Giving up fizzy drinks?

earthmother

If you still have a 'fizz' craving but want to avoid the sweeteners etc, then organic sodas are the best place to go - Tesco are the cheapest with 6-can packs of Organic lemonade for less than £2 (edit - may '08 - Tesco have halved the price of this fizz - but also halved the quality - very fake tasting, not generally nice, so probably best avoided - shame as they had a lovely product there for a while). There are other brands such as Whole Earth that do a wider range of flavours, but are more expensive.

As to other options - along with water, milk and fruit juice/smoothies (which are the best), there is also a range of organic cordials by a company called Rocks - very nice if a little pricey, but just be aware that they have quite a high sugar content, the same as if you made the cordial yourself.


Other than the odd party, we've been sweetener-etc-free for over a year now and feel so much better for it.




If you're changing your diet because of the fat issues, then this is also worth a read - http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/health/healthy_eating/article691093.ece

mumoftwo

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

Hi, all. Fizzy drinks are also linked to bone disease. See this link from Times Online.

The fizziness is achieved by adding carbon dioxide, which creates acidity in the bloodstream. This acidity is then neutralised by reacting with calcium, the chemical which builds bones.

Penny. x

So even buying fizzy mineral water is not good then? Shame, I was thinking of swapping to that mixed with fruit juice ..

thanks for all your replies, I can't believe it is such a big thing, the Diet Coke addicts..:rotfl: But it makes me angry that such additives are allowed to end up in foodstuffs, that is why I love this OS forum, cooking from scratch, which I have no problem with with wholesome ingredients, non processed foods etc. If I can just tackle the drinks, I will be laughing...:D

I am thinking of trying Paul McKenna's techniques on how to beat cravings.. the tapping of pressure points, I have his book but feel a bit foolish tapping away. I saw the series on tv and it showed how one woman overcame her addiction to cola.. Has anyone tried it?

newmrslockwood

I drink a lot of coke. not the diet type (yuk) and i have drank it in large quantities for about 15 or possibly more years. a couple of years ago i dieted and switched to diet cherry coke because it didn't taste so bad as the diet and i really couldn't go without, but i reverted to the coke again and have gained the weight again (not just the coke's fault). i gave up for about 2 days once but the headaches were sooooo bad. after reading though this thread though i might try and give the stuff up, i didn't realize JUST how bad it was for me.
I don't give my kids coke though they have very diluted squash, milk water, very week tea and hot (warm) chocolate at bedtime. i don't give it to them because of the effects on there teeth as i know that is a major factor with me. My oldest son is 13 and he often buys diet fizzy drinks with his spending money, and i don't see how i can discourage him when i drink so much of the stuff, and i have always told him he can spend his money how he likes because he has to earn it!"

Justamum

newmrslockwood wrote: »

i gave up for about 2 days once but the headaches were sooooo bad.

This isn't because of the sweeteners. Coke has a lot of caffeine in, and if you are drinking gallons of the stuff, you are taking in a lot of caffeine. I used to drink lots of coffee, then I went to stay with my mum who, unknown to me, only had decaff in. After a day on it I felt like I was dying - headaches, shakes, sweating, nausea. When I discovered I had been drinking decaff I realised it was because I had gone "cold turkey" and was suffering from withdrawal. I had to gradually cut down on the caffeine coffee until I was completely on the decaff. You could try cutting down on the coke slowly until you have eliminated it, or are drinking more reasonable quantities of it.

sleepybookworm7

I've finally decided to give up my diet coke habit becuase of all the junk in it (plus nagging from DD that it's no good for me!).

I really like fizzy drinks though . Has anyone got any 'homemade' drink ideas? Surely I can do something with fizzy spring water???

Pink.

Hi Sleepybookworm,

These earlier threads may help:

Giving up fizzy drinks?

Soda stream makes lovely fizzy water.

I'll add your post to the first one later to keep all the ideas together.

Pink

got-it-spend-it

I like OJ and fizzy water- cranberry and fizzy water would be good too.

Fizzy water with just ice and a slice of lemon or lime is nice.

Tesco Value is great for 17p for 2litres!

GISI

Magpye

Buy some lime cordial. Lime and soda or sparkling spring water is lush! I used to drink cranberry cordial with sparkling water too. Ooh, elderflower cordial too, it makes a really nice drink with soda, very refreshing.

Hope this gives you some ideas.

Olliebeak

My OH is a recovering alcoholic that managed to develop a problem with Diet Coke (bit OCD with many things!). He is trying to wean himself off the Diet Coke now. When we go out, he enjoys most cordials with soda water (in a pint glass) but we often find that when pubs make the cordial up, they usually make it way too watery. Ridiculously stingey with the cordial - some places charge 30p per 'shot' of cordial which makes a pint cost as much as a pint of beer/lager!

sleepybookworm7

Have tried the lime with fizzy water - it's yummy. 3 days diet coke free now!