The Sodas You Should Never Drink

...And Our Two Healthy Soda Recipes
birth relaxation kit healthy soda recipes for pregnancy health

By Jeremy Dyen, C. C.Ht.
Co-creator - The Birth Relaxation Kit™

If you want to truly eat and drink healthy foods and avoid nasty chemicals that may be harmful to your and your baby's health, you should eliminate commercially-bought sodas. 

The list includes the big names--Coke, Sprite, Pepsi and 7-Up--but certainly doesn't end there.  Most sodas, even the ones that promote themselves as "healthy" alternatives, still include ingredients that are suspect.  Plus, you have to beware of products promoted as "natural juice."  Yes, there may be juice in them, but you would be wise to read the label because unnatural and unhealthy ingredients are often lurking there.

We NEVER buy store-bought commercial sodas or "juice drinks" anymore, and here's why:

1. Many commercial sodas and juice drinks contain fairly large amounts of high fructose corn syrup (HFCS).  Unless you're in a health food store, it is difficult to find a soda that does not have large amounts of HFCS in it. But be careful and read the label! We found HFCS in the soda sold at our local health food store.

Also bewared of other unhealthy artificial sweeteners, like aspartame.  This is a chemical that is a neuro-toxin.

2. Many commercial sodas and juice drinks also have artificial food coloring in them.  Artificial food dyes are a danger to your health because they are: (1) carcinogenic (may cause cancer), (2) known to trigger reactions in those with allergies, and (3) linked to hyperactivity in children.

There are some commercial choices that we approve of.  Have you heard of Zevia?  It is a completely natural soda made with Stevia, an herbal sweetener with none of the health issues caused by sugar and HFCS.  Izze soda is also an acceptable choice. While natural sodas may be pricier than a Coke, you would not be putting chemical nastiness in your body.


You may also find that sodas are soothing for morning sickness.  The key is to find those natural morning sickness remedies, which natural ginger ale or ginger beer most certainly are.  

Another way to avoid these bad-for-you drinks is to try one of our delicious recipes...

Juice Soda Recipe

Mix together these ingredients:
  • The base is seltzer (1 quart) +  
  • 1 quart cranberry juice (no sugar) or pomegranate juice or lemon juice 
  • If using concentrates or no sugar cranberry or lemon juice, add stevia  (1/8 cup or to taste)
  • For the lemon soda, try adding ginger for more zing

Kefir Soda Recipe

This one is even healthier than the first (though a bit more involved), since it contains kefir, a probiotic, which means it fills your digestive system with good bacteria.  This recipe also contains blackstrap molasses, which is a great source of iron, calcium and many other nutrients.

This recipe is courtesy of Ann Marie of Cheeslave.com. 

Stuff you'll need:
  • mesh strainer
  • quart mason jar
  • funnel

You can store the soda in the mason jar.  Alternatively you can reuse old wine or bear bottles, or buy glass bottles at a homebrew store.  IKEA sells wine bottles with attached stoppers.

Ingredients:
  • Filtered water (NOT tap water — you’ll kill your kefir grains)
  • Sweetener, preferably Stevia...Or try coconut sugar or agave (1/8 cup)
  • Blackstrap Molasses (1 tsp)
  • Piece of an egg shell (half of the egg shell will do)


Directions:

1. Pour filtered water to fill the mason jar about 3/4 of the way.

2. Add the stevia or other sweetener, molasses and rinsed egg shell and stir.  Alternatively you can  put a lid on the jar and shake until the sweetener is dissolved.

3. Add the kefir grains.

4. Leave on the counter or in a warm, relatively dark place at room temperature for 1-3 days (It is temperature-dependent; the warmer it is, the faster the soda will ferment).

5. You’ll know when it’s ready when it’s nice and bubbly and the taste is only mildly sweet — not like sugar.  This is because the kefir grains are eating the sugar--that's the fermentation process.

6. Strain the grains using the strainer, pouring the liquid into another quart mason jar or other bowl.

7. Set the grains aside (or start a new batch of soda in a mason jar, repeating steps 1-7). 

8. Discard the egg shell.

9. Add whatever fruit flavorings you like to your soda batch. Use about 1/4 a cup frozen or fresh organic fruit.  Try lemon, blueberry, raspberry, pineapple, fig, raisins, grapes, cherries, watermelon, ginger, mint, lime, grapefruit — or combinations of any of the above.  Adjust the fruits and sweetener to your taste. 

9. Let the soda mixture ferment a few more days on the counter until it tastes just right and is nice and fizzy.

10. Transfer to bottles using the funnel.  Store in the refrigerator. If you want it extra-fizzy, cap the bottles and leave them at room temperature for another day, then transfer to fridge. Enjoy!

Please pass this email on to your friends and family to help them eat healthier and make sure they're avoiding toxic chemicals in their food.
The Birth Relaxation Kit™ uses hypnobirthing and other relaxation techniques for a more comfortable, stress and fear free birth. It is the ONLY birth hypnosis program presented by a Board Certified Medical Doctor who used hypnosis for her own childbirth.


Jeremy Dyen and his wife, Dr. Mavi Gupta, created the Birth Relaxation Kit™, the only birth hypnosis program created by a board certified medical doctor who also used these techniques for her birth. 

Find out what other users are saying about the Birth Relaxation Kit.