One question I constantly see pop up in diabetic forums/chats is “what does everyone drink that doesn’t have sugar, besides water?”.
I love seeing this question because it means that people are sick of the ol’ pony show of sodas & diet drinks and are looking for a healthier alternative.
Which is why today I wanted to share with you my Favorite Natural Sugar Free Drinks that aren’t just water!
1. Lemon Water (with a protein twist)
Let’s get the most obvious drink out of the way, lemon water. Something about lemon (or lime) water is so satisfying. It takes minimal effort to make and packs quite the nutritional punch (lemons are great for cleansing and detoxifying).
Protein Twist: Add 1-2 Tablespoons of Grass Fed Collagen to turn your classic lemon water into a super charged protein drink. The collagen is flavorless and adds 9-18g of protein, respectively.
2. Iced Mylk Latte (coffee free & caffeine free)
I love a good nut/seed milk over ice! Add a couple pinches of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, froth it up in a blender (if you don’t have a frother) and sip! But recently I’ve been turning my spiced iced mylk into iced mylk lattes with Four Sigmatic’s Chai Latte mix.
You get that smooth latte flavor without the coffee or caffeine!
I also put their Chaga Mushroom Elixar over ice with a splash of almond mylk and it is heavenly!
3. Tea over Ice with Mylk
Along the same lines of putting lattes over ice, I like my teas over ice as well… aka iced tea. Right now my top two favorites are:
- Red Raspberry Leaf, which has so many health benefits for women especially pre, during, and post pregnancy because it promotes ovarian & uterus health.
- Chai Turmeric, which anti-inflammatory thanks to the turmeric
I make these teas super concentrated by using 2-3 tea bags per 8oz boiling water. Let steep 10minutes. Pour over a glass filled completely with ice. Add a splash of you favorite nut milk and enjoy!
4. Electrolyte Drink
I’d be lying if I said I never consumed sugar free sweeteners. While I not a fan of them for health reasons I do think some are better than others. Lately we’ve been using the brand Ultima. Every flavor has been delicious but our favorite is definitely the lemonade.
In this particular case the sugar free sweetener is Stevia, which I try to use very sparingly since there isn’t a whole lot of data out there on it, and the data we do have is controversial. That being said, there is nothing more refreshing after a long hard workout or a day out in the sun than an ice cold electrolyte lemonade. I much prefer this over Gatorade, Powerade, and most other electrolyte drinks.
5. Herb Infusions
Herb flavored water just screams summertime garden party! With so many fresh herbs growing in your garden (or available at your farmers market) the possibilities are near endless! Herb infusions are best made 2-8 hours ahead of time to get the best flavor. Lately my favorite combos are:
- Rosemary, Mint, Cucumber, Lemon
- Basil, Lemon
- Dill, Mint, Cucumber
- Cilantro, Lemon, Cucumber
6. Cucumber Water
This drink totally took me by surprise. I remember first seeing it at a friends baby shower and thought it was super fancy looking but probably tasted like water. But guys, cucumber water is so delicious, cool, and refreshing. Perfect for those hot summer days because of the cooling properties of cucumbers. Add and extra twist by muddling in some mint leaves. Mmmm my mouth is already watering!
I hope these gave you some great ideas!
Well, there you have it! Hopefully this gave you some great ideas and I really hope you enjoy these combinations. I always feel so much better when I’m drinking more water, I’m sure you do too!
Let me know in the comments what your favorites drinks are or which ones from this list you’re looking forward to trying!
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I get all my pantry items (like tea, almond mylk when I don’t feel like making it, and collagen) from Thrive Market. Their prices are cheaper than my grocery store and they deliver to your house! Use this link to get 25% off your first order!
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8 Comments
I love four sigmatic! I didn’t know they made a chai latte one! I’ll have to try that. And cilantro cucumber water…. girl, you may be onto something! Thanks for the great ideas
The chai latte is so good, I just ordered more myself! And I’m so happy you’re a cilantro lover too!! It took me F O R E V E R to acquire a taste for it, but now I am obsessed with it.
What brand of collagen do you use?
Vital Proteins. I will update this post to have a link for it. Here it is as well: https://amzn.to/2MJqhl0
Protein water… why have I not thought of that?! I use collagen all the time in my smoothies but never thought to add it to my water/tea. Trying it today in my iced tea. Do you find that you have to bolus for the protein?
I only bolus if I do two scoops of collagen (which is 18g protein). I cut the number in half and bolus for that. So, in this case, I would bolus for 9g carbs.
i really want to try the protein water. have you tried vp’s marine collagen? i want to but i’m scared it will taste fishy
I have! and it doesn’t smell or taste fishy at all 🙂