JodyR's Journal, 19 September 2023

If you miss having some flavor in your drink there is the possibility of unsweetened brewed teas, hot or iced. Or seltzers. Zero calories. As for my water bottle, I often put a pinch of salt and a squeeze of lemon juice in it—I think it helps the taste and absorption. 

I love sugar too! I found that eating fruit when I get a sugar craving helps so much. Its certainly not the same but somehow the tastebuds reset after some time. You got this! 

Jody, it's an interesting thing to see how much your sense of taste changes when you quit sugar. I am a quitting sugar veteran.....because I am addicted and I can go for actual years without it and then, that one tiny thing sets me on a binge that can last weeks, months or years, so I know what I am talking about. If you stop all sugar intake and that includes any foods that have added sugar. Your palate will change completely. Water will become flavorful ambrosia and those icky packets of powder will become just that...icky, and due to the artifical sweetener in them, using them to replace soda is just an even swap, one is just as bad for you as the other if your goal is to reduce foreign and toxic items from your body. I now love black coffee, and unsweet tea, toss a half of lemon into a glass of ice cold water and you have the best lemonaide ever. You will be amazed! 

LaCroix sparkling water is my go too. They have flavor essence! No kind of sweetener & no calories. S. Pellegrino has some options also. Hope you can find them near you if you’re interested. 

Bravo 🎉💪 you got this 

Drinking plan water was a struggle for me too. My favorite was Diet Mountain Dew, but my anti inflammatory diet doesn’t allow artificial sweeteners or caffeine. I allow myself one La Croix per workday so I don’t guzzle them instead of plain water. 

I was addicted to my dew for over 30yr never thought I would quit drinking it but I did and it was not as hard as I thought it would be I just went to one a day for a couple weeks then dropped it completely I never did like water but I have been drinking water now since June and I actually like it some of the bottled water tastes better than others though. I also did use the starburst drink mix packets they are the only ones I even liked the rest of them were awful to me I use them here and there they have no sugar in it but do have 10cal and 2carbs so I don't use them very often but sometimes I do if the water is not tasting good that day.  

Sugar-Free Sports Drink Recipe (electrolytes) Mix together: 1 cup (8 ounces) water, not carbonated 2 tablespoons lemon juice Small pinch of salt (a teaspoon of salt contains 2,300 milligrams of sodium, so you need 1/20th of a teaspoon of salt—not much) Optional, to taste: Sweetener such as stevia source: https://www.verywellfit.com/how-to-make-a-sugar-free-sports-drink-2241684 

Well done Jody 

Something else to consider, that you simply add to a 16 fl ounce water bottle. Ultima replenisher. You can buy it online, canister and more convenient stickpacks! Free of sugar, carbs, and calories, gluten, free, vegan keto, friendly, No artificial sweeteners, plant-based flavors and colors. Because it is an electrolyte mix, I do limit my servings! Just a suggestionI, I ’m definitely not trying to sell it, though it sounds like I just did a commercial, lol 

Thank everyone for your support and encouragement. I.find your suggestions quite helpful. 

I drink Sparkling Ice water in different flavors. No calories. You can dilute it if you want to just ad a hint of flavor to your water. I get mine from Amazon 

I do wonder about the transport and disposal of all those cans and bottles, in terms of environmental impact - trucking, poor recycling, carbon footprint. I did invest in a whole house filter, so that I now have non-toxic tap water. And I have a Soda Stream for carbonating. That said, I'm still buying some cans (and should probably cut that out!) 

Depending on your food plan…Sparkling ice does contain Sucralose. If not a concern, Sparking Ice brand is pretty tasty. Former drinker of product. 

I love water. I grew up in a soda and kool-aid free household. We only drank milk and water. We sometimes had tea on holidays. As a teenager, I started drinking sodas like my most of my friends and did so during my working life because of its availability. We don't buy sodas, but we do enjoy sparkling water at dinner, mostly with lemon and lime juices. We do drink tea on holidays and some Sundays. Powdered drink flavors remind me of Kool-Aid and are not appealing to me. IMO, nothing beats water hot or cold. I hope you learn to love plain water... 

Iced tea without any sweeteners for me. Lots of wonderful flavors out there. I love hibiscus tea and it has positive medicinal effects on both BP and BS