Kids love soda; it tastes good and it is easily available. Most soft drinks also contain a deadly ingredient: caffeine. Caffeine can be addictive, thereby making the habit of drinking soda difficult to curb. Here is an alarming fact – A 20-ounce bottle of soda contains the equivalent of approximately 16 teaspoons of sugar, but the American Heart Association recommends that Americans consume no more than five to nine teaspoons of sugar per day. Moreover, children who drink one or more sugar-sweetened beverages per day have 55% greater odds of being overweight or obese. While we cannot control what our kids drink when they are out, we can do our part to control their soda habits at home. Here are some healthy, and delicious substitutes for soda that your kids are bound to love!
1. Virgin Mojito (Serves 2)
Ingredients:
• 1 cup fresh mint leaves, chopped.
• 1 large lime, cut into small wedges
• 2 cups sparkling water
• Ice, as desired.
• 4 tbsp sugar
Directions:
Crush the mint leaves and lemon using a wooden spoon. Add the sparkling water, and sugar and stir well. Add ice, and garnish with more mint leaves before serving.
2. Kombucha
Kombucha is a Chinese beverage that is currently popular worldwide. It is a naturally carbonated fizzy drink, which makes it the perfect alternative to soda. It also had a lot of health benefits, so your little ones will have nothing to worry about. You get to buy this wonder drink in most grocery stores, or you can even try making it at home!
3. Apple Cider Water Kefir
Ingredients:
Water Kefir- 3 ½ cups
Apple juice- ¼ cup
Sugar – 1 teaspoon
Directions:
Pour the water kefir into an airtight bottle, and add the apple juice and sugar to it. Shake the bottle well and keep the bottle closed, at room temperature, for up to three days. Open carefully, and refrigerate. Serve chilled.
4. Flavored Water
Spruce up your boring water with the natural flavors of fruits and vegetables. Here are some good combinations:
• Strawberry+ Basil+ Sparkling water+ Ice
• Mint+ Lime+ Sparkling water+ Ice
• Cucumber+ Lemon+ Sparkling water+ Ice
• Watermelon+ Rosemary+ Sparkling water+ Ice
• Pineapple+ Mint+ Sparkling water+ Ice
• Mixed berries+ Sparkling water+ Ice
5. Iced Tea
Ingredients:
• 8 tea bags of black tea
• 1 medium lemon
• 8 cups boiling water
• Ice
• Sugar, if desired.
Directions:
Place the tea bags in a large bowl. Add the peel of the lemon to the bowl. Pour the hot water to the bowl and leave it for a few minutes to let the flavors combine well. Remove the tea bags and strain the tea. Refrigerate the tea for 2 hours. Add sugar and ice before serving.
6. Arnold Palmer
This delicious drink is names after the legendary golfer, Arnold Palmer, who would always order half-lemonade and half-iced tea. It is the perfect drink to have on a hot summer afternoon, to quench your thirst and keep you feeling refreshed!
Ingredients:
• ½ cup Lemonade
• ½ cup Iced Tea
• Ice
• Sugar, if desired.
Directions:
Fill the glass with the lemonade and the iced tea. Add sugar and ice before serving.
