Inside: Sharing some favorite simple healthy beverage options when water gets a bit boring.
Variety when trying to make a healthy beverage choice is an option I so appreciate having. Water is a staple drink here during the day, but it can get a bit boring. I’m sharing some healthy beverage options we’ve had over the years.
We do not drink all these regularly but have seasons where they come and go. Currently, in addition to water, I’ve been enjoying sparkling water, Zevia, and Oolong Iced tea.
We try to eliminate soda from home but sometimes splurge on special occasions. I try to purchase soda without high fructose corn syrup when we splurge. Still not a healthy option but a better option. (I enjoy Zevia Soda, sweetened with Stevia, and it’s been a welcome “soda” option here – I love the cream soda. I purchase them at my local grocer, and my Meijer’s carries them too.)
I like to keep things simple, so my beverage list below is basic but offers some good variety. Below are my personal family favorites; I’ve linked to some great recipes for other beverages we have enjoyed over the years. You can visit my beverage board on Pinterest for more ideas too.
Most of my beverages are unsweetened, but if we do use a sweetener, it is usually raw honey or Stevia. I like to buy dried Stevia herb from Bulk Herb Store and add a bit to my herbal beverages when brewing them. A little bit goes a long way. The dried herb is really sweet.
10 Simple Healthy Beverage Options:
1. Water – Use good filtered water. We have a reverse osmosis system as we are on a well where we live. The Berkey Water filter is a great option, and you keep all those good minerals in it too.
2. Water flavored with fruit – A simple squeeze or slices of lemon or other citrus slices in your water pitcher gives it a sweet flavor without all the sugar. Berries or cucumbers are a great option too.
3. Red Raspberry Iced Tea – This has been a staple here for many years and a favorite (I’m sipping on it now while writing this post). Below is the easy recipe, and you can substitute other herbal mixes in place of Mama’s Red Raspberry Brew.
Red Raspberry Iced Tea
A simple way to make refreshing, healthy, red raspberry iced tea using your coffee maker. This has been a staple here for many years and a favorite beverage any time of year. Below is the easy recipe, and you can substitute other herbals mixes in place of the Mama’s Red Raspberry Brew. I purchase my herbs from Bulk Herb Store.
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup Mama’s Red Raspberry Brew – Substitute any herbal tea blend here
- 1-2 Tbsp Stevia – Cut Herb – Adjust sweetness level to your taste
Instructions
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Place dried herbs in your empty coffee pot.
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Add water to brew a full pot of just water through the pot.
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Let the water and herbs sit for at least an hour.
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Strain herbs into a 2-quart pitcher and add more ice and water to fill to the top.
4. Iced or Hot Tea – Brew a cup of hot tea of your choice and pour over a cup of ice. I appreciate Pique Teas for their cold brew options. Add a natural sweetener like honey, or to keep it sugar-free, use stevia. Super Sweet from Trim Healthy Mama is one of my favorite sweeteners for iced or hot tea.
5. Coffee – I love a good cup of coffee in the morning. Laird Superfood creamers have become a staple in my morning coffee, and a small personal size blender makes it easy to mix it in.
7. Electrolytes – On those days when I need to hydrate, and I find myself not able to get as much water in as I would like, I like to use a sugar-free electrolyte replacement.
8. Juice Spritzers – Mixing sparkling water with a bit of fruit juice is so refreshing in the summertime.
9. Hot or Iced Chai – Black Spiced Chai Tea Mix from Bulk Herb Store is great hot or over ice. Tazo makes a great chai too, and it’s much easier to mix with milk and heat or pour over ice.
10 Hot Chocolate – 3 cups milk to 1 cup chocolate chips of your choice. Easy to make in your Vitamix or other blender or on the stovetop too. If you’re making it in your Vitamix, just put the two ingredients in and set it on soup mode. Laird Hot Chocolate with Functional Mushrooms is a yummy low in sugar, healthy option too.
More Favorite Healthy Beverage Options:
Better than Kool-Aid Recipe – (this one is so refreshing and a summertime favorite here)
Crazy Coffee – (from Pioneer Woman – use unsalted cultured butter if you can)
Some Trim Healthy Mama Favorites:
Good Girl Moonshine from Trim Healthy Mama
(There are many more drink options in their Trim Healthy Mama’s Trim Healthy Table Cookbook & Trim Healthy Mama Cookbook)
What about you? Do you have favorite healthy beverage options your family loves? Please share with us in the comments.
Such great suggestions, Marci!
*I am a HUGE believer in herbal teas – after all the Lord give us every green herb of the field for a reason ????
*My husband bought a steam juicer for me and I am enjoying creating healthy fruit juice concentrates from the berries and fruits we grown in our orchard as well as veggies from our garden.
*I also do infused waters – cucumber with mint and strawberry is one of my favorite combos.
*ALSO…a splash of apple cider vinegar with the ‘mother’ in a tall bottle of fresh water is a great way to help the immune.
*lastly for milk…I am a believer in raw milk as a whole food. In moderation of course, but a great addition to a beverage line-up if you’re looking for health properties…plus it’s tasty, too!
Love these ideas Jenn! Thank you so much for sharing. I need to check out what a steam juicer is – that’s a new one for me.