12 Clean Drinks Better than Soda

Say "buh-bye" to unhealthy soda with these drink ideas.

Soda. Pop. No matter what you call it, you know it’s time to say good-bye but you’re not sure how to do it. Never fear! You can ditch the soda habit and satisfy your craving by swapping out your go-to pop for these 12 clean drinks better than soda.

Regular sodas are essentially liquid sugar, with some brands containing as many as 40 grams of sugar in a 12-ounce serving and 65 grams in a 20-ounce serving. Yikes! These beverages fill you up with fructose, a type of sugar that doesn’t satisfy the appetite as well as other types, like glucose. What’s more, it offers no nutritive value, so you take in all that sugar but no fiber, antioxidants, or other nutrients your body needs to tackle its day. Studies consistently link regular soda consumption to weight gain.

Diet pop’s no winner either. Artificial sweeteners confuse the metabolism and trigger the production of insulin, which leads to weight gain. In addition, these sweeteners can mislead you into believing you can consume more food than you actually should: If I drink a diet soda, I can have a second helping of pasta.

Clean Drinks To Clean Habits

Ditch regular and diet soda. Instead, nourish your body with clean drinks like the recipes below. Your body will thank you—and so will your taste buds.

1. Watermelon Chiller with a Hint of Mint

Whether you’re sippin’ on the deck or refueling between errands, this recipe is one of those clean drinks that offers no-hassle prep and no-guilt refreshment.

Try it here: Watermelon Chiller with a Hint of Mint

2. Refreshing Red, White, & Blueberry Lemonade

Zesty lemonade. Fresh fruit. What’s not to love about this summer classic?

Try it here: Refreshing Red, White, & Blueberry Lemonade

3. Hot Pink Cooler

This surprising drink recipe incorporates…wait for it…beets. Not a fan of beets? No worries. We’ve combined them with orange juice, lemon juice, and ginger for a taste you’ll enjoy.

Try it here: Hot Pink Cooler

4. Strawberry Lemonade

Satisfy your sweet tooth with this strawberry-licious soda alternative.

Try it here: Strawberry Lemonade

5. New Southern Style Sweet Tea

Treat your body to the flavor it craves without refined sugar or artificial sweeteners. Our version of the classic drink recipe is sweetened with honey or maple syrup.

Try it here: New Southern Style Sweet Tea

6. Iced Sencha Tea with Peaches and Lime

clean drinks

Green and black tea combine in this delish better-than-soda drink, which is naturally sweetened with honey or raw coconut sugar.

Try it here: Iced Sencha Tea with Peaches and Lime

7. Healthy Lemon-Ginger Sparkling Water

clean drinks

Ginger is a natural remedy that’s long been used to battle everything from pain to PMS. It also helps relieve tummy troubles of many varieties, including motion sickness.

Try it here: Healthy Lemon-Ginger Sparkling Water

8. Strawberry, Lime, and Basil Smash

clean drinks

Clean drinks like this one are loaded with antioxidants that fight disease and nurture better health. You can’t say that about the contents of a soda can!

Try it here: Strawberry, Lime, and Basil Smash

9. Mango and Kiwi Shake

clean drinks

Natural sweetness shines in this tasty recipe, which is high in vitamin C (to help boost the immune system) and vitamin K (to help fight bone loss and support healthy blood clotting).

Try it here: Mango and Kiwi Shake

10. Orange Passion Smoothie

clean drinks

With zero grams of fat and loads of nutritional goodness, this superfood drink is a smart alternative to the sugar and artificial ingredients in soda pop.

Try it here: Orange Passion Smoothie

11. Ginger, Lime, and Mint Flavored Sparkling Water

clean drinks

This four-ingredient infused water recipe is delish and healthy. It contains mint to help aid digestion.

Try it here: Ginger, Lime, and Mint Flavored Sparkling Water

12. Bahama Splash

clean drinks

Relax with this smoothie, which includes baby spinach, mango, Greek yogurt, and more.

Try it here: Bahama Splash

Enjoyed the read? Check out more:

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Amy Wagner

Amy is a writer specializing in health & wellness, business, and entrepreneurship. She's a long-time martial arts teacher who has earned a 4th degree black belt in tae kwon do. When Amy's not writing or kicking, she's wrangling sons, reading fiction, or crushing on BBC actors.

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2 Comments

  1. Thank you for sharing this with us. I do enjoy a lot of things mentioned here and it looks like I’m on the right road to healthier eating on my own eating right foods now I will work on limiting my portions ☺️????????. This is a wonderful treasure trove of information and I am grateful to you for it all sincerely thank you again.????????????????

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