Sugar Free Sodas/Drinks/Squash?

[aldriglikvid]

Hi, 

 

I'm looking for some sugar free alternatives that I can mix with water. It's very popular in Scandinavia where I'm from but I'm unable to find some here (probably because I can't read the tickets on the bottles). 

 

Can you guys throw me some brands/pics? ?

[burningup]

There is nothing but diet coke and green tea. Thais wont drink anything that isn't minimum 20% sugar

[impulse]

Since I found out I need some glucose in my drink if I add salt for re-hydration, I use the Thai brands of concentrated fruit flavors, but I use them in sparing amounts, just to add flavor to the water.  I've never liked full strength fruit juices anyway.

 

You'll have to do your own Googling, since I'm now located where Google is blocked.  But it turns out that the ORS's (oral re-hydration salts) don't work well unless there is some glucose added.

 

Here's the genre I'm referring to, though there are many brands...  I just add enough to my taste, which is about 1/4 to 1/3 the normal amount.  There's plenty of sugar, but I'm hoping it's just enough to facilitate absorption of the sea salt I add since I sweat buckets in BKK.  I should add that I generally only drink water when I'm out and around- about 90% of what I drink is bottled water.  The home-mixed ORS's are a small percentage of what I drink.  I also add psyllium husks for a fruity, pulpy drink that reduces cholesterol and keeps me regular (as if that's a problem in Thailand).

 

Edited August 12, 2018 by impulse

[Airalee]

Found these at villa market (Phrom Phong).  There were about 6 different flavors.  ฿40.  Taste pretty good and gives you an option other than Coke Light or Pepsi Max.

[Boycie]

A few members mention Coke Light/Diet, but i thought that still contained sugars?

 

But Coke Zero contains no sugars.

 

Is my thinking correct?

Edited August 15, 2018 by Boycie

[williewolf]

Tops supermarkets sell Robinsons sugar free squash from the UK that you dilute with water. It sells for around 150 baht per bottle

[scubascuba3]

7-11 sells 10 baht fizzy flavoured water, lime or peach flavour

[Sheryl]

Adding a splash of unsweetened fruit juice to water or soda water works well.  Or even a splash of sweetened fruit juice since one uses very little.

[PoorSucker]

11 hours ago, scubascuba3 said:

7-11 sells 10 baht fizzy flavoured water, lime or peach flavour

Also strawberry now, but it's 15 baht (Pepsi brand). 

They used to have 'Big' brand for 10 baht but that has vanished at least on Samui. 

[ignis]

I always have the same for the past 4 years make every morning....... Fresh Mulberries, add boiling water strain 3x  mashing with a fork, makes 4 lts, add ice and keep in Fridge, it is all I drink all day....  sometimes for a change will dry the leaves and and do the same......  Google:  Mulberries + Diabetic .......  2kg Fresh Mulberries last me 8 days...  the remains after straining = fibre I eat with Greek Yogurt for breakfast. = 100%  I know what is in the drink

 

As a PS:  mulberry seem to lower blood sugar in people who have type 2 diabetes................ Mulberry  have long been used in Chinese medicine for the prevention and treatment of diabetes

 

Maybe a warning: I have a lot at the moment eating direct 20 or so from the trees, I have had the shakes about 2 hours later, testing BS was very low between 63 and 80 !!  must take less Insulin if I am going to eat fresh from the trees.

Edited August 16, 2018 by ignis

[casmeri]

Crystal Light sugar-free 0.11oz tube packets perfect for 500-600ml bottles of water are excellent and convenient.  They are available from Amazon in flavor varieties.  Light and tasty.  The wild strawberry Has a bit of caffeine in it which I like on occasion.

[Carlosm]

I started a topic on sugar free drinks back in March. As you've already heard, Thai's want sugar in their fizzy drinks or they won't buy them. I have a snooker hall, i put small bottles of Pepsi max in the fridge and 1 month later took them out and took them home, untouched.

I've been looking for  commercial sugar free drink (not coke) to mix with evening drink but yet to find one.

 

 

[LammyTS1]

On 8/15/2018 at 2:26 AM, Airalee said:

Found these at villa market (Phrom Phong).  There were about 6 different flavors.  ฿40.  Taste pretty good and gives you an option other than Coke Light or Pepsi Max.

7/11 sell chrysanthemum juice and a chinese fruit with herb flavour with no sugar, 30 baht.

I also buy Robinsons sugar free grapefruit cordial from Siamburis.

[LammyTS1]

3 hours ago, ignis said:

I always have the same for the past 4 years make every morning....... Fresh Mulberries, add boiling water strain 3x  mashing with a fork, makes 4 lts, add ice and keep in Fridge, it is all I drink all day....  sometimes for a change will dry the leaves and and do the same......  Google:  Mulberries + Diabetic .......  2kg Fresh Mulberries last me 8 days...  the remains after straining = fibre I eat with Greek Yogurt for breakfast. = 100%  I know what is in the drink

 

As a PS:  mulberry seem to lower blood sugar in people who have type 2 diabetes................ Mulberry  have long been used in Chinese medicine for the prevention and treatment of diabetes

 

Maybe a warning: I have a lot at the moment eating direct 20 or so from the trees, I have had the shakes about 2 hours later, testing BS was very low between 63 and 80 !!  must take less Insulin if I am going to eat fresh from the trees.

 

Sounds good. Mulberries are something I've not tried before. Love blackberries and blueberries, so must give this a try. Are mulberries freely available here in Thailand? Cannot say I've seen any here?

[IFinish]

3 hours ago, ignis said:

I always have the same for the past 4 years make every morning....... Fresh Mulberries, add boiling water strain 3x  mashing with a fork, makes 4 lts, add ice and keep in Fridge, it is all I drink all day....  sometimes for a change will dry the leaves and and do the same......  Google:  Mulberries + Diabetic .......  2kg Fresh Mulberries last me 8 days...  the remains after straining = fibre I eat with Greek Yogurt for breakfast. = 100%  I know what is in the drink

 

As a PS:  mulberry seem to lower blood sugar in people who have type 2 diabetes................ Mulberry  have long been used in Chinese medicine for the prevention and treatment of diabetes

 

Maybe a warning: I have a lot at the moment eating direct 20 or so from the trees, I have had the shakes about 2 hours later, testing BS was very low between 63 and 80 !!  must take less Insulin if I am going to eat fresh from the trees.

You've got my attention. Always open to new BS hacks. 

Any idea where can I buy fresh mulberries near Jomtien?

[jak2002003]

I have a sweet tooth.. for cakes and chocolate... but hate sweet drinks for some reason.

 

I mostly drink water, various teas (hot and cold), coke zero and soda water.

 

Coke zero and Diet Coke have no sugar.  But they do have artificial chemicals in them, so best not do overdo it (although there is no evidence at all despite what people say that they are harmful).  

 

Normal water is great... and you can add a small amount of fruit juice to make it taste nicer if you like. I would not add the concentrated fruit juice syrups (very unhealthy and highly processed).  Be aware that adding lime juice or other citrus fruit juice can damage you tooth enamel over time).  

 

There is a delicious brand of Thai 'low energy' flower / fruit drinks that they sell Tesco (and some 7/11s).  They come in cardboard boxes with green screw caps.  These have no added sugar, and sweetness comes from plants and low calorie fruits.  Sorry I can not remember the name of the brand.  The boxes are mostly cream coloured. There are flavours like safflower, ginko etc. 

 

Finally, I love the fruit 'shakes' they serve everywhere here in the plastic cups.  They blend what you like together and they are cheap.  Simply tell them not to add sugar and then you have a cheap, healthy, and tasty fruit slush.  

 

 

[ignis]

Re # 14 and #15 have my own in the garden, cutting from a friends tree some years ago........ have seen small pots with 10 cutting in @ 30 baht a pot  at Max Value.....  guess best place is buy at a Farmer Market or ask where a Farm is....  Farm near me cost 150 baht per kilo.....  picked this morning about 200 off my trees, I divide them into [daily amount] bags and freeze...

[ignis]

Fresh picked  ??

 

 

[Ulic]

Just remember that putting anything sweet in your mouth whether it has calories in

it or not will trigger an insulin response. (even if you do not swallow and spit it out)

This is the reason why calorie-free sweeteners do not work for fat reduction. If you

want to reduce total daily calorie amounts, fine. But, I would only drink sweeteners

in small amounts with meals.

[Airalee]

13 minutes ago, Ulic said:

Just remember that putting anything sweet in your mouth whether it has calories in

it or not will trigger an insulin response. (even if you do not swallow and spit it out)

This is the reason why calorie-free sweeteners do not work for fat reduction. If you

want to reduce total daily calorie amounts, fine. But, I would only drink sweeteners

in small amounts with meals.

I usually drink water and a Pepsi Max, Diet Coke, whatever is part of my overall Keto diet.  Don’t really have any fat to lose. ?

[jak2002003]

10 minutes ago, Ulic said:

Just remember that putting anything sweet in your mouth whether it has calories in

it or not will trigger an insulin response. (even if you do not swallow and spit it out)

This is the reason why calorie-free sweeteners do not work for fat reduction. If you

want to reduce total daily calorie amounts, fine. But, I would only drink sweeteners

in small amounts with meals.

Sorry, but you have the wrong information here. Easy to make the mistake is this is a common urban myth.   

 

As a qualified Biologist and food scientist, I can say that for sure that artificial sweeteners do not stimulate the body into producing insulin or affect appetite or blood glucose levels. 

 

OP.. I also remembered the low sugar low energy drinks.. they are from Doi Kham.

 

They are natural.. with natural sweeteners from plants and fruits which taste sweet but actually have far fewer calories than normal sugar.  

 

 

 

[Boycie]

8 hours ago, PoorSucker said:

Also strawberry now, but it's 15 baht (Pepsi brand). 

They used to have 'Big' brand for 10 baht but that has vanished at least on Samui. 

I was having a look today in 7-11 and found this in the fridge along with a 'healthy' sticker.

Not sure if i am reading the Thai script right, but 1 glass serving of 200ml contains 13grams of sugar!!

So this 1 bottle @ 445ml contains about 29grams of sugar?

If that is correct, i think i'll skip this healthy drink with Vit B3 + B6 from Pepsi

 

Edited August 16, 2018 by Boycie

[aldriglikvid]

I really appreciate all the answers, especially when you provide photos which are very helpful when I'm not familiar with all the brands ?

 

I found this at Big C that seems to tick all my boxes: 

 

It's a mix/syrup that has 0 calories on the box. I'm not looking to make "full dosage" (which I don't even do in Sweden with my local sugar free mixers) - I just want to add some flavour to the water, and no calories. 

 

If you guys find anything else please update the thread - and I'll do the same! ?

[mogandave]

I really like ice water with peeled & sliced cucumbers, I leave it the fridge overnight and it’s good to go.

Also like Crystal Light fruit punch.

Nothing wrong with good old sun-tea with lemon & artificial sweetener...

[ignis]

Another Very cheap drink...........  from a Chinese herb shop, pack cost 35 baht....  boil in water [for me makes 7 litres]  

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 2018 by ignis

[attrayant]

As a qualified Biologist and food scientist, I can say that for sure that artificial sweeteners do not stimulate the body into producing insulin or affect appetite or blood glucose levels.

I can confirm this using myself as the test subject. A can of root beer puts me flat on my back, sawing wood for at least an hour.

But a tall glass of iced tea with two spoons of sucralose has no noticeable effect. The best part is, the ants have zero interest in it. I can leave it in an uncovered sugar bowl and not one ant will take an interest.

[mogandave]

I can confirm this using myself as the test subject. A can of root beer puts me flat on my back, sawing wood for at least an hour.

But a tall glass of iced tea with two spoons of sucralose has no noticeable effect. The best part is, the ants have zero interest in it. I can leave it in an uncovered sugar bowl and not one ant will take an interest.

I worked outdoors for 12 years, the bees will not touch a diet soda, but they’ll be all over the sugared..

As if drinking a big bug is not bad enough, getting stung in the mouth by one is significantly worse...

[jak2002003]

6 hours ago, mogandave said:

 

I worked outdoors for 12 years, the bees will not touch a diet soda, but they’ll be all over the sugared..

As if drinking a big bug is not bad enough, getting stung in the mouth by one is significantly worse...

 

Tell me about it.  When I was a kid I was out on a school outing and tucking into on of the sandwiches my mum made me... not noticing there was also a wasp eating it... very painful getting stung on the roof of my mouth!!!

 

 

[malt25]

I also try & keep my sugar intake down as much as possible. A couple of slices of lemon  in a bottle of cold water makes a refreshing drink. I also mix up a batch of Ginger drink that most drink hot. I put 4 sachets of the Ginger powder in one litre of water & keep in the fridge. Dissolve first with a little hot water. There's several varieties with No added preservatives, colours & flavourings. For a change I use some of the concentrated, 4 sachet mix, with a glass of soda water.

[Dario]

100Plus is a drink touted for sports people. It has no sugar at all added, but uses Stevia as a sweetener. I don't feel a Stevia after taste at all and the drink does not spike my sugar at all. Comes in several flavors. Here are Citrus and Berry pictured (my favorites) Very refreshing. I buy it at the larger Tesco-Lotus.