Rethink Your Drink: The Sweet Way to Cool Down (plus Recipes!)

food-additives

It’s a hot summer day. Maybe you’ve been outside in the sun, hiking, playing, working. Or you’ve spent the day at the beach, and you’re thirsty.

You might think reaching for a sugary drink, soda, or coffee loaded with cream and calories might be just the thing. But it’s a recipe for tipping the scale in the wrong direction.

Instead...take a minute to rethink your drink. Can you satisfy your thirst with something else...without the added sugar and calories?

You can. Check out these 5 ways to drink up and cool down without a sugar rush…

1. Drink more water

It’s pretty simple. Instead of drinking sugar soda, juice, coffee, or teas, stick with water. It’s free or doesn’t cost much and contains zero calories.

2. Read drink labels
If you’re trying to break the habit of sodas and other sugary drinks, start by reading the nutrition label. Pay attention to calories, sugar and serving size.

Fun fact: A 12-ounce can of Coke contains 9.75 teaspoons of sugar. That’s 39 grams. But the American Heart Association recommends women limit sugar to no more than 6 teaspoons per day. Men should limit sugar to no more than 9 teaspoons per day.

3. Coffee: Skip the cream and sugar

If you’re a coffee drinker, skip the cream, sugar, and syrups and go with black coffee. If you really need to add some flavor, try low-fat milk, almond milk, or sprinkle with a dash of nutmeg.

4. Make your own sweet drink (sans sugar)

If you’ve still got soda, milkshakes, and sugary coffee drinks on your mind, it’s time to make your own sweet drink...without the added sugar.

Check out these easy-to-make drink recipes from the U.S. Department of Agriculture:

If you’re not following a meal plan or healthy diet, it’s easy to consume too many calories from quick options like pizza, burgers, fries, soda, and treats.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. If you’re looking for an easy and healthy way to enjoy great-tasting food and tip the scale in the right direction, check out our complete line of Portion Control meals, all made from fresh ingredients and ready to eat in minutes.