How to Give Up Soda

There are many reasons to quit drinking soda, but a soda addiction can be hard to break. Try these methods to kick the can for good.

Step 1: Don't go cold turkey
Don't try to give up soda cold turkey. Instead, cut back a little bit every day until you're down to almost no soda. If calories are your main concern, try switching to diet sodas.

Tip
If you can't stand the taste of diet soda, add lemon or lime to it, or try adding small amounts to regular soda to get used to the taste.

Step 2: Spruce up water
Spruce up plain water with citrus slices or fresh mint. Be creative and try adding different things to your water until you find something you can drink all the time.

Step 3: Drink fruit juice
Drink 100 percent fruit juice. While fruit juices tend to contain a lot of sugar, they also contain nutrients that are good for you, unlike the empty calories of soda.

Tip
Add club soda to fruit juice to replace the carbonation you're missing.

Step 4: Drink unsweetened tea
Drink unsweetened tea. Try herbal or green teas, or drink tea with milk or lemon and sweeten it with honey or artificial sweetener.

Step 5: Make lemonade
Make your own lemonade with fresh lemons, water, and a small amount of sugar or artificial sweetener.

Step 6: Drink milk
Get into the habit of drinking nonfat milk instead of soda. Milk contains calcium, potassium, vitamin D, and protein, all of which are essential for the health and maintenance of your body. When you find a replacement for soda, you won't remember why you ever drank it in the first place.

Did You Know?
During its first year of business, Coca-Cola sold an average of only 9 drinks per day.