Slash some sugar with these seven refreshing sips

Editor’s word: Lisa Drayer is a nutritionist, writer and CNN well being and vitamin contributor.

CNN
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With the present studies about non-sugar sweeteners, you could pause earlier than taking your subsequent weight-reduction plan soda gulp.

The World Well being Group recently recommended against the use of non-sugar sweetenerstogether with aspartame, sucralose and stevia, to manage physique weight and cut back illness threat.

Extra lately, a semi-independent committee for the World Well being Group decided that aspartame, which his discovered in lots of weight-reduction plan drinks, ought to be categorized as “possibly carcinogenic to humans.”

Whereas the US Meals and Drug Administration considers aspartame and different non-sugar sweeteners safe for the general population, you don’t must restrict your self to store-bought variations of your favourite weight-reduction plan or sugar-sweetened drinks. Actually, there are drink options that you may make by yourself, with decrease quantities of sugar than common sweetened drinks, no chemical substances and different helpful nutritional vitamins. And since they’re all do-it-yourself, you possibly can modify the sugar stage as you want.

Listed below are seven lower-sugar drinks, together with copycats of lemon-lime soda, orange soda, pink lemonade and ginger ale; a peach inexperienced iced tea; a watermelon strawberry punch; and a DIY sports activities drink. They haven’t any alcohol or synthetic sweeteners, and most don’t have caffeine. Plus, some provide a wholesome dose of anti-aging antioxidants, together with vitamin C and lycopene.

The drink recipes beneath use agave for sweetness, which has a really gentle taste in contrast with maple syrup and honey. It additionally simply dissolves in drinks, in contrast to granulated sugar.

Lemon-lime soda is a refreshing drink on a sizzling summer time day, however well-liked manufacturers are stuffed with synthetic components. You may simply make your personal all-natural lemon-lime soda with just some recent lemons and limes. This model has lower than 2 teaspoons of sugar.

Yields 2 servings

1⁄2 cup seltzer
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1⁄2 teaspoon lime zest
1⁄2 teaspoon lemon zest

Mix all components in a liquid measuring cup, then stir and pour into glasses over ice.

Vitamin data (per 6-ounce serving): 30 energy, 7 grams sugar

This drink is a much less candy model of the basic orange soda. Orange zest supplies plenty of orange taste with none chemical substances or synthetic flavorings. Plus, this drink is made with actual orange juice, which is an effective supply of immunity-boosting vitamin C.

Yields 2 servings

1 cup orange juice
1⁄2 cup glowing water
1 tablespoon agave nectar
1⁄2 teaspoon orange zest

Mix all components in a liquid measuring cup, then stir and pour into glasses over ice.

Vitamin data (per 6-ounce serving): 85 energy, 19 grams sugar

Retailer-bought pink lemonade could include synthetic colours and synthetic sweeteners. On this pink lemonade copycat, watermelon supplies an all-natural pink colour and sweetness, together with agave.

Yields 4 servings

1⁄3 cup lemon juice
1⁄2 cup diced watermelon
2 cups water
1⁄3 cup agave
1 teaspoon lemon zest

Mix all components in a blender and mix till clean. Pressure the combination by a fine-mesh sieve and serve over ice.

Vitamin data (per 6-ounce serving): 95 energy, 22 grams sugar

Ginger ale isn’t solely a well-liked soda — it additionally is usually used as a treatment for an upset abdomen or nausea. This do-it-yourself model has lower than 2 teaspoons of sugar, which is lower than half the sugar in a daily ginger ale. Whip it up every time you’re craving the spicy taste or are in want of a abdomen soother.

Yields 2 servings

1⁄4 cup recent ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3⁄4 cup water
1 cup seltzer
1 tablespoon agave

In a small saucepan, mix ginger and water and convey to a boil. Cut back warmth to medium-low and simmer for five minutes. Let sit till totally cooled after which pressure the combination by a fine-mesh sieve. Mix the “ginger water” with the seltzer and agave in a liquid measuring cup, then stir and pour into glasses over ice.

Vitamin data (per 6-ounce serving): 30 energy, 7 grams sugar

A sweetened iced inexperienced tea can include as much as 130 energy and 34 grams of sugar per 8-ounce serving, whereas this 6-ounce model has solely 30 energy and seven grams of sugar.

Inexperienced tea is loaded with antioxidants, a few of which can assist shield pores and skin from solar harm. Inexperienced tea additionally gives a caffeine boostalthough the quantity is roughly one-third of the amount in coffee.  The refined sweetness of peach pairs effectively with the earthy inexperienced tea on this drink.