Healthy Soda and the Weekly Health Tip

We just spent our first long weekend of the summer up at the cottage, and I was excited to see that there was a new kitchen gadget to play with: the Soda Stream.

I don’t need to get into too much detail about why regular and diet pop is an unhealthy choice, but basically it should be avoided for the following reasons:

– High in sugar, a.k.a fat

– Contains artificial colours & flavors, ie. caramel colouring

– High in caffeine – a chemical that can disrupt the nervous system

– Diet pop is full of aspartame – a chemical that makes our bodies crave real sugar and can cause headaches

If you drink club soda or pop on a regular basis and are looking for a healthy alternative you will love the Soda Stream for a bunch of reasons;

– Easy to use – all you need is water! (avoid the Sodamix flavors that come with it as they’re high in sugar, artificial flavors & sweeteners)

– Cheaper than buying bottled club soda or pop

– Better for you! Bottled club soda is usually high in sodium, and regular pop is high in sugar, artificial colors & flavors

– Make your own natural flavored soda! Once you carbonate the water you can add any flavor you like: lemon, lime, watermelon, grapefruit, orange, cranberry…the list goes on & on

There are a few different models available, but the basic machine is about $100.

The Weekly Health Tip

Summer is a busy time for everyone so I’ve decided to start “The Weekly Health Tip;” a quick tip that I’ll share in 50 words or less. I find I’m always sharing little health tips & tricks with my family & friends so why not share them with my blog readers too!

Here’s the first Weekly Health Tip to kick things off:

When it comes to olive oil, always buy extra virgin olive oil, store it in a cool, dry place and consume it raw (homemade salad dressing, drizzle on cooked pasta, pizza, sandwiches, soups or dips) in order to take advantage of all its awesome health benefits. Kirkland’s organic extra virgin olive oil from Costco is a good choice.