My favorite summer drink is a Cranberry Limeade from Sonic. Sadly, it carries as much sugar as a coke (37g)* and because I know the food industry takes the cheap route, I'm willing to bet it's not made with 100% no sugar added cranberry juice. And even though I can get a medium CrL during happy hour at 85 cents, that can begin to add up (so can my sugar content). Remember, in clean eating and weight loss, the hidden enemy is SUGAR.
So I did some thinking on how I could make clean version. It seems simple enough - sprite, cranberry juice, and lime wedge - only sprite and cranberry juice cocktail (aka sugar loaded) are not even close to being clean. So I came up with an alternative.
Clean Summer Drink
1 can sparkling water (I get this from Kroger at 2.50 a 12-pack)
a splash of 100% juice (by 100%, I mean check the ingredients. If sugar is anywhere in that list, it's not what you want. Also, a splash is the key here)
Lime Wedge - optional
That's it! My nieces are 7 and 5, and they approve.
WARNING - It's not very sweet. It you must have sweetness, add a packet of Stevia or Truvia
Also, juice isn't exactly cheap, but if you are truly splashing your drink and not mixing it, it will last a while. Juice is one of those things that kill a lot of people's weightloss. Even with no added sugar, juice still carries a high sugar content. Granted, this is natural sugar, however, you are not getting most of nutrients of the fruit. Moderation is key here. Enjoy life with balance! :)
*nutrition information from www.sonic.com
