To ask what I can drink without getting a blinding headache??

[Auramigraine]

Hi

So after suffering with headaches for years I finally found the culprits, sweeteners in drinks (aspartame and sorbitol seem to be the biggest challenge offenders) I switched to full fat sugar coke or Pepsi as my go to drink with a meal or as a treat etc (I don’t tend to drink much alcohol) and I find the next day I have a blinding headache, I have a feeling it’s caffeine withdrawal. With the lovely weather we have had lately I treated myself to a cold can of Pepsi the other day and just spent the weekend nursing a horrendous headache. It has finally gone and I have no sworn never to touch it ever again.

I literally can have tea and water. Any ideas? Any drinks that don’t contain caffeine and those evil sweeteners?

X

Vodka

Lime and soda water? But it has to be Roses lime cordial because all the other ones have got sweeteners.

You can buy raspberry syrup in the Polish section in Tesco which has no sweeteners and makes a nice drink.

I detest sweeteners. They don't make me sick but I just hate the taste of them.

Pepsi Caffeine Free has no caffeine but has sugar. Problem solved.

If you can tolerate the caffeine levels in tea.... what about trying different teas.... try them cold (e.g. Earl Grey) or some of the fruit infusions, prepared and chilled... with ice?

San Pelagrino have brought out ‘classic recipe’ of their lemonata which hasn’t got sweeteners in. (I suspect their sales have dropped since they put sweeteners in their regular stuff)
There is also Cawstons Press which is fizzy fruit drinks without sweeteners.

Lime and soda, yes, but real lime. Rose’s gives me a terrible ‘hangover’! Half a lime, slice a bit off and squeeze the rest, too up with fizzy water.
Ribena used to be OK but not any more.

Fruit juice

There are loads out there that you can drink - and you can tell instantly which ones they are as they are 3 times the price of the ones with sweeteners. I have a real issue with the 'sugar tax' because I can't drink anything with aspartame or AceK as they affect my bladder, so I have pay exorbitant amounts of money for ones with sugar in. You can also get caffeine free drinks - which you must know if you are drinking caffeine free tea.

Bottle green cordials are real sugar, I think Belvoir as well

Dash flavoured sparkling water has no sugar or sweeteners

Seedlip and tonic

Heineken Zero if you like the taste of beer

Put jugs of water in the fridge with things to flavour like strips of cucumber, lemon or lime zest, raspberries, slices of orange, etc

Fizzy water, squeeze lemon or lime, add sugar.
There still are sugar based squashes in the shops

I drink Le Joli cans which are handy to keep in fridge, no sugar or sweetener, really like the lime & mint but haven't tried the other flavours

Rocks
Belvoir
Bottle Green

Out and about is much harder if Coke/ Pepsi are out.

Headaches or migraines?

I drink ice tea, hot tea, full fat fizzy drinks, fruit juices watered down etc.

I avoid fake flavourings - they taste chemical anyway.

My migraines are definitely related to caffeine withdrawal (I've sorted this now!) and chemicals like aspartame, faux flavourings, and alcohol.

Your head doesn't sound like caffeine withdrawal though, unless you are hyper sensitive to it? Do you get the same effects from a coffee, tea or other drinks? If not, it's somethings else.

cspinet.org/eating-healthy/ingredients-of-concern/caffeine-chart

I have a can of ugly on my desk... having read the label it sounds like it would work for you.
Got a big batch from Costco, 3 different flavours.

Mint, cucumber and fizzy water. I also add elderflower cordial, but you would have to check if it had sugar.

I have a similar problem and have found Appletiser to be sold in a lot of places like pubs, cafes. Its been a lifesaver for me, as you cant drink water all the time. Also cawston press as someone else up thread mentioned.

Asda now sell three flavours of own brand hi juice with a bright yellow “with sugar - not sweeteners” at top of label in apple & cherry, orange &mango and black currant. So pleased they have responded to demand!
I like this with sparkling water with a meal, also Waitrose have their own brand tonic water and lemonade which is sugar not sweeteners, some nice ‘posh’ cordials, M&S have a few sugar full options too.
My go to used to be ribena but thanks to the stupid sugar tax that is forever ruined. I too suffer headaches when I have artificial sweeteners.

If it’s sparkling drinks you’re after then...
Waitrose lemonade
Appletiser/Grapetiser- they’ve brought out some canned infusion type drinks recently too.
Innocent Bubbles
Fever tree ginger beer
Bottle green/Belvoir pressés
Cawston Press

My favourite drink at the moment is Waitrose lemonade with some freshly chopped ginger and the juice/pulp of half a lime. Sharp, zesty and super refreshing.

I’ll never forgive Jamie Oliver for the sugar tax.

Also if in a pub see if they’ve got non-alcoholic fruit ciders? They don’t have sweetener in AFAIK.