Good Beverages?

[SugarBiscuit]

Hi! I am still newly gluten free, and I was wanting to get an opinion about beverages.

I am a big Diet Coke drinker, and I am trying to to switch to something else, as I seem to not be able to tolerate citric acid, and I also do not want to drink or ingest artificial sweeteners. However, I am having a hard time, because I love soda. I know that water and juice are good, and I have largely switched to those, but I am having a hard time letting go of my dinner-time Diet Coke.

I would really like to find a soda that uses Stevia, if anyone knows of one. So I was just wondering what all of you drink in a normal day, and what you would recommend.

I am open to trying sodas with cane sugar, or some other natural flavoring, I'm just not sure if this would be bad for me. I do have some concerns that I may be getting low blood sugar, because when I wait to eat I get very intense stomach pains, irritablity, and I start to feel a little light headed. I also am losing weight at a very fast rate since I went gluten free, enough for everyone around me to find it noticeable. I am wondering if I need to add some sugars to my diet.

So far I am not really consuming anything processed, other than soda. I am sticking to meat, veggies, fruit, greek yogurt, cheese, nuts, cornbread, fish, and quinoa. I also have been making smoothies with half strawberry banana Kefir, and half juice. Does it sound like my diet can tolerate the added sugar from an organic type soda?

[pricklypear1971]

If you are losing weight you need nutritious food, not soda. So eat more food, more often.

If you are hypoglycemic you may need a bit of glucose to correct blood sugar; however, you should eat first to keep blood sugar normal - not fast and then drink a soda to correct.

All of this is beside the point, though. We all have our habits and yours is soda. Find what works for you as a replacement. I'm sure there are stevia sodas out there. Google it or visit whole foods? I know there are home carbonation machines - perhaps you could make your own?

[kareng]

Open Original Shared Link

Target, whole foods & some groceries have these. Our WF has them in the individual cold section As well as the regular soda section. This is a good way to taste them without buying 6. Don't expect them to taste like diet coke or pepsi.

[GFreeMO]

I can't tolerate manufactured citric acid either (it's from corn) I use to love soda. I bought myself a little juicer and have been making homemade lemonade. You can use carbonated water and it's still got the bubbly water but it's just water, lemon and sugar or whatever you want to sweeten it with.

[Skylark]

IMO nobody's diet can tolerate the whopping 41g of refined sugar in a can of soda, even if it's cane sugar. There is less sugar in a full-size Snicker's bar than in a 12-oz can of soda.

I have decaf coffee in the morning and other than that I drink mostly water. Sometimes I'll make herbal tea or have soda water with a squeeze of lime or lemon. I'm a little afraid of the chemicals in soft drinks, even the stevia ones, so I only have them very occasionally.

Hansen's Blue Sky Zero sodas are stevia-sweetened. Open Original Shared Link

If I get light-headed between meals it means I ate too much sugar/starch and too little fat. I'd increase the protein/fat content of meals to gain weight rather than sugar if hypoglycemia is an issue. Drizzle olive oil on your veggies, butter your cornbread, and have cheese or nuts between meals.

[SugarBiscuit]

OK! Thanks everyone! I don't plan on drinking soda forever, because I do know it's not good, I really just wanted to have something similar gradually step down.

I have tried Natural Blue before, and I really liked it, and I will look for Zevia too. I think in a few weeks, I will try making my own. I think the carbonation is something I really like, and I usually just have a soda at dinner.

Thanks for the good info!

[Pame]

Hi! I am still newly gluten free, and I was wanting to get an opinion about beverages.

I am a big Diet Coke drinker, and I am trying to to switch to something else, as I seem to not be able to tolerate citric acid, and I also do not want to drink or ingest artificial sweeteners. However, I am having a hard time, because I love soda. I know that water and juice are good, and I have largely switched to those, but I am having a hard time letting go of my dinner-time Diet Coke.

I would really like to find a soda that uses Stevia, if anyone knows of one. So I was just wondering what all of you drink in a normal day, and what you would recommend.

I am open to trying sodas with cane sugar, or some other natural flavoring, I'm just not sure if this would be bad for me. I do have some concerns that I may be getting low blood sugar, because when I wait to eat I get very intense stomach pains, irritablity, and I start to feel a little light headed. I also am losing weight at a very fast rate since I went gluten free, enough for everyone around me to find it noticeable. I am wondering if I need to add some sugars to my diet.

So far I am not really consuming anything processed, other than soda. I am sticking to meat, veggies, fruit, greek yogurt, cheese, nuts, cornbread, fish, and quinoa. I also have been making smoothies with half strawberry banana Kefir, and half juice. Does it sound like my diet can tolerate the added sugar from an organic type soda?

I was a big diet coke drinker but decided to stop apsartine etc. I bought a soda streamer which turns your own water into a sparkling water, then I add a splash of lemon juice, cranberry juice what ever you like but make sure no citric acid which isn't always easy. Then I add a squirt of stevia to sweeten it. Kal has a version without natural flavoring which if you have trouble with citric acid like I do you probably want to stay away from natural flavoring as well since they are both often a msg product. Hope that help[s. I do miss my cola type beverage and once in a while I have a real coke, small glass.

[SugarBiscuit]

I was a big diet coke drinker but decided to stop apsartine etc. I bought a soda streamer which turns your own water into a sparkling water, then I add a splash of lemon juice, cranberry juice what ever you like but make sure no citric acid which isn't always easy. Then I add a squirt of stevia to sweeten it. Kal has a version without natural flavoring which if you have trouble with citric acid like I do you probably want to stay away from natural flavoring as well since they are both often a msg product. Hope that help[s. I do miss my cola type beverage and once in a while I have a real coke, small glass.

Thanks! That's a really good idea. I also stopped and got some Zevia and some Hansen's. I like the Hansen's, but it has a lot of sugar. The Zevia was really great. It doesn't taste too much like soda, but I think I might actually prefer the tase.

I really like the soda streamer idea, where did you get it at? It would probably be cheaper in the long run as well, Zevia is almost 7 bucks for a 6 pack in my area.

[kareng]

Thanks! That's a really good idea. I also stopped and got some Zevia and some Hansen's. I like the Hansen's, but it has a lot of sugar. The Zevia was really great. It doesn't taste too much like soda, but I think I might actually prefer the tase.

I really like the soda streamer idea, where did you get it at? It would probably be cheaper in the long run as well, Zevia is almost 7 bucks for a 6 pack in my area.

in this thread, they talk about the Sodastream machine. She used fresh fruit with it.

[GFreeMO]

I bought my Soda Stream maker at Target. Bed Bath and Beyond has them too. Also you can check them out online and get it from the company direct.

[Adalaide]

I love Zevia! Yes, soda is bad for me. No, frankly I don't care. I don't (and won't) drink soda with calories, not only does it make me sick but I'm fat enough to know better. My husband won't go near Zevia, he says it tastes funny and it does take a bit of getting used to but I rather enjoy it. I buy mine at the health food store since they seem to be the only place locally that sells it. I also enjoy Izze which most grocery stores and health food stores in my area carry. It's basically juice and water, carbonated. The grapefruit one is just amazing. Don't let my love of those seemingly healing sodas fool you though, I'm a straight up Mountain Dew/caffeine addict with no plans to change that. There's something special about an ice cold Coke on a hot summer day that just can't be beat.

[SugarBiscuit]

I love Zevia! Yes, soda is bad for me. No, frankly I don't care. I don't (and won't) drink soda with calories, not only does it make me sick but I'm fat enough to know better. My husband won't go near Zevia, he says it tastes funny and it does take a bit of getting used to but I rather enjoy it. I buy mine at the health food store since they seem to be the only place locally that sells it. I also enjoy Izze which most grocery stores and health food stores in my area carry. It's basically juice and water, carbonated. The grapefruit one is just amazing. Don't let my love of those seemingly healing sodas fool you though, I'm a straight up Mountain Dew/caffeine addict with no plans to change that. There's something special about an ice cold Coke on a hot summer day that just can't be beat.

Sorry, I just posted a blank reply...still a newb.

I am really liking Zevia, I think the grape is the best. I also have been drinking Hansen's. I got lucky, and quite a few places carry Zevia around here. I was even able to get a couple of packs for 3 bucks on sale this week. I did see the Izzes, but I wasn't sure whether or not they were good.

I'm not too worried about my soda drinking at this point. I am losing weight really quick, and I basically am on a whole foods diet. At this point, the only thing I am even consuming that is processed is soda and Mounds ice cream bars, which I am now in love with. I make all my meals from scratch and I have fruit and veggies for snacks. So I'm gonna enjoy my Zevia try making my own sodas too.

Oh, and by the way, I also tried to get my Coke drinking husband to have a Zevia and he spit it out. So I'll still be buying him at least a 24 pack a week. I've been able to get him to eat some gluten free meals, but I think he will always drink Coke.

[Skylark]

Glad to hear you found something that suits you. Izze is super-yummy. It has more sugar than I tolerate well but I get one sometimes as a treat.