10 Unhealthy Drinks You Should Be Avoiding

If you are trying to lose weight or eat healthier, you most likely pay attention to your food choices. As a result, you are eating more nutritious food and reducing calories and sugar. 

One aspect of their diet people often overlook is their drink choices. Some drinks are just plain unhealthy.  Here are ten unhealthy beverages you should avoid and some more nutritious options.

Soft Drink 

Soft drink can increase the risk of diabetes, obesity, and other health issues. Soft drink is also high in calories and sugar. There are approximately 26g of sugar in 8oz of cola. If you drink a lot of soft drink, those calories can add up. 

Soft drink can also cause tooth decay and contribute to heart disease and stroke.

If you like the fizz of soft drink, try Sarsaparilla Tonic. The tonic contains sarsaparilla root, licorice, and Ginseng. Instead of adding calories and sugar, you’ll be consuming a beverage that helps with mental function and boosts the immune system. Its sweet taste with no added sugar will make you forget about reaching for a soft drink!

Energy drinks 

Energy drinks are usually high in caffeine and sugar. Some energy drinks contain as much as 240 mg of caffeine. That’s about 3 cups of coffee. 

You may notice symptoms such as insomnia, jitters, and increased heart rate. Consuming too many energy drinks can lead to high blood pressure and increased heart attack or stroke risk.

With our busy, tiresome schedules, energy drinks are very tempting. If you’ve been feeling tired, why not try a natural solution? Ginseng, Gingko & Brahmi Tonic can help you feel more energized without harmful side effects.  

Sweetened coffee drinks

Many coffee shops offer drinks such as frappes and iced coffees that have a lot of sugar. Sugary coffee drinks can add a lot of unnecessary calories to your diet, especially if you are trying to lower your calorie intake.

Over time, these drinks can also contribute to weight gain, diabetes, and other health problems. Drinking black coffee can help lower your sugar intake.

Sweetened tea 

Similar to coffee drinks, sweetened tea can be high in added sugars. Do you like bubble tea? A bubble tea can add between 400 to 1,000 calories to your day, contributing to weight gain and other health problems.

Many of the flavoured teas you can buy at the store also contain a good amount of sugar.

Avoid sweet teas and try Ginseng, Gingko, and Brahmi Tonic or Sarsaparilla in cold water for a delicious healthy drink.

Fruit Juices

Fruit juice seems healthy, right? But unfortunately, it is often loaded with added sugars and lacks the fibre that whole fruits provide.

The average cup of cranberry juice has 31g of sugar! So you get all the sugar and calories and none of the nutrients in the fruit. 

Try a cup of spring water or sparkling water with Cranberry Norfolk Punch. You can get your juice on with natural sweeteners that don’t have significant calories.

You can also try Natural Remedy Cherry Juice & Herbs made with no artificial colours, flavours, preservatives, sugar or water added. Made with the finest hand selected Australian Cherries grown on a 4th generation family farm.

Sports drinks

Sports drinks are for athletes who expend tremendous energy and lose water through sweat. They are full of carbohydrates (sugar) and sodium to sustain physical activity for long periods.  

Not only can sugar cause weight gain and contribute to diabetes, but sodium can be harmful to anyone with high blood pressure.

Alcoholic beverages 

Not only does alcohol have adverse effects on the liver, brain, and other organs, but it also adds extra calories. In addition to the hard alcohol of choice, most people mix their drinks with soda or juice, which adds additional calories. 

It’s not just the extra calories; alcohol can lead to high blood pressure, liver disease, cancer, and other health problems. 

Try these non-alcoholic options instead:

• Rochester Gingerinstead of a beer (it’s good for digestion too!)
• Borrago, a distilled tonic with zero calories, sugar, and alcohol
• Feragaiais a distilled, non-alcoholic tonic with a smoky note, zero sugar, and zero fat. Try it in place of red wine after dinner.

Flavoured water 

The manufacturers of flavoured water may tempt you with yummy flavours such as blueberry or watermelon. However, many flavoured water contains added sugars and artificial sweeteners, which can be unhealthy if consumed in large amounts.

You need more than the extra sugar or artificial sweetener to reach your health goals.  Try Turmeric, Curcumin, & Mango tonic to add some taste to your water.

Sweetened milk drinks

Chocolate milk, anyone?  Milk drinks flavoured or sweetened with sugar or other sweeteners can be high in calories. Milk drinks can include teas, coffees, and beverages made with condensed milk. 

Vitamin water

While vitamin water seems healthy, it can be high in sugar and calories. It can contain as much sugar as a coca-cola! Most of the nutrients added to Vitaminwater differ from those in which most people have a deficiency. It is just another sugary drink that can pack on pounds.

Getting nutrients from natural food sources such as fruits and vegetables is better.

It is essential to be mindful of the types of drinks you consume, as they can have a significant impact on your health. Choose water, unsweetened tea, and other low-calorie beverages as much as possible.

When you are craving something extra to drink, browse through our natural tonics that are tasty and won’t put on extra pounds. Making lifestyle changes with your eating choices gets you closer to your health goals. So try our healthy tonics and elixirsto give you focus and stamina as you are working towards your health goals.