Sugar Free Tips

The 10 Best Ideas For Sugar Free Beverages for Weight Loss And Diabetics

The Ten Best Tips For Low-Sugar Drinks

Plain water is the best calorie-free beverage—and when it comes from the tap, it costs a fraction of a penny per glass. But for some people, plain old water may be just too plain. Here are some ideas for low and no-sugar beverages that you can prepare at home:

1. Flavored Water                                                                                                                                 2. Infused Water
3. Carbonated Waters with natural flavor drops (Spa Waters)
4. Coffee
5. Tea
6. Fresh Fruit Smoothies
7. Natural Flavored Iced Coolers
8. Skim Milk
9. Low Sodium Stocks/Broth
10. Low Calorie Diet Shakes

1. Flavored Water:

Flavored water is becoming a a popular low sugar beverage for diabetics and consumers looking to lose weight.  Always reach for low calorie, low carb flavored waters.  There is  a wide selection of flavoring concentrates or additives to blend perfect flavored water every time.   Flavored water is know as the perfect diet drink, and theperfect thirst quencher with smart health conscious consumers.

2. Infused water (spa water)
You can find fancy flavored waters in the grocery store, including some that are free of sugar or artificial sweeteners. Spas also serve water that has been flavored with herbs, fruits, even vegetables. But you can easily make your own naturally-infused spa water at home. Try adding any of the following to a cold glass or pitcher of water:
• Sliced citrus fruits or zest (lemon, lime, orange, grapefruit)
• Crushed fresh mint or other herbs
• Peeled, sliced fresh ginger or sliced cucumber

3. Carbonated Water                                                                                                 When it comes to carbonated water, the fizzle can make water even easier to drink.  Though some people think carbonation can help alleviate upset stomach and constipation, carbonated water isn’t necessarily any better or worse for you, nutritionally, than plain old tap water. It depends on the brand of carbonated waters in question.

“The perfect water would be rich in magnesium and calcium and low in sodium chloride,” says Roberta Anding, director of sports nutrition at the Texas Medical Center, and a dietitian for the Houston Texans football team. According to a study in the American Journal of Medicine, that means more than 48 milligrams of magnesium and 85 milligrams of calcium per liter, and fewer than 195 milligrams of sodium per liter. Just because water has bubbles, either because they’ve been forced in by the manufacturer or because they occurred naturally from a spring, doesn’t mean it also contains more or less of certain minerals than still water
 

3. Tea
Black or green, caffeinated or decaf, leaf or herbal, hot or cold, tea is an excellent choice for a calorie free beverage. Adding a teaspoon of sugar or honey only adds about 15 calories to the cup. Some teas taste sweet to the palate even without adding any sugar: Try Japanese roasted barley tea (Mugi Cha), fruit-flavored herbal teas (mango, blueberry), or teas that feature cinnamon, vanilla, or other "sweet" spices. Black and green teas are also rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, and other biologically active substances that may be good for health.

4. Coffee
Coffee is calorie free, as long as you don't load it up with cream and sugar. Take a pass on the coffeehouse confections that are topped with whipped cream and drizzled with sugar syrup, since those can have upwards of 300 to 400 calories per extra-large cup. If you want to add one teaspoon of sugar to a plain cup of coffee, that's no problem.

5. Sparkling water with a splash of juice
Sparkling juices that are sold ready-made are often heavy on the juice, and may have almost as many calories as sugary soda pop. Instead, make your own sparkling juice at home with 12 ounces of sparkling water and just an ounce or two of juice. For a flavor twist, add sliced citrus or fresh herbs.

6. Fresh fruit coolers
Store-bought or cafe smoothies are marketed as "health" foods, but they are often loaded with sugar and high in calories—some have upwards of 300 calories in a 12 ounce serving. Try making a refreshing fresh fruit cooler instead. There's no added sugar, and just a small amount of fruit, so this drink is only about 18 calories for each 12-ounce glass.

Recipe:

• 1/2 cup of ice
• 3/4 cup of sugar-free sparkling water
• 1/3 cup of melon or berries
• Chopped mint leaves or citrus slices (optional)

7. Fruit Smoothies

Place ice, sparkling water, and fruit in a blender. Blend until slushy, pour into a glass and garnish with mint or citrus slices. Serves 1.

8. Diet Shakes

There are plenty of pre-mixed diet shakes on the market.  

Diet shakes are particularly useful for jump starting weight diet program.  Many health experts recommend limiting weight loss to no more than about 2 pounds per week. Many people drink shakes for the bulk of their meals for for a few months to jump start a diet program, then to maintain their weight loss, they will substitute a meal replacement shake for one meal on most days..

Tips to Making Good Diet Shakes

Use skim milk - or a milk that contains about 80 calories per cup. In addition, be sure that you are using only 1 cup (8 ounces) per shake because calories do add up.

Feel free to add no-calorie sweetener, such as stevia (use a natural sweetener) if more sweetness is desired.  Simply toss all the ingredients into a blender and blend until thick and smooth - about 30 seconds or less. Add a bit of crushed ice to the mix if you desire a thicker, colder shake.

9. Low-sodium broth or miso
There's no rule that says we must satisfy our thirst with something sweet. Low-sodium broth can give your body the fluid it needs, and can be a savory and satisfying alternative to a sweet drink. The healthiest choice: Look for a broth that has less than 200 milligrams of sodium per serving. Miso, the Japanese fermented soybean paste, can be quite salty, so look for lower-sodium varieties and use it sparingly.

10. Skim Milk                                                                                                                                Drinking skim milk can help cure your hunger.” According to a recent study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, people who drank about two servings of skimmed milk in the AM claimed they felt full throughout the day and consumed about 10% less at lunch time than those who had a fruit juice.  This is a great product to get vitamin D, and at the same time, milk is diet friendly.