Tired of drinking only water!!

[wanttobeskinny]

I'm kinda tired of drinking only water! What else can i drink thats very low carb?? I dont want to drink any kind of soda, i finally broke the addiction!

[scmadm]

I have posted elsewhere the research that shows ALL types of fliud except alcohol count as water intake. I know this is heresy but I have never had a patient who only drinks diet soda or coffee or other non-water beverages come in with labs that show dehydration unless they also had other problems i.e. staying out in the heat, nausea/vomiting, non access/not drinking any fluids, etc.

[Nigel]

Try out flavored waters. You can generally get a variety of the sam's choice brand for about .50 per quart/liter at walmart. All of them are good and carb free.

There is also crystal light, etc. that come in powdered mixes, just add water.

You can mix davinci's with club soda for a nice soda type treat or lime and club soda is great, you don't even need sweetner.

You can make a great cherry limeade with club soda, limes, and cherry flavoring (like davinci's).

There are also drinks called Fuze, that are very tasty and carb free.

[24Fan]

I mix those packets that Nigel mentions, the Crystal light and other ones found in WM kool-aide section. I even mix the caffeinated one when I'm not in the mood for coffee on muggy mornings, plus the energy one before my runs/workouts. All sugar free of course. "Replenish" is the energy one and "Morning Spark" is the caffeinated one I use. HTH

Steve, I recently read same information in the local doctor column in my newpaper: ALL liquid counts, it doesnt have to be 'pure' water to hydrate your body.

[marnie4949]

I've been telling people that for years! I hate plain water and never, ever drink it. When one swallows food, water or whatever, it sits in the stomach together with whatever else is in there. What is the difference if, for example, you swallow a glass of water and eat a peice of fruit seperately or mix the fruit with the water and then drink it? Absolutely none in my estimation. If I am wrong, will someone please explain it to me - using scientific facts, not just hearsay?

[scandalouslyglam]

I found Diet NESTEA in the carton at my grocer. It's sweetened w/splenda and very lightly sweetenend at that! I know it's caffienated But 1 demon at a time...

[weasel!]

My husband grew up party in the South and turned me on to sweet tea. We used to make it with sugar, and then learned to like an unsweetened version that's really quite refreshing. Recently he came up with a really good saccharine version. We've been making this nearly every day now that the weather's warmer. Our 3-year-old loves it. I feel a little conflicted giving him artificial sweetener, but, hey, moms around the country are pouring intense high-fructose corn syrup solutions with artificial flavors and dyes down their little kids' gullets. So a homemade steeped-leaf drink with a little hit of sweet, I think, is pretty good.

Tea is a natural product (even if saccharine isn't). Buying ready-to-drink tea is a huge waste of money and only benefits the corporations who like it when we become progressively more helpless. I encourage anyone who likes tea to experiment with the brands, quantities, and time amounts given in this recipe and find a version they like.

Sweet Tea
Ingredients
- Water (If you don't like the taste of your tap water, use your favorite bottled water.)
- 7 teabags (We like Tetley's British Blend. Find the one you like the best. Don't be cheap. Find the one you like.)
- 4 packets Sugar Twin or 1.5 teapoons Superose

Equipment
1-quart saucepan
2-quart pitcher
Long-handled, slotted spoon

In a small saucepan, bring 1 quart water to a rolling boil. Remove from heat. Add teabags. Separate them from each other with a spoon, a little, just so the water can make contact with all surfaces.

Set a timer for five minutes. Meantime, ready a two-quart pitcher in the sink. Run your cold water tap (into the drain) for several seconds so that your water comes out cold and fresh-tasting.

When the timer rings, pour all the contents of the saucepan into the pitcher. Turn the cold water tap on high and pour a strong blast of cold water until you've partly filled the pitcher. Stir.

Use the spoon to fish out the teabags and replace them in the saucepan. Pour more water over the bags to get some more tea flavor out. DO NOT SQUEEZE TEA BAGS! Squeezing will bring out the bitter flavors.

Pour tea water into the pitcher. Add water to the pitcher until it's full.

Add sweetener. Stir, stir, stir. Taste a small amount and adjust sweetness to your taste. Serve warm, room temp, or chilled.


Variations

-For iced tea, use less cold water, and substitute ice. Remember, if you don't like the taste of your tap water, don't use it for your ice, either. For best results, blend in sweetener before adding ice.

- Experiment and find the brands of tea and sweetener like best.

- Although Sweet-n-Low and Sugar Twin are both primarily saccharin, they contain different fillers with different flavors. We like ST better. YMMV. Superose is a liquid saccharin solution, $1.50 a bottle, that our local supermarket carries.

- For a stronger or milder tea flavor, adjust number or tea bags AND/OR steeping time.

- You can use this method for herbal teas, too. Zingers are very nice by the cold pitcher.

- If you grow mint or stevia, you can steep them along with the tea in the hot water.

Enjoy!

[dmw80]

Making tea in boiling water makes the tea bitter. You should never boil your tea water or put tea bags in boiling water. You want the water to ALMOST boil, but not.

[weasel!]

Originally Posted by dmw80

Making tea in boiling water makes the tea bitter. You should never boil your tea water or put tea bags in boiling water. You want the water to ALMOST boil, but not.

The part I agree with:
Making tea in boiling water makes the tea bitter. You should never put tea bags in boiling water.

The part I disagree with:
You should never boil your tea water. You want the water to ALMOST boil, but not.

Untrue. Boiling the water forces oxygen out of it. Letting the water come to a rolling boil, even if only for a few seconds, influences the flavor of the final product in a good way. Try both ways and see. (I think this is the reason tea made with microwaved water is so yucky -- because the water is not heated properly.)

To sum:

Making tea in BOILING water is bad. (Because it's too hot.)

Making tea in BOILED water is good. (It's no longer as hot as boiling water, so it won't make the tea bitter.)

[wanttobeskinny]

Thank you all for the help! I finally bought some crystal light, the ones that come in singles that you pour in your water bottle! I cant believe that it tastes just like real lemonade!! I feel like im cheating when i drink it?

[claire631]

Try a couple of slices of cucumber into large glass of water and let it steep about ten minutes. Cucumber water,very refreshing and surprising!

[Sharis]

Originally Posted by marnie4949

I've been telling people that for years! I hate plain water and never, ever drink it. When one swallows food, water or whatever, it sits in the stomach together with whatever else is in there. What is the difference if, for example, you swallow a glass of water and eat a peice of fruit seperately or mix the fruit with the water and then drink it? Absolutely none in my estimation. If I am wrong, will someone please explain it to me - using scientific facts, not just hearsay?

You are not wrong. I only have two degrees in biochemistry so I suppose I could be wrong but I don't think so . Nothing wrong with plain water but it's not necessary and not the only good liquid to feed your body.

[srmil30]

Originally Posted by wanttobeskinny

I'm kinda tired of drinking only water! What else can i drink thats very low carb?? I dont want to drink any kind of soda, i finally broke the addiction!

I have thought about the Water Sensations. I bought mine at Target. They are great and do not have an after taste.

[bbkk104]

I have fallen in love with Fruit-2-O. No carbs no cals. Expensive, but a good treat

[srmil30]

Originally Posted by bbkk104

I have fallen in love with Fruit-2-O. No carbs no cals. Expensive, but a good treat

Aren't those great. I forgot about them. I usually buy a case at Sam's club.

[ICanDoItNOW]

There is a fruit water with splenda at Costo that is very good and pretty inexpensive -- less than soda!! My kids love it so we buy it by the case now. I think its Nestle that makes it, but right now cannot remember and I am at the office.

[ashley123]

the Dasani Grape water is pretty good- I put mine in the freezer till it hits almost slush stage. No cals, No carbs. It's refreshing when it comes out of the freezer! I just bought some today!!

[dmw80]

Originally Posted by ashley123

the Dasani Grape water is pretty good- I put mine in the freezer till it hits almost slush stage. No cals, No carbs. It's refreshing when it comes out of the freezer! I just bought some today!!

I never thought of that! I love that dasani grape water, it tastes just like grape soda and my kids don't know the difference! I'll bet I could even make freezer pops out of it, and they'd think they were popsicles!

[cleochatra]

Try and drink a glass of water for every other glass of diet beverage. This ensures you're still bringing in water without od-ing on other diet drinks. The problem with diet drinks is the havok they can wreak on your blood sugar. Even though the sugar substitutes might seem innocuous, they really aren't when taken in large enough dosages. As well, Aspartame is also known to stall 25% of the population.

[lure]

Has anyone here tried TrueLemon or TrueLime?

http://www.truelemon.com/

[gina1]

ASPARTAME AS IN CRYSTAL LITE IS NOT ALLOWED DURING INDUCTION. I JUST DUMPED MY CRYSTAL LITE YESTERDAY AND MY STIX ARE PURPLE THIS AFTERNOON.

[skerri]

i was on the atkins diet before, and i drank a soda called fresca? i know you can get it in canada but not sure about the US. i limited myself to max 1 a day and i still lost tons of weight

[fawn]

I love herb iced tea with fresh spearmint.

[my1215boo]

Originally Posted by wanttobeskinny

Thank you all for the help! I finally bought some crystal light, the ones that come in singles that you pour in your water bottle! I cant believe that it tastes just like real lemonade!! I feel like im cheating when i drink it?

I just found these as well, I have the sweet tea and the berry....love them!

[daisyHair]

I like mint- ginger tea with stevia (fresh ginger & mint), I make it hot and then put it on ice.. the ginger is great on induction (or when you are in deep ketosis) to help nausea..

[RollerSkater]

Originally Posted by bbkk104

I have fallen in love with Fruit-2-O. No carbs no cals. Expensive, but a good treat

I absolutely love the peach and grape flavors of Fruit 2-O. I figured I'd like the cherry best, but I didn't really like it at all. I also dislike the tropical fruit flavor. But the peach and grape are WONDERFUL!

[RollerSkater]

Originally Posted by gina1

ASPARTAME AS IN CRYSTAL LITE IS NOT ALLOWED DURING INDUCTION. I JUST DUMPED MY CRYSTAL LITE YESTERDAY AND MY STIX ARE PURPLE THIS AFTERNOON.

I drink like a bazillion aspartame-sweetened things a day and I never have problems. I think it's all down to individuals and how each person reacts to something.