Soda is one of the most popular drinks in America, but it’s also one of the unhealthiest. Here are four ways on how to stop drinking soda and improve your health.
Do you drink a lot of soda? If so, you might want to cut back – drinking too much soda can have some serious health consequences. Read on to learn more about why drinking soda is bad for you and find out how to stop drinking it altogether.
Thinking back to my junior high school days, I can’t help but wonder how I managed to live without drinking water. Before I knew just how bad soda was for my health, I knew that they were tasty – really tasty – and available from pretty much every vending machine at school.
I – and most of my classmates – indulged on these sugary drinks most weekdays. We were oblivious to the health risks and safely removed from the watchful eye of our parents.
Apparently, my classmates and I weren’t alone in our extreme soda consumption – a recent Gallup poll shows that 48% of Americans drink soda on a daily basis. What’s worse is that among those who drink soda daily, the average consumption is 2.6 glasses a day!
If that sounds surprisingly high for you – awesome, you’re not one of the addicted ones. The tricky thing about soda is that it is just so easy to get addicted to it.
By now, most of us know that it’s bad for you. Unfortunately, many of us start drinking the sugary concoction before we’re conscious enough to know the damage it does. And as they say, old habits die hard.
That being said, overcoming your soda addiction is one of the best things you can do for your body. It doesn’t matter if it’s “diet” – it’s still bad for you. But it can also be one of the hardest things to do. Soda’s so readily available, so socially accepted, so good with certain foods…
Still, it can be done – I did it, and it was one of the best things I ever did. Not to mention, it was surprisingly easy. Before I started juicing, I used to simply mix carbonated water with store-bought juice, which was better than soda, to be sure, but still not great.
Now whenever I have a soda craving – rarely now, since I mostly don’t eat foods that pair well with soda anymore – I just whip myself some healthy juice pop (see below)!
Are you struggling with how to stop drinking soda? If so, you’re definitely not alone. This highly addictive drink is enjoyed by millions of people worldwide, but it’s also bad for your health. So, what can you do to break the habit and start living a healthier life?
Here are four easy steps on how to stop drinking soda that can help to beat your soda addiction:
Step 1. Stock up on carbonated water
Despite some concerns around the health risks of soda water, soda water is no worse for you (or just as good as) drinking regular water. In fact, various parts of Europe drink “fizzy” water as opposed to regular water as their main hydration source.
Many brands of carbonated water get their water from naturally carbonated water sources. Such brands are Badoit, Apollinaris and Borsec, but these waters are a little price-y, as well as more difficult to find.
San Pellegrino is not naturally carbonated, but you can buy it in bulk from places like Costco, which makes it a bit easier.
Trader Joe’s also sells a very affordable brand of carbonated water which is great if you live near a Trader Joe’s. Whole Foods also has a line, which is slightly pricier than Trader Joe’s.
If you’re used to drinking a lot of soda and don’t want to keep buying carbonated water in bulk, I highly recommend Sodastream – which allows you to make carbonated water at home, using tap water. It’s extremely convenient, affordable and good for the environment (no more plastic bottles – yay!)
Step 2. Add Juice
Simply whip up some of your favorite flavors in the form of juice recipes and mix it with the carbonated water.
Love orange soda? Start with orange juice mixed with soda water. Eventually, you can add lemons, limes, and grapefruit into the mix – all of these are low in sugar and great for weight loss.
If you’re very used to the artificial flavoring from soda, even with the carbonation, it might take some getting used to and this is where the next step comes in.
Step 3. Experiment
I was pretty well used to drinking soda so the difference in taste (I started by mixing store-bought juice with carbonated water) was a bit dissatisfying; it just tasted really watered down. But when I started juicing, it was the fun factor in experimentation that kept me going.
Continuously experiment with new flavors – eventually adding some veggies into the mix and then finally going for mostly veggie soda concoctions. If that sounds disgusting, it’s really, really not. Try cucumber spritzer. It’s delicious.
Here are some more juice recipes that taste awesome with a little fizz…
Step 4. Have it handy
You should have access to your soda during the times you usually crave it. While I usually recommend drinking fresh juice as soon as you’ve juiced it, it’s a good idea to store your soda juice and carry it around with you while you’re in the stages of getting over your soda addiction.
How to Stop Drinking Soda
Step one- stop drinking soda. Sounds easy, right? Well, it’s a little more complicated than that. If you drink three cans of soda daily (which is about the average for most people), then your total sugar intake would be 72 grams per day. That’s just over half of what’s recommended by the World Health Organization in order to maintain good health and well being
If you’ve been thinking about quitting your soda habit, but don’t know how to start or what to do next, I hope these four above steps on how to stop drinking soda will give you some clarity. The end result will be feeling better in body and mind while also becoming healthier overall!
Forming a new habit
So, if you’re like most people and have been struggling to form a new habit, don’t worry. You can do it! Just remember that it takes 66 days to form a new habit, so start today and before you know it, you’ll be on your way to better health. And if you need some help getting started with juicing, we’ve got plenty of recipes and tips for you on our website. Start making healthy choices today and enjoy the many benefits of juicing!
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to your body when you stop drinking soda?
When you stop drinking soda, your body will start to thank you. One of the many benefits is that your teeth and gums will be healthier because soda contains a lot of sugar which makes plaque buildup more likely.
And if you’re not already convinced – we can tell you that there are plenty other reasons for cutting back on sugary drinks like sodas! Juices (including blended juices) contain no added sugars and they provide much-needed vitamins and minerals, antioxidants, phytonutrients and fiber in one delicious glass or bottle. Plus it’s so easy to juice at home with our juicer reviews.
How much weight can you lose by not drinking soda?
We all know that soda isn’t good for us. It has no nutritional value and is loaded with sugar, which can lead to weight gain and heart disease. If you stop drinking sodas completely, how much weight would you lose in a year?
A study found that on average people who quit drinking sugary drinks lost about 18 pounds over the course of one year. The best way to avoid getting hooked on these unhealthy beverages is juicing at home or buying juice from places like Whole Foods Market or Trader Joe’s where they are made fresh every day. Juices have tons of vitamins and nutrients while still tasting great.
What can I drink to replace soda?
Lots of things! Water, unsweetened tea or coffee, seltzer water with fruit juice or a splash of cranberry juice, skim milk, and low-fat chocolate milk are all great choices. You can also try flavored sparkling waters like LaCroix or Perrier, diluted fruit juices like apple or grapefruit juice, soy milk, almond milk, cashew milk, oat milk … the possibilities are endless.
If you’re looking for something sweet and refreshing that still won’t sabotage your diet goals, try mixing together equal parts seltzer water and club soda with a squeeze of lime or lemon.
