Which soft drinks are healthy for type 2 diabetes sufferers?
If you like soda but have type 2 diabetes, this is probably one of your big questions. You might be wondering:
"Can I carry on drinking my favorite diet soda?"
This article gives you the answers straight followed by suggestions for 7 super sugar-free drinks that are not only tasty but will improve your blood sugar levels too.
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Which (diet) soft drinks are allowed with type 2 diabetes?
Some people swear by diet coke. Others are keen on sugary soda or Kool-Aid.
But what can you drink if you have type 2 diabetes or are worried that you might develop it?
That's a good question. Soft drinks do not have a good reputation. Most people know they are unhealthy. But if you ask them why, they either say they don't know or else they give you the wrong answer.
I wouldn't do that to you, even though I hate to be the bearer of bad news. Yes, the stories are true. Soda really is really unhealthy. And I'll tell you why.
"Consuming soft drinks increases your chances of developing diabetes, and they have truly disastrous effects if you already have the disease."
Sugar-free soft drinks also appear to be unhealthy for type 2 diabetics.
Purpose of this article
After I've explained exactly what is wrong with soft drinks, I'll give you some tasty alternatives.
There are seven to choose from. You can easily stock up on them at the supermarket, so you won't be left without a pick-me-up. And it'll cost you a lot less than what you'd usually spend on your soda.
Why you should never drink soda made with sugar
If you have diabetes, something's gone wrong with the way your body deals with sugars.
With type 2 diabetes – the commoner of the two main types – your body is unable to absorb these sugars. This is because the hormone insulin, which gives your body the signal to absorb the sugars, is no longer able to function correctly.
This process normally takes place after you've eaten something that contains carbs or sugars. If you're continuously ingesting large quantities of sugar, your body will work overtime to release enough insulin.
In the long run, however, your body can only take so much. Eventually, it will reach the tipping point, and you will find yourself the latest victim of type 2 diabetes.
The result is that the sugars in your blood are not absorbed/processed properly. Your sugar level remains too high, especially after you've eaten. Fortunately, there is a way to get rid of type 2 diabetes. Find out how you can do that by clicking here.
"And now the question is: can you consume soft drinks if you have diabetes?"
The answer is a straightforward no.
Watch out!
Soft drinks contain a lot of sugar. And, to be honest, that's pretty much all they do contain. So, in effect, you're drinking liquid sugar, and you have to stop.. It's called 'high blood sugar' for a reason. Consuming sugar makes you sick, so drinking soft drinks is absolutely NOT a good idea.
Soft drinks cause weight gain too. And as you know, obesity is one of the leading causes of type 2 diabetes. One bottle of Coca-Cola contains 200 kcal. And these are not calories that make you feel satiated. No, they do the opposite: they make you feel hungry. Let me explain why.
Your appetite decreases when you ingest calories. But when a product contains only sugars and no vitamins, minerals, proteins, fats, or fiber, then you'll be hungry again before you know it.
The sugars enter your bloodstream and are absorbed quickly (if all is good). After that, your blood sugar quickly drops back to low again (often too low)... and once again you're hungry.
See the image below:
"Soft drinks are liquid sugars and do not contain any healthy compounds, so they are the last thing you should drink."
If you continue to drink soft drinks when you have diabetes, you will see that this is not good for your blood sugar level, and you will have to take more and more medication.
That's why you really have to stop this. Later I'll be giving you a list of alternative drinks that are just as tasty but much healthier.
How the sweet taste of soda makes you fat
There is a button in your brain. If you press it, you'll get a pleasant feeling. This pleasure button is pressed as soon as you taste something sweet. You'll get a wonderful feeling because the sweetness-button in your brain is pressed by drinking soft drinks.
But there is something interesting about this button:
The more you press it, the more you will crave sweet things and the more you will get used to sweet products. At some point, you will continuously crave sweet things (addiction).
This also works in reverse:
If you do not eat sweet things for a while, "the need" will disappear. When you do decide to eat something sweet, the button will be pressed extra hard. If you do not eat sugar at all for a couple weeks, the sugar that you taste afterward tastes extremely sweet (as it should).
The evil thing about this button is that it has little to do with hunger. If you press it often you will crave something sweet, even if you have just eaten. And the problem is that sweet things often contain a lot of calories and lots of sugar.
By getting used to sweet things, you will train yourself into eating things that make you fat and give you diabetes.
Fortunately, you can easily get rid of that sugar addiction:
Your need for really sweet food will disappear and if someone offers you something sweet - with lots of sugar and calories - it'll be much easier for you to say "No, thanks."
Another reason to quit soft drinks: the less sweet food or drinks you eat, the less you need these products and the slimmer you'll become.
Why you should avoid light soft drinks too
When people said 'no' to drinking soda for health reasons, the food industry had to come up with something to change their minds.
How could they get their former customers addicted to their products when they no longer drank sugar?
It turned out that a sweetener that contains no calories or sugars, but tastes very sweet, has precisely the same effect as real sugar. People will always be in the mood for something sweet and for any drink that contains that specific sweetener.
The advantage of a sweetener is that it does not cause a sugar spike or calorie gain.
"It has to be said: This was a smart (marketing) solution."
People began drinking light soft drinks on a massive scale. "A pleasure without guilt" was the concept, because there is no sugar in it. But as you might suspect, it's better to see diet drinks for what they really are.
Why you should stay away from diet drinks
The sweetness button in your brain is pressed just as hard by light soft drinks. It stimulates our craving for sweet things. Aspartame, stevia (Splenda) and other sweeteners facilitate this 'button pushing.'
The chance increases that you will eat more cookies or candy or something else that is sweet when you're used to light soft drinks. It maintains your need for sweet food, with all its consequences.
Also, scientists have discovered that drinking light soft drinks is associated with:
For diet sodas, think about the following popular drinks:
Soft drinks not only encourage your cravings for sweet food and drink but also have negative effects on your health. So you have absolutely nothing to gain by drinking light soft drinks and a lot to lose (like your leg if your not carerful).
You now know the harmful effects of soft drinks and their light counterparts
But which drinks can you safely replace them with? Are you really just going to drink water?
That would be very healthy indeed but a bit dull. After all, you don't drink soft drinks solely because you're thirsty, but because you like them too. That's why I've given you seven suggestions below for healthy sugar-free drinks apart from water.
Healthy alternatives to soft drinks if you have diabetes
Drink 1: Coffee
And when I am talking about coffee, I am talking about coffee only. Not with milk and not with sugar.
So you drink your (ice) coffee black.
Many people are confused about whether coffee is good or bad for you.
And that makes it difficult. So let me put an end to that doubt forever.
Coffee is healthy. Coffee contains many healthy plant compounds that make your body more efficient when fighting off diseases. So it is an excellent beverage to drink.
When is coffee not healthy? Coffee contains caffeine, which increases your heart rate. Therefore, it's not advisable to drink it if you have a heart condition,
Tip!
In addition, I advise you not to drink coffee after 4 o'clock in the afternoon. This is because caffeine keeps you awake. If you want to sleep well at night, it's better to stick to water or black tea in the evening.
Drink 2: Green tea
Green tea is not only delicious; it's also healthy.
All in all, green tea is my favorite hot drink.
You can also make iced green tea. This is very popular in Asian countries.
All you have to do is put concentrated green tea in the refrigerator.
It tastes a little bitter, but Japanese people love it. You, of course, do not add any sugar.
You can, however, sweeten the drink with stevia or flavor it with a slice of lemon.
Drink 3: Ginger tea
Drinking only green tea and coffee all day long can also become tedious.
It's nice, therefore, to alternate with ginger tea. And for good reason.
Ginger contains gingerol.
Gingerol has an anti-inflammatory effect on the body.
Which is why ginger has been shown to improve type 2 diabetes.
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Drink 4: Coconut water
Would you like something that’s kind of sweet as well as very healthy?
Then go for coconut water. It's different from coconut milk with a slightly sweet, refreshing taste. Always buy the ones without the added sugars.
Coconut water has the additional advantage of being perfect for your stomach. If it’s upset, a glass of coconut water will immediately put it right.
Coconut water also contains many healthy minerals that your body can use.
Note: Coconut water naturally contains some sugar. So, ideally, you shouldn't drink more than 1 glass a day.
Drink 5: Fruit-infused water
Fruit-infused or fruit-flavored water is water that tastes of fruit that's been soaked in it.
If you take a jug of water and put some pieces of fruit in it, the taste of the fruit will go into the water.
If you leave it for a day, it will taste delicious and refreshing.
You'll get something a little more exciting than just "plain" water.
Click here for inspiration on fruit flavored water and other sugar-free drinks.
Drink 6: Herbal tea
I have already mentioned ginger. But the following teas are also very healthy:
Tip!
Go to a tea shop or supermarket, but preferably a tea shop. Get advice on all kinds of herbal teas. Buy a variety pack and try them all. You will soon find out what you like best.
The beauty is that herbal tea does not contain caffeine or sugar. You can drink them all day long. And many of these drinks also have huge health benefits.
Drink 7: A glass of wine
You may find it strange that I am mentioning alcohol. In my article on the avoidance of stress, I discouraged you from drinking alcohol because this will destroy your sleep and with it your blood sugar level.
There is one exception.
If you eat a big meal and you drink just one tasty glass of wine with it, you'll be pleased to hear there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Please note, however, that the emphasis is strictly on one. As soon as it becomes half or a whole bottle, you will surely have problems. But I am confident that you are a sensible person.
That glass of wine during the meal can have a small advantage:
One glass of wine, drunk regularly with dinner is a pleasure to look forward to and enjoy. Drinking beer with diabetes, however, is far less sensible because you ingest more sugar with every glass.
The Diabetes-free Secret
Soft drinks are, therefore, strictly forbidden when you want to stabilize your blood sugar level. Fortunately, you can avoid becoming dehydrated thanks to my 7 tips for tasty, healthy sugar-free drinks.
Just like the sugary beverages you shouldn't drink, there are also certain things that you should not eat. When you replace these with healthier products, you will live a much healthier life and can even reverse your type 2 diabetes.
It has recently been discovered that it is possible to reverse type 2 diabetes. Everything you need to do this can be found in your local grocery store.
You can reverse type 2 with one powerful principle. It's something I call the"The Diabetes-Free Secret." A number of pages that I have written about this secret will change your life forever. You will learn:
Enter your e-mail address below and I will send you the E-book for free.
Greetings,
Marloes Schuurman
PS What drink do you drink to avoid soda and diet drinks? Leave a comment below