Trick yourself into loving these treats

Three healthy alternatives to sugar-sweetened beverages

Gradually reducing your sugar intake is all about swapping things out. Rather than reaching for a sugar-added iced tea or soda, try swigging a tall glass of ice water with a piece of delicious, ripe fruit.

It may not sound very satisfying at first, but don’t get spooked! You may be surprised at how quickly your body—and your taste buds—adapt to a healthy and satisfying substitute.

Below, we’ll uncover how much sugar is hiding in three popular beverages and some healthy, alternative treats.

Trick #1:
Sugar-sweetened bottled water
Don’t let the “water” label fool you. These sweet drinks get their flavor from up to 8 teaspoons (32 grams) of sugar. This is more than the 6 teaspoons (25 grams) the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends for an entire day.

Treat #1:
Water infused with fruit
Try infusing water with oranges, cucumbers, strawberries or lemons.

Trick #2:
Sweetened iced tea
A 16-ounce bottle can contain as much as 9 teaspoons (36 grams) of sugar.

Treat #2:
Unsweetened iced tea 

Switch to unsweetened ice tea instead. 

Don’t get spooked. If you’re not quite ready for 100 percent unsweetened tea, try adding a squeeze of fresh lemon, a splash of 100% fruit juice or a sprig of mint to add flavor.

Trick #3:
Colas and other sodas

A 12-ounce can of cola has about 10 teaspoons (40 grams) of added sugar—much more than WHO says we should consume in one day.

Unsweetened sparkling water has zero grams of sugar and still packs a carbonated kick. Try infusing sparkling water with oranges, cucumbers, strawberries or lemons.
 

Don’t get spooked. If this change sounds too drastic, try one of the “Zero” colas available in Geisinger cafeterias, such as Coke Zero, Sprite Zero or Cherry Coke Zero, which contain no added sugar.