Teas, tonics, and coffees – oh my! Wellness beverages have shaken up the world of health, especially in recent times. If you take a quick walk in almost any supermarket, you’re bound to come across an abundance of teas, healthy tonics, and soda alternatives.
However, are all these “healthy” drinks really what they’re cracked up to be?
The Origin Story of Wellness Beverages
Since the earliest times of human history, humankind has experimented with seemingly everything that can be drunk. Thorns, mushrooms, pine needles – you name it! However, with that experimentation came illnesses and sometimes death.
Over many thousands of years, humankind eventually worked out what was healthful and what was dangerous. Thanks to our ancient ancestors, we now know through trial-and-error which drinks produce the most significant health results.
Beware of “Fake” Wellness Beverages
In the mid-20th century, soda and other unhealthy beverages took the world by storm. Commercials tailored their ads to stressed-out mothers and blue-collar workers who needed a treat to relieve their stressful lives. Fast forward to modern times, and the average American now consumes 44 gallons of soda yearly!
The dangerous effects of soda have gained so much awareness that soda alternatives have become a vast industry. However, not all of these “healthy” alternatives are as healthy as claimed.
Unhealthy chemicals and toxic substances are often added to soda alternatives to match conventional sodas’ flavors as close as possible. One of the most common toxic ingredients added to these drinks is sucralose. Sucralose has been scientifically proven to wreak havoc inside the body.
Drink Straight from Mother Nature
The great news is that Mother Nature has produced more incredible flavors than anyone could ever crave. Sucralose, fake sweeteners, and toxic proteins are not necessary for healthy, tasty beverages.
Becoming a detective when it comes to reading labels is key to making a healthy beverage choice. If a word on an ingredient label is difficult to pronounce, it’s probably toxic. If the ingredient is a word you learned as a three-year-old, it’s probably healthy (besides sugar).
Recap
Always do proper research or basic label-reading when it comes to any beverage. Clever marketing campaigns have successfully deceived millions of health-conscious individuals into buying their products.
Return to Mother Nature and enjoy the delicious flavors that make you healthier and more alive.
References
Trotter, J. (2022, May 10). Americans drink 44 gallons of soda per year. The Atlantic. https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/03/americans-drink-44-gallons-soda -year/317523/
Boyles, S. (2011, March 10). Soda health facts: Are soft drinks really bad for you? WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/features/sodas-and-your-health-risks-debated
What to know about Sucralose. (2021, June 14). WebMD. https://www.webmd.com/diet/what-to-know-about-sucralose
