 percent calories from fat.
Percent fat free–A food with this claim must also meet the low fat claim.
- Calories–
*Calorie free: Less than 5 calories in a serving.
**Low calorie: 40 calories or less in a serving.
- Sodium–
*Sodium free: Less than 5 mg sodium in a serving.
**Low sodium: 140 mg sodium or less in a serving. For a meal or main dish: 140 mg sodium or less in 100 grams of food.
Very low sodium: 35 mg sodium or less in a serving.*Words that mean the same thing as free: "no," "zero," "without," "trivial source of," "negligible source of," and "dietary insignificant source of."
Marketers can get tricky with their wording and make things sound way healthier than they are. The best bet is to check the ingredient list and see what’s really in the stuff you’re about to choose. Drinks can be especially confusing- some drinks have 2-3 servings per bottle –it’s easy to guzzle the whole thing!- or be labeled with 100% juice, when it’s really loaded with sugar.
As far as drinks go, when I first start training new clients, I tell them water, unsweetened tea and coffee only. This is only for simplicity purposes and because this way they’ll be eating calories instead of drinking them. After I’ve been working with them for a little while, we add in healthy drinks that provide nutrients and other benefits… and taste amazing 😀 Variety is the spice of life, ya know?
Note- These aren’t the only healthy drinks out there! Just some of my faves 😀
Water
Water is seriously the wonder drink. Water transports nutrient and oxygen, enables our body to detoxify, promotes clear skin, regulates body temperature, protects our joints and organs, and boosts metabolism. Even though it’s super refreshing, water tastes kind of boring, so here are some ways to spice it up 🙂
-Add fresh berries and a little Stevia, for a sweet fruit-infused drink
-Slices of cucumber, lemon and fresh mint
–Orange slices and basil
-Raspberries and lime
Coconut Water
An excellent source of electrolytes after a long or intense workout sesh, and is low in calories (60 per serving). One container has more potassium than a banana and I love the refreshing taste! Check out O.N.E and Zico brands.
Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Juice
An easy way to get a high dose of nutrients. Go for freshly-made or try Odwalla and POM. My favorite juice bar picks: apple, beet, carrot and ginger; wheatgrass, apple juice and ginger; and spinach, green apple, lemon and parsley
Kombucha
It wasn’t exactly love at first sight with kombucha. After I got used to the tangy, bubbly taste, I couldn’t get enough – my wallet held me back, though, since it was $4.99 a pop here in Valdizzy. Kombucha has been made for centuries –my great-grandmother used to have a batch going all the time!- and is a great source of probiotics. Lately, there’s been a lot of hubbub about the alcohol content of kombucha, causing it to be removed from Whole Paycheck shelves. No wonder it made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside…. So until they bring kombucha back, I may consider making my own like we did at school.
Smoooooothies!
Ya’ll know I LOVE my smoothies. There are so many combinations out there (check out Show Me Your Smoothie for ideas!), but my all-time faves are the chocolate cherry bomb,
and the “monkey” smoothie (1 banana, 1 C almond milk, 1 scoop Sun Warrior, 1 T raw cacao powder, Stevia, cinnamon, 1 T almond butter and cacao nibs).
Check out *this post* for tips on making the perfect smoothie.
Tea!
All flavors, all types, it’s all good. Add a little milk of choice and some sweetener if you desire.
Vino
I’m a big-time fan of vino. It makes every meal a thousand times more special and delicious, and red wine provides cancer-protective antioxidants. Try to keep it 1-2 glasses, since one glass has about 100 calories. To make it stretch further: Add 1/2 glass vino to 1/2 glass seltzer for a wine spritzer. Half the calories, just as fun 🙂
Zevia
One of the things I tell clients (friends and family) that they probably *should* do is quit soda. I’m not one to preach about healthy eating/drinking –what other people do is none of my biznazz- but for soda I’ll make an exception. It causes bloat, contains chemicals, syrups and junk, and the diet versions contain aspartame. I used to be totally addicted to Diet Coke back in the day, and even though it took a while to get soda out of my life, I don’t miss it too much now. When I really, REALLY crave a soda, I reach for Zevia. They’re made with Stevia instead of aspartame and taste incredible.
So that’s all I’ve got!
What’s your favorite healthier drink??
Hope you enjoyed this reader’s request and I’ll see ya in the morning!
xoxo,
Gina
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Naked Brand makes a “smoothie” with coconut water that is AWESOME.
what?! i’ve gotta find it….
mo’ info: http://foodbizdaily.com/archive/2010/03/23/97079-product-naked-juice-fruit-smoothies-with-coconut-water-by.aspx
In the summer I brew any flavor of tea that I am craving, in a little bit of hot water and then just add cold water and ice on top of that. I nice refreshing drink and the flavors are really endless.
I haven’t drank soda in 9 years. I started singing and quit drinking soda, never went back…don’t miss it at all. I once had a sip of seltzer…couldnt stop burping after (tmi?)
My favorite healthy drink is WATER! Water, water, water. Nothing better. For fun I like to crush up lime and mint in it sometimes – like a mojito.
What great ideas! Thanks so much for posting this and to Ashley for suggesting the topic!
I don’t drink. I’m only seventeen. . . butttt, I love Kombucha! I’ll totally attest to its alcohol content. I wouldn’t doubt it if someone told me there’s more that 1% alcohol in those babies. I usually feel woozy after I have one.
I’m diabetic and I thought I couldn’t have kombucha because I always felt funny afterwards and figured it was somehow messing with my blood sugar…welllllllp, now I know why! Haha, I really do miss it though. Guava Goddess by Synergy is my fav.
You forgot MILK! I like almond milk and my boyfriend likes skim.
haha i knew i was forgetting something! oops 🙂
I love tea and steamed soy, coffee and soy/almond milk, water with a splash of juice (if no fruit is available), flavored (all natural) soda water 🙂
Great insightful post. I’m a big fan of Smart Water and fruit infused sparkling water. Haven’t tried Kombucha yet. I’m a little wary of it!
Milk [almond, soy, and skim] and water are really just about the only things in our fridge! Okay and there is a bottle of wine in there too. I dress up my water with lemon slices or english cucumber slices.
I was wondering what you think of the Sobe life waters. If you think they’re really healthy or not. From what I can tell from the ingredients, every thing is good but you just never know anymore.
honestly, i’ve never tried them or looked at a bottle.. next time i’m the the store i’ll check them out.
the last time i grabbed one of those, i remember thinking it was like a vitamin water. but when i checked the stats, it’s actually FILLED with sugar. just as bad as a soda. maybe theyve changed the ingredients?
I seriously really only drink water. I hate carbonation and juices…I just always have. I choose water. Or a margarita. 😉
this is great…
I am two days in using our juicer at home each morning (saving me $7 each drink!!) and I LOOOOVE it… fresh juice is the best!
I was never a big soda fan… I drink SODA WATER sometimes, for bubbly, but that is 0 cal. 🙂
I also love kombucha + coconut water…
Oooooh, Kombucha. I’m so scared to try it, but I reeaally want to! I just hate to spend so much $ if I’m going to hate it y’know?
I’m mainly a water, seltzer or seltzer & juice type gal. A little vino now and then and one sip of soda every oh…6 months. I love tea, but during warm weather I can’t seem to be bothered to brew up iced tea. I drink flavoured rooibos all winter though!
Oooh, I do enjoy a swig now and then of almond/soy/hemp milk. Soy is the only thing that settles my heartburn so I’ve got it on hand at all times.
I do like my occasional soda…I know, it is my one vice! I have to add Organic-Fair Trade coffee if you are in to coffee. Also, those Sobe Life Water that Jennifer mentioned are very yummy. Any water with a hint of a fruit flavor is delish. Yummy teas…I like to add a bit of milk in my tea when I drink it hot, adds some depth and brings out the flavor of the tea. Sounds weird, but it is very good.
Skim milk 😛
I love your add in ideas for water! I’m going to have to try all of them 🙂 I do have a question for you not related to this post. I’m moving into my own apartment in a couple of weeks (yay!) and I’ve been thinking about buying a dehydrator. I don’t think that I can afford to buy an Excalibur but I’d be willing to spend up to $120ish. Do you have any suggestions?
excalibur makes a small, less expensive model (not sure how much $ it is) but check ebay and craigslist. excalibur is the only model i’ve used and from what i’ve heard, it’s the best, so maybe you can find a used one online that will fit in your budget. you’ll LOVE it 🙂
This is great! Will definitely bookmark this post 🙂
I gave up pop a couple years ago and it was one of the best things I did. It really is just a waste of calories and when you think about it, the stuff doesn’t even taste that good.
My main drinks that I have on a normal day are water, coffee, and tea. I’m glad to see they all made it on your list 😀
I think you covered all my favs here! Nice list!
I love all of your ideas for ways to spice up water! I’ve got to try them 🙂
GREAT post! I need to try basil in water.
I drink all of that! I’m starting to get hooked on aloe drinks now too
I like mineral water, plain and with some juice added. I like Izze sparkling juices, but I do not drink them often because of the amount of sugar in them. Oogave makes a yummy Root Beer and even a Watermelon Cream soda. I also do not drink these often, but every once in a while I like a root beer float. 🙂 If I do buy soda for my husband it is either Oogave, Blue Sky, Hansens or the Whole Foods 365 brand. They don’t have artificial sweeteners or nasty chemicals in them.
I don’t drink Kombucha, it always made me feel funky after I drank it. Now I know part of it at least was the alcohol content, I have a sensitivity to alcohol and rarely drink more than two small sips if even that.
I also recommend that people research Kombucha before drinking it, just google it and you’ ll find all kinds of interesting info.
“when in doubt, water comes out!”
hello! did you get your kombucha to be effervescent at school? i’ve been brewing my own and can’t seem to get it super fizzy (even though i leave it for a second fermentation in the bottle for 5 days!). it’s tangy and vingery but not much fizz.
yes ours was fizzy- what kind of tea and sugar did you use??
i used neuman’s own organic green tea (5 bags in 16 cups of water) and 1 cup of white sugar.
SPARKLING WATER is a great drink.. i like plain or lime~ no calories, no sugar, no fat, and you can find some without sodium 🙂
Do you think that working out for 45 minutes requires a lot of feuling before-hand or post-workout? I just have a piece of bread and do 45 minutes on elliptical and then go home and have a salad. I actually did your thirty minute elliptical workout and then added 15 minutes to it. I’m trying to lose some weight so I don’t want to overcompensate on calories but I also want workouts to be effective.
i think that sounds fine, just make sure your salad is more of a *meal* with lots of veggies and some protein 🙂
Girl I have kombucha comin’ outta my ears! My homemade kombucha is turning my kitchen into a distillery LOL! I have sooo much right now I’ve been giving it away. I am making it plain of course and then infusing it with a little mango juice and pineapple juice…so good 🙂 I wish I could give you some. I have surplus! And I have Scoby’s. If you happen to need one, I could probably ship you one. Keep me posted 🙂
I’m nearly a week without drinking diet coke, I still crave it but I know it’s soo bad for my body so I have to give it up. Used to drink a few bottles or cans of it a day, it’s disgusting.
my dad has high cholesterol and bases all his food choices on the cholesterol label… then drinks a ton of beer and coke. I don’t think it works that way
I really want to try kombucha sometime soon! Too bad they pulled it from the shelves of Whole Paycheck! 🙁 Thanks for the great post, Gina!
I like the taste of water if it’s ice cold, so I pretty much drink that all day. (Try floating cubes of watermelon in it. So good but subtle.) Other than that, I’m a huge iced tea drinker. At work, though, I’m all about hot tea since it’s usually 10 degrees in here.
I LOVE water and lemon. I drink so much of it my eyes should be yellow!
ALMOND MILK!!!! and water…I love drinking almond milk in the morning and after a nice hard/long workout. It is so refreshing. I drink the Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk by Almond Breeze. SOOO DELICIOUS! 😀 Sometimes I drink coconut water from VitaCoco. It’s a great fueling drink during a workout.
Kombucha! I love having it first thing when I wake up before breakfast… Although I get that fuzzy, happy feeling when I drink it, too!! Always thought it was just bc it was so good for me, it made my body happy! Hmmmm… Or maybe it’s just a little buzz I have going on?!? 🙂
loved this post. i adore coconut water. if i drink the flavored kind, i ALWAYS get pineapple. anything else is terrible. yuck. (i think the acai/pom tastes like squash…) so glad you added vino – life’s too short to not drink the wine! and yes, kombucha…definitely used to give me a buzz! glad im not the only one 🙂
Love this comprehensive list! Has many of my favorites, but I still haven’t tried coconut water and Zevia. I certainly want to though.
Your reader requests posts are awesome!! They are so thorough and informative. LOVE them!! Thank you.
Thanks for picking my readers request! 🙂 Those marketers are very sneaky! I still need to try Kombucha. I think I’ll pick one up today and give it a try. Until then, I’m actually about to sip on my coconut water. 😉 Again, thanks Gina, your suggestions are great!
loved this post! so educational and insightful… coconut water sounds like the perfect remedy on a hot summer day. Mmmm.
thanks for sharing <3
sorry this is late but could you please please please make a post about how to know when u are recovered from an eating disorder? also could anyone who has had an ed make fitness goals such as running a marathon or competing in a figure competition?
hey lexi,
the best bet would be to seek out counseling from someone local to see if you’ve fully recovered (like an RD or nutritionist in your area) and they can help you figure out how to accomplish your fitness or competition goals the healthy way <3
Awesome water “addition” tips! They sound so refreshing! Right now, I’m really feelin’ some light vanilla soy milk, but water is my main sip. I’ve never tried coconut water, but I will now 🙂 Thanks for the post–super informative and interesting!
I am ALL about water..I cannot get enough..it is delish!!! I drink two gallons a day. I also love any kind of tea! I never drink any liquids with calories though..i would rather save my calories and get them from food. I want to find Zevia..I cannot find it in Utah anywhere!
I just always end up drinking water… if I want fruit and veggies I’d rather eat em raw 🙂
I’m a huge drinker~! haha…not in the alcoholic sense, but I am aware of my preferences and, honestly, in the summer, when I know I need some nutrients/energy to keep me going, I sometimes make a smoothie as a meal replacement when I’m not craving an actual meal.
Smoothies and drinks = easy to digest and a fresh dose of vitamins.
My fave is to add rosewater, coconut, or pomme juice to my smoothies b.c it makes it special.
Favorite desert smoothie: vegan green tea coconut sorbet mixed w/ ice and almond milk….topped with pan fried cashews!
Lastly, I drink a cup or two of iced coffee in the morning in the summer to get going and before work-outs.
My question is: where can I find the “mother” strain to make my own kombucha?? I love tea and have been sad that its missing from WF, so maybe I’ll try making my own too!
you can order them online! http://www.crazyfortea.com/kombuchaculture.html
just google “kombucha starter” or “kombucha scoby”
water, all the way. i drink SO MUCH WATER and i just can’t get enough! it’s so clean and refreshing 🙂
What do you think about xanthan gum? I tried it for the first time the other day and it sent my stomach in circles and I got TERRIBLE (TMI I’m sure lol) gas, like drive the husband out of the house type (Sooooo embarassing!). I used 1/2 tsp for my first smoothie. I don’t know if maybe I’m sensitive to it or used too much or maybe I need to work my way up to that amount??
ok, i’m so glad you said that because last night i didn’t measure it and my stomach hurt all night! maybe that’s why it’s better in small doses??
A few weeks ago I read an article aboout the benefits of lemon water. At first when I tried it I didn’t like it…now I love it!
What are your thoughts about sparkling flavored water? I know they have some sodium in them, but it helps keep my soda cravings at bay
i think it’s totally fine as long as there isn’t fake sugar in there