Fizzy Drink Substitute?

FusionFury

Hey guys,

Sorry if there's already a thread on this.

I have to be honest that I drink alot of Pepsi max mostly everyday and I know it's not healthy for me but just trying to get ideas on some alternates ideally cheaper.. in the store near me they do 4 bottles of Pepsi max for £5, I normally buy 8 bottles of them for £10 and it lasts me over a week...

My friends tell me to start drinking more water as it's healthier and cheaper (though not much compared to the Pepsi max deal) and I do like the Volvic Strawberry touch flavour water.

Also looking at making my own smoothies as I do like the Innocent smoothies. I have a market 5 mins from my house and I heard fruit is cheap there.

P.S I have never drank hot drinks much

Thanks for any help and keep doing a good job :T

jenniewb

I'd say it was the caffiene in the Pepsi Max and thats your battle, once you can get over that you should be in a better position to cut it out but its not easy and IME you do get side effects and withdrawal symptoms (headaches, fatigue, achey limbs) caffiene is a stimulant and keeps you awake, though Pepsi Max has much less then coffee (cup of coffee can vary from 50mg to 300mg of caffiene depending on how strong it is, pepsi max in a 330ml can has roughly 50mg) it is still addictive.

I used to- and also knew of people who struggled to get off diet coke (35mg per can) and said no other cola was like it, I get the same issue with Pepsi Max, you could say its because it has more caffiene and thats why but personally? I wonder if there isn't something else in it- and in all fizzy drinks as I also have the same issue with diet lemonade!

I have to say cold turkey worked best for me (I went back to the stuff though after a few years of going without...) I can't suggest anything cheaper which even nearly matches and I did look long and hard. What I can say is that if you manage to get yourself to drink something else for a few weeks eventually you'll be fine and it is possible to stop drinking Pepsi Max, just not easy!

Maybe find a diet cola your happy with- or if you want to stick to water, get a Brita Filer jug and have your own bottled water made by yourself (or just use a tap if you don't mind the chlorine taste) You don't need to buy bottled water, its far too expensive IMO. Add some squash to the water and you have your own version of the Volvic drink, you even get more choice.

torbrex

I buy supermarkets own brand cola and even sometimes get the basics version at 18p for a 2 litre bottle, I also buy the basic lemonade from Aldi at 18p for 2 litres and add squash to it for different flavours.
As said, tap water is free.
I have been making my own smoothie's for a long time and they do taste much better as well as being a lot cheaper to make than they are to buy.

VfM4meplse

Don't forget that all fizzy drinks are highly corrosive to teeth, I wouldn't recommend substuting one with another, or any sweetened drink. If you need a qquick demonstration of how damaging it is, why don't you pour some into your toilet bowl? You'll find that it comes out sparkling.

Your Pepsi max habit may also explain why you're up in the middle of the night!

Water is not the most interesting drink but like anything, you will get used to it.

midnightraven3

most supermarkets do their own brand sparkling water at around 20p for 2litres
buy MacBs "just a dash" its around £1 for a litre
but you really do need just a dash, so it lasts for ages

you now have litres upon litres of flavoured water for pennies

they do apple, lemon & lime, strawberry & kiwi
peach, and i think one with pear and something else

cant help with the weaning off the coke/pepsi sorry
girl i worked with drank lots of it, she went cold turkey, only experience i have had of it

Ilona

I don't drink any fizzy bottled or canned drinks for the reasons stated above. Caffeine is addictive, there is far too much killer sugar in them, and they rot your teeth. Try and get off them if you can.

Tap water flavoured with fruit juice from a carton is my choice. I take a made up bottle out with me so I don't have to buy any drinks. Diluted 75% water 25% juice. I have just started making my own smoothies and water them down to make a drink. A stick blender is all you need.
Ilona

aliaslotte

I live on sugar free fruit squash. I always have a few different flavours in, so I can vary my drinks. They work out very cheap indeed - the latest 1.5litre double strength bottles I got were £1 each.

I don't think there is anything wrong with drinking things like Pepsi Max - they are pretty tasty - but I would probably try to replace a few of your fizzy drinks with water, just to be on the safe side.

quintwins

i don't think there is any caffine in pepsi max i could be wrong tho

if u were you i'd work out how much your spend on pepsi in a year and what you'd like to spend that money on, yu could get a water filtre or try a cheaper bottled water, tesco do one thats nice and about 60p for a 2litre bottle, we also drink alt of squash and milk, i do love my coke but limit it to 1 bottle a week once it's gone it's gone

marywooyeah

Oh dear this thread is ringing alarm bells with me! my husband jokes that I'm addicted to diet coke but I actually think he's right. I can get through a 2ltr bottle in a day - I drink the own brand caffiene free versions around 45p per bottle but have cans of diet coke in my desk drawer at work. When I took my son to disneyland I made a concerted effort to find a cheap shop selling diet coke to keep in the hotel room!

It started when I went to weightwatchers as water and diet coke are 0 points and I find water a bit boring. I can't help wondering if part of why I'm struggling to lose weight is part of drinking so much coke. I do need to get off it I think.

Gillyx

On the weight front, there was a study recently that showed people who drank a large amount of "diet" soft drinks were more over weight than those who didn't marywooyeah I'll have a wee google and see if I can find it.

To the OP, you drink to rehydrate yourself, so water is a good choice, pepsi not so much. The point about the teeth is also correct, it'l be rotting away your teeth. 8 bottles a week? :eek: so you're drinking more than 2 litres a day? When you do eventually decide to give it up it won't be pleasant.

I keep a jug in the fridge with sugar free squash, so it's always available to me, I don't have to make up an individual glass every time I want a drink, also helps in the 2 litres a day, because I'll sometimes just pour a glass in passing. Maybe you could try that?

aliaslotte

As others have said, when I drink a lot of fizzy drinks, I end up feeling very dehydrated - with a sore throat etc. Having sugar-free squash, I feel refreshed and always get my 2 litres of water for the day [usually nearly double - I drink a lot lol].

Regarding caffeine:

Per Container
7.5 fl oz
% Juice 0
Caffeine (mg) 43
Potassium (mg) 20
Phosphorus (mg) 42

And, for comparison, regular Pepsi:

Per Serving
8 fl oz
% Juice 0
Caffeine (mg) 25
Potassium (mg) 5
Phosphorus (mg) 35