Soft drinks are often packed with sugar or sweeteners. It is not without reason that its consumption has been declining for years. The unhealthy image of soft drinks has resulted in the development of a new kind of drink:the so-called 'craft' or 'pure' soft drinks, often in beautiful trendy bottles and cans.
The new drinks all promise less sugar, less fake stuff, more pure ingredients and fewer calories. And of course more refined flavors. Now those flavors are fine:hardly anyone used to drink elderflower lemonade, now you can even buy it at Hema. We have also been introduced to alternative cola thanks to brands such as fritz-cola. And creative flavors such as citrus coffee and orange-ginger are flying around your head. In short, these drinks can be a fun and tasty alternative to 'regular' soft drinks. But are they really that much healthier?
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In natural soft drinks, refined sugar is often replaced by supposedly healthier sugar substitutes such as cane sugar, agave syrup and honey, but your body simply recognizes these as sugar. Excipients such as natural flavors or fruit concentrates are often pure sugar. As far as calories are concerned, it doesn't matter either:calories are calories. If your drink is organic, it is of course better for the well-being of people, animals and the environment, but that's where it ends. In terms of nutritional values, organic products hardly differ at all from non-organic products. So always check the labels of your drinks.
Are there really healthy soft drinks? Fortunately. Water with a taste, for example, provided that it does not contain sugar, fruit concentrates and juices. And some manufacturers are really doing their best to come up with tasty lemonades that contribute to good health. There are special types that are acidified with lactic acid bacteria, for example, and drinks based on kefir. Of course it is fine to enjoy your trendy bottle of natural soda, but do it in moderation. If you pay attention to the ingredients, it is in any case a better addiction than cassis, cola or orange.
Fruit syrup, fruit juice, organic or not:it's all sugar. That is why soft drinks are not included in the Wheel of Five of the Nutrition Center:they are bad for your teeth and increase the risk of diabetes and obesity.
Gluten-free, vegan:that's nice on the bottle or can, but it's often nonsense because most drinks do not contain gluten by nature or are vegan.
For example, water with orange and cinnamon, or with lemon, cucumber, mint and ginger. Tap water is cheap, good for the environment and provides optimal hydration. Water and tea are therefore the very best choices if you want a really healthy drink.
