Don't Kick the Soda Habit: Choose These Healthy Options Instead

Your New Year’s resolution to kick your daily soda habit is a good one—just one can packs in nearly 50g of sugar, and artificial sweeteners in diet versions aren’t much better for you. Still, going cold turkey may not be the answer: total deprivation can make it easier to “snap” and fall off the wagon…hard.

If you’re looking for a refreshing, bubbly mid-afternoon fix that packs a bit more punch than sparking water, try making your own. These three simple soda bases have just a handful of fresh ingredients and spices that deliver bold flavor and fizzy refreshment with a fraction of the sugar in store-bought soda. They’re also free of preservatives and chemicals. If you imbibed a bit too much over the holidays, these homemade sodas are also a great alternative to alcohol. And no special equipment is required: Just mix the syrup with seltzer water and enjoy.

If you like the spicy, caramel notes of a traditional soda, try making your own Cinnamon Spice Soda. The syrup gets warm, fragrant notes from cinnamon and cardamom, and a kick from whole black peppercorns. Go dark (a little extra syrup per cup of seltzer) for extra body in your bubbly.

Sunshine in a glass is this golden Grapefruit Soda, made with fresh lemon and pink grapefruit. If you like the tart refreshment of a lemon-lime soda, this homemade Grapefruit Soda has plenty of pucker and a balanced (not cloying) sweetness. Garnish with a wedge of pink or ruby red grapefruit that will perfume the glass as you sip.

This vegetable based bubbly is a take on Dr. Brown’s Cel-Ray soda, a staple of kosher delis since the 1870’s. This Celery Soda is herbaceous and slightly peppery with a wonderfully dry finish. Fresh lemon rind perks up each glass. Save the tender inner stalks of you celery, leaves attached, for a beautiful garnish.