The latest research on soda isn’t all that promising. It’s been linked to increased fat buildup in your liver (a definite contributor to insulin resistance and diabetes), increased weight gain (particularly for diet sodas), cancer (via many of the caramel coloring agents), kidney problems, accelerated aging, and much more.
So, if you’ve been wanting to kick the soda habit, I’ve collected 20 fabulously fizzy, healthy, homemade drink recipes for you to try.
These healthy alternatives to soda will please even the pickiest palate and satisfy your cravings for fizz.
Healthy Alternatives to Soda: Kombucha
Kombucha is an ancient Chinese beverage gaining wider popularity around the world in the past decade. The combination of kombucha’s health benefits with it’s naturally-carbonated fizz make it a great healthy alternative to soda.
Recipes
Strawberry Kombucha from Hollywood Homestead
Elderberry Booch from Pickle Me Too
Watermelon Kombucha from The Dabblist
Lavendar Kombucha from Shalom Mama
Apple Pie Kombucha from Health Starts in the Kitchen
Ginger Grapefruit Kombucha from GNOWFGLINS
Orange Ginger Hibiscus Kombucha from Divine Health from the Inside Out
Easy Probiotic Strawberry Limeade with Kombucha from Mindful Mama
Healthy Alternatives to Soda: Water Kefir
Water Kefir is a wonderfully easy and simple probiotic beverage to make. It creates a naturally fizzy drink that’s a perfect and healthy alternative to soda.
Recipes
Sparkling Apple Cider Water Kefir from Pickle Me Too
Fuzzy Navel Water Kefir from Common Sense Homesteading
Nectarine Blueberry Water Kefir from Divine Health From The Inside Out
Cinnamon Coconut Water Kefir from A Harmony Healing
Healthy Alternatives to Soda: Basic Ferments & Soda Water
Homemade sodas can be refreshingly simple. Whether you’re adding carbonated water from a soda stream (this is the one I use) to a homemade juice or tonic, or lightly fermenting something like lemonade to create a sparkly, sweet, probiotic beverage, these healthy alternatives to soda aren’t time consuming or terribly expensive.
Recipes
Citrus Cardamom Tonic Water from The Dabblist
Strawberry Black Pepper Soda from Healthy Green Kitchen
Apple Ginger Soda from Holistic Squid
Fizzing Strawberry Lemonade Cubes from Jar O’ Honey
Pineapple Ginger Soda from Nourishing Time
Ginger Ale from Homegrown and Healthy
Fizzy, Probiotic Lemonade from Food Renegade
Homemade Root Beer Recipe from Nourished Kitchen
(top photo by chotda; bottom photo by reeselloyd)
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Hi,
I don’t know much of anything about kombucha or water kefir… But I have multiple allergies (dairy, soy, egg, wheat, barley,& mango). Can I have kombucha & / or water kefir?
How do I get / find / purchase them / the ingredients? ( I am in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.)
Thank you very much!
~ Michelle
Michelle,
You should be able to have both with no problems! I order a lot of cultures from the website culturesforhealth.com. I’ve had great success with everything I’ve bought from them. Good luck!
Melissa
I had been making and drinking fermented ginger ale when friends told me there was alcohol in it due to the fermentation process…I understand the basic chemistry of it, but I can’t see how the alcohol content could be significant. Does anyone have an opinion or experience they can relate? I don’t want to purchase expensive equipment to test the alcohol content of every batch…thank you!
Heidi,
I don’t know about standard ginger ale, as I’ve not tested it. But I do have a friend, Kelly of Kelly The Kitchen Kop, who tested the alcohol content of her kefir soda pops.
You can read her test here: http://kellythekitchenkop.com/2009/10/kefir-sodaan-alcoholic-beverage-real-food-wednesday.html
I think it’s fairly safe to say that as with her results, most of these fermented beverages like kombucha, kefir soda, and even old-fashioned ginger ale contain very little alcohol.
I believe that anything we do to reduce or remove high fructose corn syrup from our diets promotes our better health. I think it’s critical to do this for our children. With so much of our US corn being genetically modified, we need to avoid this product as much as possible. All sodas that are in mainstream commercial grocery stores (not health food stores) are full of high fructose corn syrup.
To say nothing about diabetes or insulin resistance! and both these topics merit another discussion.
I have found that the easiest thing for me to make that is low carb and refreshing is freshly juicing two cucumbers, one lime, and a tablespoon of powdered Stevia. I’m diabetic so can’t drink anything sweetened with fruit juice except lemon and limes because they are low carb. I find this drink to be easy and incredibly refreshing.
Naomi Rose – in case you are still having cravings .. Thought maybe one of these might appeal?
The soda cravings didn’t really last long for me. It has been about 8 months since I was drinking them. I used to drink at least a 2L of diet soda a day, but dropped cold turkey to water and coffee with the occasional iced tea at a restaurant. I think I have had maybe three or four servings of soda in that time and they were things like Mexican Coke or real cane sugar root beers.
Once I got the toxins out of my body, I found that water was extremely satisfying. That is all I drink now!
Plain iced tea, sometimes flavored with herbal teas or maybe a little fruit squeeze. 🙂
How can this be good for Cancer with all that Sugar ? Sugar feeds Cancer !! Not sure that I am convinced of this now although before reading ingredients to make this I had read alot of positive things on this . Could someone pls help me with this question ? Ty
Marcus Macktima…
Terry Du’Fer
We haven’t had pop for 20 years, none of my kids drink it, and they’re all ridiculously healthy. Thanks for the recipes!
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