When we want to start making healthier choices, one of the first places we start is often with our water intake. But what happens when you’re trying to make the switch from sodas, juices, sweet tea, or artificially sweetened beverages to plain water?

You want flavor!

You miss the “bubbles”!

You just get tired of it sometimes!

That’s why I want to give you my list of favorite drinks to have when you get tired of plain water. These are not a replacement for plain water, just something to throw in the mix when you need more flavor or fizz. Find one or two from the list below that you really enjoy to use as a special treat during the day.  At the end of this post you’ll find my top five favorite alternatives to plain water that I personally drink! 

Flavored waters

Stur: This is an excellent option if you enjoy the convenience of the squeezable bottle. Stur offers a variety of tropical and nontraditional flavors that will keep things interesting. Every flavor is sweetened with Stevia, so no artificial sweeteners to worry about here! In addition, some flavors contain 100% of your daily value of Vitamin C and 1 gram of fiber per serving.

Crystal Light Pure: The “Pure” version of Crystal Light can be found in most major grocery stores. I like that Crystal Light is now making a line of flavors sweetened with stevia instead of artificial sweeteners. That means they’re listening to consumer demand for better quality options! You’ll find classic flavors such as lemonade, peach tea, and mixed berry. There’s even options for caffeine-containing flavors as well.   

Hint Water: These are delicious fruit infused waters with no added sweeteners. Seriously, not even stevia. There’s even a caffeinated version if you need a little extra pick-me-up in the morning or mid afternoon.

Nuun: I can’t say enough good things about Nuun! Nuun (pronounced “Noon”) is an electrolyte beverage that comes in a ton of unique flavors and provides some fizz you might be missing from your soda. Some versions contain caffeine or antioxidants and anti-inflammatories for immune support.  These are great for athletes trying to replenish electrolytes or anyone trying to increase their water intake.

SweetLeaf Water Drops: SweetLeaf is a company that sells Stevia and now offers liquid water flavorings. There are fruit varieties for water and chocolate/caramel/vanilla flavors for your coffee.

Homemade Infused Water: The night before you want some infused water, fill a pitcher with water and your favorite fruits, vegetables, and herbs. Some of my favorite combinations are lemon + ginger, strawberry + basil, strawberry + lemon, and peach + blueberry.

Sparkling water

Perrier/La Croix/Spindrift/Bubly: These sparkling waters provide the fizz you may be missing from your soda but without the sugar and artificial sweeteners. Feel free to add some of the above products if you need more flavor.

Everything Else

Unsweetened Teas: Brew up your favorite tea and serve hot or cold and sweeten with stevia, monk fruit, or Swerve if needed. If you’re looking for some caffeine, choose a black or green tea. Herbal and white teas have little to no caffeine, but a lighter flavor that is great to add your own touch to. I love to have a hot cup of Tazo Passion Tea with stevia in the afternoon after lunch.

Vitamin Water Zero: Here’s a refreshing option that you can find at most grocery stores and gas stations. Since it’s sweetened with stevia there’s no artificial sweeteners to worry about.

Bai: There’s a pretty big variety of choices with Bai despite being a fairly new brand. This option is going to have slightly more carbohydrates/sugars per serving; however, it’s all coming from real fruit or coconut water depending on which one you choose. There’s also Bai Bubbles if you’re looking for a soda replacement and Bai SuperTea to kick the sweet tea habit. All Bai products are sweetened with both erythritol and stevia. Erythritol is a sugar alcohol found naturally in fruits and vegetables but can be made by fermenting sugars.  

Zevia: Zevia is simply your favorite sodas like Cola or Root Beer sweetened with stevia.   

This simple chart will help direct you to new options depending on what you’re looking to replace:

I hope you find this list helpful! Please share in the comments your favorite healthy alternatives to water!  

Also, if you kicked the soda habit please share your strategy! Fresh ideas and support are always welcome in this community!

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