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It’s no secret these days that sugary soft drinks are just about the worst thing you can pull back to quench your thirst. They’re full of empty calories, spike your blood sugar and add to your waistline. That’s the reason many people have switched to soft drinks that use different kinds of sweeteners, like the new Coca Cola Life, which is partially sweetened with the plant-derived additive stevia. But don’t fall for it. Here’s why. Marketers may try to make Coke Life sound like a healthier alternative to other products, but the truth is that it’s not much better. One bottle contains more sugar than anyone should be consuming in a day. The World Health Organisation recommends aiming for no more than six teaspoons a day to stay healthy. A single bottle of Coke Life clocks in at ten teaspoons. Try getting an empty glass and putting ten teaspoons of sugar in it, to put the number in perspective. Technically, Coke Life does have an edge over regular Coke, which contains a shocking 16 teaspoons of sugar. However, it shouldn’t be a question of “either/or.” Both have negative impacts on your health and should definitely be avoided. Also be on the lookout for hidden sugars in other drinks; you may think you’re being “good” by opting for a glass of fruit juice or iced tea, but they can pack just as much sweetener. 350mls of apple juice, for example, contains 10 teaspoons of sugar! Let’s just take a quick refresher course on exactly why sugar is so bad for you: Increases the risks of becoming overweight or obese. Simple sugars are turned into fat if the body can’t use them immediately for energy. Plus, eating sugar spikes your insulin and tends to make you feel hungry instead of full. Has a negative effect on cognitive functions like memory, focus, and ability to learn. That’s right…sugar not only damages your body, it damages your brain. Contributes to tooth decay. Sugar feeds bacteria that slowly dissolves tooth enamel. Increases your risk of heart disease. On top of causing weight gain (which contributes to heart problems on its own), sugar causes stress to the heart and can impact its pumping abilities. There are more problems associated with excess sugar consumption as well, but these are enough to make the point stand: it’s a lot of risk to trade for a few seconds of pleasure. Sugar is essentially poison so treat it as such – avoid it where ever possible. If you can’t stand the thought of giving up carbonated beverages, try kombucha instead. Kombucha is a fermented tea made by adding a culture of bacteria and yeast to a solution of tea, sugar and often comes in different natural flavours. It’s naturally fermented so it has the fizziness of a soft drink and it’s great for your gut health. Here’s an awesome mojito recipe I created with kombucha. alkalife Healthy Mojito For Two INGREDIENTS: 1 cup alkalife Natural Alkaline Water (boost of alkalinity and minerals) 1 cup Mojo Kombucha (healthy fermented goodness) 1 lime 20 mint leaves 2 tablespoons of Perfect Sweet Xylitol (sugar free sweetness) 1 cup crushed ice made from alkalife Natural Alkaline Water A sprig of fresh mint to garnish INSTRUCTIONS: Cut the lime into quarters, squeeze the juice into a jug and add Perfect Sweet Xylitol. Squish everything together to release more lime juice. Put the mint leaves in one hand and clap a few times, bruising it to release the aroma. Rub the mint leaves around the rim of the glass and drop them in. Use a muddler or spoon to push the mint down into the lime juice. Fill the jug with half the crushed ice and stir. Add the alkalife Natural Alkaline Water and Mojo Kombucha then add the remaining crushed ice and stir. Garnish with a sprig of mint. For more natural health tips visit our blog at: http://www.alkalife.com.au/blog
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