Shoot me please -- Have to give up the diet soda

[kbb]

I started looking for caffene free soda in Thailand.

Realized that won't happen - Even in the higher end Farang Markets.

So am hooked on Coke Zero.

Am working on insomnia snd belly fat.

Now finding out that it's not just the caffeine in Zero that's a problem.

Too much to go into here - try googling "health and diet soda".

You'll get an earful from the laptop pretty quickly.

So I'm looking for a replacement.

We're in Pattaya -- Anyone have any specific suggestions for caffeine free teas and the like?

My first trip to a market wasn't too successful ...

[bangkokjulia]

What about sugar free cordial?

[johnatong]

Try real Soda (Carbonated water) !

[nikmar]

orange juice?

[Tywais]

orange juice?

Even pure orange juice has around 8% sugar content. The ones in cartons, much more.

Warning: Your Fruit Juice Has As Much Sugar As A Soda!

Fruit Juice is Just as Unhealthy as a Sugary Drink

[daviddabit]

Soda (plain) with lemon or strawberry is refreshing ...

Avoid all other fruit juice and any other drinks with sugar

Edited April 22, 2016 by daviddabit

[taxout]

There was a time years ago when I was drinking a great deal of the stuff, Diet Pepsi in particular. Then I begin having lots of problems with my teeth, and I suspect the high level of acid in the soda was one factor. I've certainly had far fewer problems with my teeth after I started paying attention to acid levels. Acid can be as bad as sugar on teeth, if not worse.

[WitawatWatawit]

Get to like teas - and herbal teas like rooi bos, one of my favs.

[inbangkok]

You will not lose belly fat from cutting out zero calorie diet soda.

I stopped drinking don't soda a few months ago (after years of drinking it every day) and it was easier than I thought.

But anyway, the only alternative in Thailand is water. Anything else will most likely contain real sugar (which will definitely increase belly fat) or still contain caffeine.

[SpokaneAl]

You mentioned belly fat. Most of us could probably stand to loose a few pounds, but, unfortunately there is no way to target that fat loss. Cut calories, exercise or whatever it takes to loose some pounds and the body will determine where those pounds are lost.

Good luck.

[blackcab]

Beer is caffeine free. For some people it's also a diet.

[donnybay]

Don't take this the wrong way, but drink just plain drink water, it refreshers you better than any soda, better for your healh, and I believe will help lose weight or at least not put any on

One of the best thing you can do for your body is drink a pint of water in the morning when you wake up, and nothing else for 30 minutes

Sod all those carbonated drinks full of goodness knows what, 2-3 liters of water a day for me in theses hot times

[2fishin2]

Water, water,mwater

[rijit]

If a 'soft ' drink doesn't have caffeine it has sugar and imo both are as bad as each other. When you stop caffeine be prepared for some soft to mild withdrawall symptoms ie head aches or being slightly irritable. However giving caffeine up is better but not 100% necessary, i don't drink it after midday and then i limit my self to 2 coffees. Alternatives, straight water, and or herbal teas roobosh but that has plenty of tannien in, chamomile or there are plenty of others 2 suit your taste. And remember most can be drunk cold and benefit from adding lemon honey or something else. Good luck, from my experience its a surprisingly difficult prob to sort.

Sent from my GT-I9000 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Edited April 22, 2016 by rijit

[Saastrajaa]

I second (third?) the suggestion others have made for club soda...squeeze a lime in it if you need some flavor. For me, it gives me that sharpness/bite I crave in soft drinks, without the calories or other crap.

Also listen to the poster who said you cannot target where fat will be lost from your body...a million exercise and diet programs that promise you will "lose belly fat" are all unscientific scams. If you take in less calories than you burn from exercise, your body will determine where the fat comes off, not you.

Edited April 22, 2016 by Saastrajaa

[nikmar]

orange juice?

Even pure orange juice has around 8% sugar content. The ones in cartons, much more.

Warning: Your Fruit Juice Has As Much Sugar As A Soda!

Fruit Juice is Just as Unhealthy as a Sugary Drink

Yep. I stand corrected there mate.

[rreddin]

I second (third?) the suggestion others have made for club soda...squeeze a lime in it if you need some flavor. For me, it gives me that sharpness/bite I crave in soft drinks, without the calories or other crap.

Also listen to the poster who said you cannot target where fat will be lost from your body...a million exercise and diet programs that promise you will "lose belly fat" are all unscientific scams. If you take in less calories than you burn from exercise, your body will determine where the fat comes off, not you.

Good advice, but drink the soda + lime/lemon through a straw. Lemon and lime juice are both acidic and will attack the enamel on your teeth - less of a problem if you have teeth like stars!

For men, long-term fat storage is around the belly and is especially difficult to shift as it is the last place your body will deplete fat reserves from. If you have quite a bit of belly fat, you will also have fatty deposits around your vital organs. That can lead to serious health problems.

[NancyL]

Be aware that typically a bottle of plain soda water has about 100 mg of sodium. Not a high amount by itself, but if you have high blood pressure and are trying to watch your sodium intake, you should be aware if you find yourself consuming four or five bottles a day.

[Sheryl]

It is hard to respond to this not knowing what you are looking for in a drink nor exactly what you are seeking to avoid.

If it is just caffeine and sugar, then plain soda water or soda water with a splash of unsweetened fruit juice will work well. For years I drank soda water with a squirt of lemon juice. No caffeine, no calories, and refreshing.

I subsequently had to cut way back on the soda water due to gastric problems, so I now drink water with a splash of unsweetened fruit juice...often apple, but I also use the water left over from frozen berries. Just a splash, not a lot of juice. Calories are minimal and no caffeine. Or sometimes mint or lemon grass tea, chilled - zero calories and no caffeine. Cold mint tea on ice is especially refreshing on hot days.

Lemon grass and mint tea are both easily made, you just boil fresh mint or lemon grass in a lot of water and refrigerate. Thais also like a tea made from boiled bael fruit (which you can buy in dry form at any supermarket), personally I am not a fan.

[grumpyoldman]

I make my own sodas with soda water and then a topper of either orange juice, mango juice, there are mixed fruit juices, recently I've been on a coconut water kick.

Mainly soda water, just a splash of the juice all over ice.

[Gsxrnz]

I had the same problem with Coke Light (diet coke), so I've gone all healthy and now drink my JD with white mice.

[VBF]

No-one has specifically said it here but many "diet" and "light" soft drinks contain Aspartame as the sweetening agent.

I strongly suggest that anyone who drinks these beverages does some research - there is LOTS of information on the 'net about Aspartame, some of it real and some of it urban myth.

IMO, it's dangerous and i avoid any drink containing it.

[JHolmesJr]

OP…you are suffering from plain and simple sugar addiction….the only way to kick it is to go cold turkey.

But if you still persist…then DIY is the best…...make your own soda, with healthier ingredients, buy a Soda Stream machine.

Its no bigger than a coffee maker.

You can mix more natural flavours and possibly use a purer form of sugar instead of refined white.

[coops]

For something cold, sugar free and so on (uncarbonated but refreshing) - an alternative I like is Japanese Barley tea, such as you often get in a Ramen shop. Not sure if you could find it around Pattaya, though - obviously easily found in Fuji supermarket in Bangkok as a box of large 'tea bag' sachets - fill up a large water jug with cold water drop a bag in and leave in the fridge.

[Lumbini]

Fermented coconut water ( Coconut Kiefer ) google how to make we are so lucky here that bags of fresh coconuts are available and cheap .

[PMak]

I drink carbonated water. I have a soda stream maker (which I'm selling if you are interested you can pm me) and love it.

I still drink Vietnamese Coffee in the morning and Matcha Green tea in the afternoon. Some Cafeine is okay.

If you want to quit sweet sodas and chemical rich sodas then I recommend getting a Juicer. Watch the movie Fat, Sick, and Nearly Dead, it's free on youtube. I no longer have sweet cravings and feel great thanks to it.

[Fookhaht]

My dad drank copious amounts of diet soda and it killed him at 87.

[JHolmesJr]

My dad drank copious amounts of diet soda and it killed him at 87.

Did he slip on a puddle of Fanta?

[kbb]

Thanks for the ideas -

When I said belly fat, i probably should have said I want to fit into my old jeans.

Let me know if this sounds familiar -

Last year, I spent several months out of the USA, not having to wear my jeans when I was here in the Kingdom.

Prepping for the flight out to the States - Go to put on my jeans. Presto! They magically didn't fit.

So yep, the belly fat around the organs is bad and all, but I generally need to drop some weight.

Having the will power of Bill Clinton won't help.

Need to find habits I can live with. Especially since we're a long way from Whole Foods.

Dropping the soda isn't fun, but OK. Can do that.

Looking at all the fad diets out there (Protein! Eggs! Brown Rice! No sugar! The neighbor's kid!). Stories in the press this week are all about how metabolism shifts long term to complicate things. One Dr just said try a bunch of different diets until you find what works for you.

Now trying to figure out what to do here in Thailand.

Where, if you stand still long enough, a food cart will find you...

[Rob13]

fresh lime water, or electrolyte drink powder if your parched.

Edited May 6, 2016 by Rob13