SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It's officially Dry January, which means no alcohol for the entire month. People choose to do this because they may have had one too many drinks over the holiday or are just wanting to do a reset.
Some people are even cutting out soda during the month. Even diet soda is not great for our health, even though it says "diet" in the name. The artificial sweeteners actually increase your sweet cravings and can mess with your hormones.
If you're like me right now, I'm pregnant with my second baby and definitely not drinking either of these things.
Whether you're pregnant or not, cutting out both alcohol and soda can be great for your health in the long run.
If you're wanting some healthy substitutes besides just water, coffee and tea, I've got your covered:
Green Juice
There's a lot of different pre-made juices sold nowadays and not all of them are created equal. I recommend you always check the ingredients before you buy because some have added sugar and other ingredients that aren't good for our bodies.
One brand I really like is called Suja. It's made with just organic fruits and vegetables and can provide some good nutrients.
Coconut Water
If you're a fan of coconut, then you might like coconut water. It's a nice way to switch up drinking plain water and it's packed with electrolytes.
Kombucha
If you're trying to give up sodas, I suggest trying out Kombucha. It's fermented tea, but it has that fizzy taste that's very similar to soda, without all the unhealthy ingredients.
Mocktails
If you're really craving a cocktail, but are trying to cut out alcohol or you can't have alcohol, then a mocktail is the way to go. There are a lot of recipes online, but an easy one I like to do is just adding half fruit juice (I use pure pineapple juice) and mixing it with sparkling water. There are so many combinations you can do to make them, so get creative with the flavors you like.
With a new year comes resolutions that can be hard to keep. Many people include healthy eating on their lists, but when we go all in on those goals at the start, it can be overwhelming and we give up before we even get started. One of the best ways to keep those resolutions: take baby steps.