Hydration: Upgrade Your Beverage

For this habit you will start to take inventory of the beverages your tend to consume most. This habit will be especially helpful if you tend to consume things like soda, energy drinks, sweetened coffee drinks, sports drinks or fruit juices. The aim here is to pick one beverage you’d like to upgrade and switch it to a lower-sugar, more hydrating alternative, like water, sparkling water, or herbal tea.

A typical sugar packet contains 2–4 grams of sugar. Seeing how many packets are in common sweetened beverages can be eye-opening. Check out the visuals below—do you spot a drink you consume regularly? If not, try looking up your favorite beverages online and check the nutrition facts. To estimate the number of sugar packets, take the grams of added sugar and divide by 3 (the average grams per packet).

The aim here is not to do away with your favorite beverages, but encourage you to think about your consumption on a larger scale. If you tend to have a glass of juice with breakfast, a soda with lunch, and and energy drink to get you through the work day, you may be consuming a large amount of sugar each day. The focus here is to better understand your habits and find a starting place to make a positive change.

What About Sugar-Free Alternatives?

Sugar-free beverages, such as diet sodas, sugar-free energy drinks, and syrups, have become popular substitutes for reducing sugar intake. These often contain sugar alcohols (erythritol, mannitol, sorbitol, xylitol, lactitol, isomalt, and maltitol) or artificial sweeteners (saccharin, aspartame).

Pros:

• Sugar alcohols and artificial sweeteners have fewer calories than sugar (1.5–3 calories per gram and 0 calories per gram, respectively, vs. sugar’s 4 calories per gram).
• They do not cause tooth decay.
• They have a lower impact on blood sugar, making them a better option for diabetics.

Cons:

• Excessive consumption of sugar alcohols may cause bloating, gas, and diarrhea due to their laxative effect.
• Overeating sugar-free products can still lead to weight gain.

Takeaway:

If switching to sugar-free beverages, pay attention to how your body reacts. If you experience digestive issues like bloating, excess gas, or diarrhea, consider reducing your intake or exploring other alternatives.

Find your swap:

Once you’ve identified the beverages you’d like to reduce, it’s time to find the perfect swap. Check out the ideas below for inspiration. Which swap will work best for you?