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Tea is healthy alternative to soda, other sugary drinks
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good for you teas
Soft drink sales have fallen flat for four consecutive years. Whether it is increased consumer awareness on the perils of soda or a weak economy, it is a welcome trend. Why is soda so bad for you? The two main culprits are sugar and phosphoric acid.
Nutrition experts recommend a maximum of only 40g refined sugar for every 2000 calories. An average 12 oz soda can contains 39 grams of sugar and 140 calories (Mountain Dew has more), all from sugar. That’s like eating about 10 teaspoons of sugar.
Drinking soda triggers an increase in insulin production. Your liver then converts all that sugar into love handles, belly bulges, muffin tops, saddle bags, not to mention cellulite. Aside from the unwelcome changes in your physical appearance, too much sugar has more serious ramifications. Drinking diet soda everyday (yes, even diet) increases your risk for obesity by 37 percent. Weight gain can also lead to all kinds of health problems, most commonly type 2 diabetes.
What about phosphoric acid? Soda typically has a pH of 2.8, which means it is acidic. Ingesting an acidic substance interferes with the body’s acid-alkaline balance. This in turn can lead to cell mutation, bacterial growth and overall weakening of the body. Acid also strips calcium from bones and makes us vulnerable to osteoporosis. The acid and sugar combo also erodes enamel from teeth, promoting decay.
The more we ingest sugar, the more we crave it. Sugar is truly addicting. While it is almost impossible to eliminate sugar from our diet, we can limit our intake. The easiest way to do that is by cutting back on sodas. Drink more water and substitute soda with tea.
There are so many varieties of teas to choose from, all containing good-for you antioxidants and sugar-free to boot. Most bottled and canned teas readily available in stores don’t count. Most of them contain as much, if not more sugar than their soda counterparts. A 16 oz bottle of Arizona Green Tea Energy has 50 grams of sugar. An 8 oz bottle of Snapple Peach Tea contains 24 grams of sugar. Stick with teas that you have to brew yourself (my favorites teas that are good iced are Choice Organic’s Lichee White and Zhena’s Gypsy Tea Lemon Jasmine).
If it’s too much hassle to boil, steep and cool tea, there are cool brew options you can try. Lipton Celestial Seasonings offer these oh-so-convenient teas. No boiling required and it takes 5 minutes or less to brew. Celestial Seasonings offers more flavors including Raspberry, Peach, Blueberry, and Tropical Brew. Don’t forget to pack home-brewed iced tea when you’re on the go so you’re not tempted to buy soda when you get thirsty.
Now that you’re on your way to kicking that soda habit, what should you do with all that soda in your fridge or pantry? I heard it’s good for taking out rust stains and erasing oil spills from the driveway. Let me know if this works!
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