It’s hot.  “Stay hydrated.” is healthy advice. I do drink plenty of water but when  there are all kinds of exotic concoctions available it’s tempting to reach for a drink I’d really rather not have.  What’s a good alternative if someone doesn’t want sugary drinks that put on tons of weight or the artificial sweeteners that get the thumbs down from the health experts. The answer just might be found in the sweet plant, stevia which has been called by some, “The sugar of the future.”

Stevia is many times sweeter than sugar, and does not have the effects that sugar has on your blood sugar levels. Health food stores now have a liquid stevia and some of them are even flavored. You’ll have to experiment because all stevia doesn’t taste the same. Some have a little aftertaste, some don’t. Some are a little bitter, others not.

We’ve been using it in iced tea, lemonade (made by squeezing several whole lemons in water and adding stevia), and protein powder drinks with fruit, vanilla, or cocoa powder added. Oh, and my favorite is to add some flavored liquid stevia to carbonated lemon, lime or raspberry water. It is the closest I’ve come to drinking a healthy soda.

Folks are thrilled when they hear that the eight glasses of water we have been advised to drink don’t all have to be plain water, so keep in these ideas in mind though the rest of the year too. It’s a way to add a healthier liquid alternative to your body and not pay the consequences for wanting a variety of tastes.