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Drink up! Low-sugar drink options to keep hydrated and healthy

Posted by Amy Smithdrinks, hydration, sugar, swaps

Keep yourself hydrated!

We all know how important it is to stay hydrated, especially during the summer. But many drinks are packed with a shocking amount of sugar!  Did you know that over 80% of all children and adults in the UK are consuming too much sugar – and a big contributor of our sugar intake is soft drinks!  As the weather is starting to warm up, it is important for us to stay hydrated and healthy, but also be conscious of what we’re choosing to drink. 

Water

Water is by far the easiest drink option as you can be confident that it has no hidden sugar in there, however you may find that it lacks flavour and excitement!  A great way to add some flavour to our water is by adding fruits and herbs.  There’s endless flavour combinations to try, and you can even use frozen fruit instead of ice cubes for a refreshing cold drink.  You could even try this with sparkling or soda water to give it some extra fizz!  This is great for the whole family and is a fun way to get the kids involved and drinking more water! We’ve created a menu of water infusions for you to try!  

Iced Tea & Coffee

With the sun starting to make an appearance, some of us might be opting for iced versions of our favourite hot drinks.  Store bought iced tea and chilled coffees can contain a lot of added sugar, so why not grab some ice and make your own lower sugar versions?!  

To make a refreshing iced tea, just simply brew your favourite tea in a small amount of hot water, top up with cold water and pour over ice!  You can even pop your tea bags in water and leave it in the fridge overnight so it’s ready for the next day.  Instead of adding sugar to iced teas, why not try naturally sweet fruit or herbal varieties, or add lemons to flavour your tea!    

When making iced coffees, if using milk alternatives – opt for the unsweetened versions to cut back on the added sugars.  You can even add flavour to your coffees using different spices, my favourite is adding a little cinnamon and vanilla essence. You can even make a chai spice blend to add to your coffees using a mixture or ginger, cinnamon, cloves, allspice, nutmeg and cardamom – use them all or mix and match your favourites to create your personalised flavour! 

Smoothies

Smoothies are a great way to get some extra fruit and veggies in your diet, but can often contain a surprising amount of sugar.  Cut back on the sugar without compromising the extra vitamins by making your own at home!  Just add 1 cup of frozen fruit to a blender or food processor along with 1-2 cups of milk depending on how runny or thick you like it and you have a delicious, fresh smoothie in no time! 

 You can make all of these drinks in advance so that you are prepared and have your drinks ready to go when you need them.  Give them a try and let us know what your favourite drink creations are!