Sugar or artificial sweetners in soft drinks ?

[JuicyJ]

Hi all,

After hearing the recent news about the dangers of sugar I am religiously checking the ingredients on everything I buy - so in my quest to get rid of all products that contain sugar I noticed that Robinsons cordials all contain.. artificial sweetners. I've been buying this brand for years without realising it so have stopped buying it. The question is what other drinks can you buy that don't contain either, seems that water is the only safe thing to drink but DD get's bored with this - any ideas anyone on what is safe to drink ?

Thanks ;)

[clare8allthepies]

Unless you stick to water every drink is going to have either sugar or sweeteners in. You just have to decide which you prefer, or if you really don't want either then water it is.

I am trying really hard to cut calories so drink diet coke, but am aware this isn't great for me. On the other hand I don't want my 3 year old to have any artificial sweeteners, so she gets water or milk or juice, either orange or apple but no more than once a day as it's full of sugar.

[JuicyJ]

Hi Clare - this is the dilemma i'm in !! I went through all the cordials on the shelf and every single one either contained artificial sweetners or sugar.. I know they have to be sweetened with something but with recent news over refined sugar, it's difficult to work out which one is ok. Even fruit juice is loaded with fructose.. and milk contains lactose, both sugars !

I've only just managed to wean her off kids yoghurts (which all contain sugar) and onto greek yoghurt with fresh fruit, was horrified when I saw that the highest ingredient on all kids yoghurts was sugar..

Good luck with the diet coke challenge - I was addicted to that a few years ago, took some doing to get off it !!

[Picturesinthefirelight]

Pure fruit juice is better (preferably not ftom concentrate) or smoothies as they contain natural fruit sugars & the drink is nutritious but it only counts as one if your five a day once

My two drink one drink of milk, milkshake or hot chocolate per day, one drink of pure juice & water the rest if the time (I do allow ds to have the occasional oasis or Ribena a a treat.

[NiceTabard]

Personally speaking, I go for sugar over sweeteners. In my head sweeteners are the work of the devil

I think you would be hard pressed to find squash without either. Most have sweeteners in and then have "no added sugar" plastered all over the front which I count as evil food industry misleading labelling. Anyhoo, waitrose hi juice has sugar in it instead of sweeteners if you decide that is the lesser evil.

Other than that, you're going to have to stick with water / milk / fruit teas etc. Fruit juice often has as much sugar in it as coke, and it's acidic too which is bad for the teeth. Moderation is probably the key.

[PartyConfused]

Does anyone know if there is a squash that is 'sugar free' but doesn't contain aspartame?

Can't really fo sugar as diabetic. But I also want to cut aspartame out. There is surely an alternative sweetner?

[addictedtosugar]

What about getting some fruit tea bags, putting several in a jug of hot water. Once steeped, pop in the fridge for a sugar and sweetener free, flavoured drink?

Personally, I go for sugar over sweeteners.

[JaneinReading]

I thought the children would never move to water as I had done but 2 years ago they did. It certainly takes a ew weeks to change a habit though. We only drink tap water (don't even drink tea coffee or milk in this house). It's cheap too.

Also pure fruit juice is not a great drink either - full of calories and ups your blood sugar level. By all means eat a piece of real fruit but to have so much concentrated at once is not good particularly not good for ODDD (obesity, depression, diabetes and dementia all of which are made worse by high sugars in diets).

[VelvetGecko]

Watered down pure fruit juice is probably your best bet. Or diluted flavoured volvic, it's the only flavoured water that doesn't contain artificial sweeteners.

[ManateeEquineOHara]

Better to go with sugar than sweeteners IMO.
I have recently stopped buying squash though just to save money on something unnecessary, we have a water filter which (perhaps just in my head) makes water taste cleaner!
DCs don't mind it though some of their friends have.