Crave Soda? Here Are 5 Bone-Healthy Alternatives

Vivian Goldschmidt, MA Nutrition

Evidence-Based
6 min Read

Summer is a time for picnics, fairs, and all kinds of outdoor gatherings. And there always seems to be a cooler at these events, filled with soft drinks. But these sugary beverages, and especially cola, harm your bones and take a heavy toll on your overall health.

Not surprisingly, many in the community have sent emails asking for bone-healthy substitutes for these sweet, carbonated drinks.

So today, I’ll share with you five flavor-filled, bone healthy replacements for sodas. It might take a little more work than just buying them off the store shelves, but it’s well worth it because they’re bone-healthy and delicious.

First, I’d like to clarify that…

The Bubbles Aren’t the Problem

The carbonation itself is not a health issue. There tends to be confusion in this area because research has found a connection between consuming carbonated drinks and losing bone density. But when non-cola carbonated drinks (such as sparkling water) were consumed, bone loss did not result. Clearly, it’s the other ingredients that cause bone loss.

What “Other Ingredients”?

As I mentioned earlier, soda in general and cola in particular are extremely corrosive liquid. The most damaging ingredients are:

  • Phosphoric acid is what makes cola so incredibly corrosive, to the point that it removes rust from car batteries. A simple test done on a hardboiled egg shows how phosphoric acid breaks down calcium. You can watch a time-lapse video of this incredible process.

    This gives you a graphic picture of what phosphoric acid does to your bones.

  • Sugar and High-Fructose Corn Syrup are both bone-destroyers. Sugar is extremely acidifying and actually causes your body to excrete calcium, a phenomenon shown in a study from all the way back in 1979.1 (You’d think we’d have learned something about the detrimental effects of sugar by now!)

    High-fructose corn syrup is full of fructose and glucose molecules that are “unbounded,” meaning they can cause tissue damage (much like free radicals). In addition, high-fructose corn syrup is made from genetically-modified corn, and it may even contain mercury.

  • Sodium Benzoate occurs naturally in some foods, but is isolated and used as a chemical preservative in industrial applications as well as in highly processed foods, cosmetics, dyes, and pharmaceuticals. It’s commonly used to prevent rust in automobile engines.

    What’s even more frightening about this chemical is that, when combined with Vitamin C (a Foundation Supplement), sodium benzoate forms a substance called benzene, which is reported to cause various forms of cancer. Benzene, an acidifying chemical, is also implicated as a causal factor in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD).

  • Caramel Coloring may sound like an innocent substance, but it’s actually extracted by a chemical process involving ammonium-sulfites. In fact, 4-methylimidazole, a component of caramel coloring, has been shown to cause cancer in laboratory animals.2

Bone-Healthy Alternatives to Soda

If you’re following the Osteoporosis Reversal Program, and if you’re a regular reader, then you know that the best drink for your bones is distilled water with a few drops of lemon juice. But there’s something refreshing about a cold, fizzy drink, especially in hot weather. If you’re a regular soda drinker and want to transition to healthier beverages, these recipes will be very helpful.

Making Your Own Sodas: General Tips

The soda recipes I’ll give you today contain ingredients that promote bone health, like fruit juice and the bone-healthy sweetener stevia. Stevia and contains bone-friendly ingredients like magnesium and prebiotics.

Let’s get started with some general tips for making your own sodas.

  • Use seltzer water and make sure it is thoroughly chilled. As it warms, it loses carbonation.
  • Some of the herb-based flavor syrups do not hold up to long storage times, so make small batches and consume them within a few days.
  • Fruit-based flavor syrups can be stored for up to a week.
  • To make soda from these syrup recipes, stir 2 or 3 tablespoons into 8 ounces of chilled seltzer water. Of course, feel free to experiment.
  • Pour the seltzer water into the glass first, and then add the flavored syrup. This allows you to adjust the amount of syrup to taste.

5 Delicious, Bone-Building Soda Recipes

Ginger Ale

Ginger is a potent anti-inflammatory herb with a spicy flavor.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup peeled ginger root, thinly sliced
  • 2 cups purified water, preferably distilled
  • 1 lime or lemon, cut into quarters
  • 1/3 cup stevia (adjust to taste)

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Gently simmer for 30 minutes. Allow mixture to cool, and then strain. Use a funnel to pour this sweet syrup into a bottle or jar, cap tightly, and place in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.

Sour Cherry

Cherries pack a lot of nutrients that are good for your bones.

Ingredients:

  • 2 quarts fresh sour cherries, pits removed (any fresh cherries will do if you can’t get the sour variety)
  • 1/3 cup stevia (adjust to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Simmer for 30 minutes and allow to cool. Strain into a bottle or jar and refrigerate for up to a week.

Lemon-Basil

The cleansing, alkalizing benefits of lemon are no well-known to “Savers,” and alkalizing basil is full of Foundation Supplements like calcium, manganese, and magnesium.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup purified water, preferably distilled
  • 1/4 cup stevia (adjust to taste)
  • 1/4 cup chopped, fresh basil
  • 1/4 cup lemon juice (adjust to taste)

Directions:

Place the water, stevia, and basil in a saucepan. Simmer for 5 minutes. Cool, stir in lemon juice, and strain into a bottle or jar. Refrigerate for a day or two.

Mango Lime

Mangoes are rich in Vitamin C and bone-healthy carotenoids.

Ingredients:

  • 1 mango, peeled and coarsely chopped
  • 3 tablespoons stevia (you may have a very sweet mango and need less)
  • 2 cups purified water, preferably distilled
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice

Directions:

Place all ingredients in a saucepan and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes, cool, and strain. Refrigerate for up to a week.

Strawberry Lime

Limes are alkalizing, and strawberries boast Vitamin C and antioxidants called polyphenols. Strawberries also fight pain and inflammation.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup purified water, preferably distilled
  • 1/4 cup stevia (adjust to taste)
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice
  • 2 sliced strawberries

Directions:

Place water, lime juice, and stevia into a saucepan; simmer for 15 minutes. Allow to cool. Strain into a bottle or jar and refrigerate for up to a week. Add the strawberries directly to the glass before you pour in the seltzer water and make the soda.

Till next time,

References

1 Lawoyin, S., et al. “Bone mineral content in patients with calcium urolithiasis.” Metabolism 28:1250-1254.1979.
2 “NTP Technical Report on the Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of 4-Mathylimidazole in F344/N Rates and B6C3F Mice.” National Toxicology Program, North Carolina, January 2007. Web. https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/?objectid=9B956B07-F1F6-975E-79BBCDCCD57001C8