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It's hard to beat an ice-cold soda with popcorn at the movies or at a picnic on a hot day. But when sugary pop becomes a habit rather than a treat, it might be time to cut back and look for some healthier soda alternatives.
"Sugar-sweetened beverages can be linked to diabetes, weight gain and other chronic diseases like heart disease," Theresa Gentile,a registered dietitian in New York City and a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com.
Drinks like these are packed with sugar and calories but don't provide much in the way of helpful nutrients or feelings of fullness, she adds, so they're just not satisfying.
And we're talking a lot of sugar: A single 12-ounce can of co*ke contains 39 grams of sugar, while a can of Dr Pepper also contains 39 grams and a can of Sprite will net you 38 grams of sugar.
Women should consume no more than 25 grams of added sugar a day, according to the American Heart Association. For men, that limit is 36 grams per day.
That means a "single serving of soda, depending on the size, can get you (to the AHA limit) really quickly," Caroline Susie, a registered dietitian based in Dallas and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, tells TODAY.com.
Cutting soda out of your diet or even just reducing the amount you consume on a daily basis can be a majorly beneficial choice for your long-term health. When you're ready to start making some healthier swaps, dietitians have some helpful advice for choosing soda alternatives.
What is the healthiest soda?
Sorry, but there isn’t really a healthy soda out there. All of them have added sugars or artificial sweeteners, Gentile says.
Could soda be healthier?
In general, healthier options would include “those with little-to-no added sugars and use natural flavoring or small amounts of fruit juice,” Gentile explains.
Some companies have started selling carbonated beverages designed to taste like your favorite soda varieties, but they’re made with less sugar or, often, plant-based sugar substitutes. Certain “better-for-you” sodas also contain functional nutrition additions, such as inulin (a type of prebiotic fiber).
While they do contain less sugar and fewer calories than a regular soda, these options likely don’t contain enough — or the right kinds — of prebiotics to actually provide any benefits to the drinker, Gentile says. Still, “in moderation, all these healthier alternatives can fit into a healthful and balanced diet,” she says.
That said, the experts shared some of their favorite healthy soda alternatives that can actually help you reduce added sugars in your diet.
So, you want to cut back on soda...
If you're looking to reduce your soda consumption, "first and foremost, pat yourself on the back," Susie says. "Any change is hard," she adds, and this is no exception.
Start by taking a moment to plan how you're going to cut back on pop, the experts say, and know that different strategies may work for different people.
While some are able to go "cold turkey" and completely cut out soda from their diets all at once, much of the research on behavioral change favors a stepwise approach instead, Gentile says. "That would be going from three (sodas) a day to two a day to one, for instance, and substituting that with something else," she explains.
And, when you're making that swap, it's important to think about why you're drinking soda, Susie says, and, therefore, which healthier option would be the most appropriate substitute for you.
For some of her clients, it's easiest to start by swapping in the diet version of their favorite soda. Others, who are looking mainly for carbonation, might be able to substitute a few servings of soda with seltzer, Susie says. And those who are seeking a caffeine hit might find unsweetened green tea or iced coffee a good option.
"A lot of this is personal preference," she explains, "so we want to take that into consideration when we're trying to transition away from soda to a healthier alternative."
The healthiest soda alternatives, according to dietitians:
Infused water
For a quick, refreshing, flavorful drink, try what Susie calls "spa water." Essentially, this is water flavored with fresh ingredients, like berries, lemons, limes, watermelon or cucumber. You can also add a small splash of juice, like antioxidant-rich pomegranate juice.
Gentile is also a fan and recommends people try fruit infusers for their water bottle or pitcher. "Squeezing a lemon or lime in water can make a nice, refreshing drink and still give people the sense of tasting something without getting the sugar," she says.
Another option is to make ice cubes with berries, mint and other fresh ingredients, which adds some visual flair along with the flavor to your water or mocktail, Susie says.
Seltzer and sparkling waters
If it's carbonation you're after, give seltzer or sparkling water a try. Even flavored varieties are likely to have zero sugar and zero calories, Susie says, but it's still good practice to look at the nutrition label to be sure.
Some varieties of sparkling water contain a splash of real fruit juice, which ups the flavor but also the calories. Still, these are "going to have much less added sugar than any sugar-sweetened beverage or soft drinks," Gentile says.
Even better: As with infused water, you can also add your own burst of flavor with fresh fruit or a little juice, she adds.
Unsweetened tea
Unsweetened tea, especially antioxidant-packed green tea, is a great soda substitute, Susie says. Iced or hot, it's naturally calorie free (if you don't add anything to it).
And drinking green tea has been linked to a reduced risk for cancer, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, liver disease and obesity, she adds.
Gentile agrees: "Especially in the summer where hydration is an issue and we want to increase our fluid consumption a bit, having unsweetened tea... is an option," she says.
Coconut water
If you've just had a hard workout and are looking for a flavorful way to replace some electrolytes, Gentile recommends coconut water. With fewer calories and sugar than a sports drink, this can be another healthier alternative to soda — some companies are even selling carbonated versions these days.
But be sure to choose a variety without added sugar, as TODAY.com explained previously.
Kombucha
This tart, lightly fizzy drink is made from fermented tea and can be another nice swap for soda, Gentile says, with some potential gut-health benefits, too.
With a little patience, you can make kombucha yourself. Or you can buy it premade in the store. But if you're going the premade route, keep an eye on the added sugar content.
Iced coffee
As with tea, unsweetened iced coffee provides a refreshing caffeine boost, which can make it a good swap for soda, Gentile says. Of course, be mindful of any coffee creamers or flavor syrups you may add, because these will increase the sugar and calories.
What about diet drinks?
Diet sodas and drinks sweetened with sugar substitutes contain much less sugar (if any) and far fewer calories than traditional soda. In that way, they can be healthier alternatives to pop.
But it's still worth paying attention to what they do contain.
Some sugar substitutes, like aspartame, have been linked to an increased risk for heart issues and cancer. Sugar alcohols such as erythritol and xylitol can also lead to GI issues, like diarrhea and bloating, Susie says, adding that people with gastrointestinal conditions like IBS may want to skip these.
But for certain people, particularly those with diabetes who need to keep a close eye on their blood sugar levels, sugar substitutes can be helpful tools, Susie says.
When consumed in reasonable amounts according to the Food and Drug Administration's acceptable daily intake recommendations, "This is a great option," Susie says. "Because we know that it can add a sweet flavor without without raising a patient's blood sugar levels."
These can really be a good first step for anyone looking to cut back on their soda intake because drinks made with artificial and natural sugar substitutes are so sweet. On the flip side, there's some concern that having artificially sweetened foods and drinks may leave you feeling unsatisfied and, therefore, lead you to seek out sugary drinks and snacks, Gentile says. It can also make naturally sweet foods, like fruit, taste less sweet to you, she adds.
That's why the options above — drinks that are unsweetened or sweetened with fresh ingredients —are going to be healthier soda alternatives in the long run. "The goal is a lifestyle change, not just trying to cut out calories," Gentile says.
Diet soda
While it may not be the best choice overall, swapping in diet soda is an obvious way to start cutting back on sugary pop — especially for folks who have a long-running soda habit.
"If it was someone who had a 35-year history of (drinking) a co*ke a day, then I might say, 'Let's try going to diet and then let's try eliminating it,'" Gentile explains. Ultimately, the hope is that you'd cut back on this as well and replace it with one of the other options.
"Better-for-you" sodas
This category of drinks has become more and more popular in recent years. These might be sweetened with artificial sweeteners or plant-based sugar substitutes (like stevia or monk fruit), Susie explains.
As mentioned above, some varieties also contain inulin, a type of prebiotic fiber. Present naturally in some fruits and vegetables, inulin can help keep the good bacteria in your gut functioning properly. However, these sodas often do not contain enough prebiotic fiber to actually have a beneficial effect on your gut health, Susie says.
WaterTok-inspired water "recipes"
You've likely seen water "recipes" all over your social media feeds. These concoctions, popularized by WaterTok, are made by mixing sugar-free flavor packets and syrups into a large serving of water.
While getting more water in your day is an admirable goal, experts told TODAY.com previously that that loading up on artificial sweeteners and colors found in the packets and syrups isn't the healthiest way to stay hydrated.
