(no subject)

[the_rck]

Flavored seltzer water is a poor substitute for a sugary carbonated drink. It's been twelve years since I was last watching what I ate and drank, and I'd forgotten how much flavored seltzer water really isn't satisfying. I expect I'll get used to it. I did last time. Cordelia insisted on trying some and was horrified that anyone would voluntarily drink the stuff.

Scott bought some rootbeer for Cordelia. That will test my resolve. It's easiest when we simply don't have that stuff in the house, but it's not fair to insist that Cordelia can't have any just because I shouldn't. It'll take her weeks to get through the six bottles Scott bought. She likes pop but only in small quantities. Of course, this particular rootbeer has no caffeine, so the temptation for me is a bit less. Well, maybe not less, but caffeine would give me a further argument in favor of indulging when I'm tempted.

I used stevia in my coffee yesterday and today. So far, no headache. I've got my fingers crossed. It's still hard for me, psychologically, to use the stevia. I'm so used to thinking of artificial sweeteners as evil, evil, evil that it's hard to give the stevia a fair trial. I know, intellectually, that it's not aspartame or sucralose and that the problems I get from those substances don't translate automatically to problems with stevia.

Comments

[zhelana]

Yuck. I just drink water when I'm trying to watch what I drink. Or... most of the time when I'm not.

[the_rck]

Mostly, I just drink water, but sometimes, I want something else.

[zhelana]

yeah I will drink the calorie free gatorade then.

[retsuko]

What brand of flavored seltzer did you get?? I've had some great ones and some terrible ones.

[the_rck]

We got Kroger brand. I think that's all Kroger carries. When we shopped at Meijer's a couple of weeks ago, we got a bottle of Faygo seltzer (lime flavor). That was the only kind we saw there.

What brands do you recommend?

[adrian_turtle]

Polar seltzer has a bunch of flavors that remind me of Jolly Ranchers--strong and artificially fruity. I have to close my eyes and ignore the fact that "cucumber melon" is colorless, rather than watermelon pink. I like them, when I'm in the right mood for them, but they aren't good for making fizzy limeade (which is what I usually do with seltzer.)

[adrian_turtle]

If you like limeade, you could just make it a glass at a time with lime juice and stevia. I usually make mine with sugar (I like my limeade very dilute--even in years when I was trying to cut back on sugar, I wasn't concerned about a teaspoon in a 16 ounce glass, but most people like it stronger/sweeter.) I recently discovered that the powdered packets of True Lime taste slightly better than bottled lime juice, as well as having more vitamin C and being more convenient.

I've found it works best to mix the powders (lime and sweetener) in the bottom of the glass, then add a spoonful of tap water and stir. THEN pour in cold seltzer.

[retsuko]

I've found that almost all generic brand flavored seltzers are terrible. I usually get Trader Joe's, or Crystal Geyser in lemon if I can. Another good way to do things is to get plain seltzer of any variety and mix it with a small amount of fruit juice. That way, you get the sweet, but not the high calories of a full-on soda.

[the_rck]

I should note that I can't have any seltzer waters that contain sweeteners. There are several brands we've seen that have aspartame, but I'm allergic to aspartame. The Kroger stuff works because it's just water, carbonation and a hint of flavor.

We're very deliberately not buying much fruit juice. Cordelia's not interested in it, and I shouldn't have it. All we get is OJ for Scott to drink before work. I can resist the temptation of that by telling myself that it belongs to him.

Years ago, someone recommended putting a dash of vinegar in a bottle of water. I tried that but didn't much like it, more the way it smelled than the way it tasted.

[retsuko]

Oops. I have no idea whether Crystal Geyser has that or not. :(