Choose a drink you have often and look at its ingredients or preparation. A coffee with syrup, a sweetened tea and a soft drink can contribute sugar that is easy to overlook. Start with your own routine rather than trying to change every food and drink at once.
If the drink is packaged, compare similar products using the same volume. Check the portion you actually drink, because a bottle may contain more than the amount shown as one serving. For a drink made to order, ask whether syrup or sugar can be reduced or left out.
Try an alternative you enjoy, such as water or an unsweetened drink, when it fits your needs. A smaller serving or a gradual reduction can also be a workable step. Consider the whole meal and your preferences; one change is part of a wider eating pattern.
If you have diabetes, keep following your agreed food and medicine plan. Do not replace the fast-acting carbohydrate used to treat low blood glucose with a sugar-free drink. Ask your care team how routine drink choices fit your own glucose management.
Seek individual advice for diabetes, frequent low glucose or persistent thirst with frequent urination. Do not change diabetes medication because you have changed a drink.
This article is general health information and does not replace an individual medical assessment, diagnosis or treatment plan.