Cutting down on sugary drinks is a proven way to lose weight and reduce risk for certain diseases like diabetes. Check out our top five healthy alternatives below:

1. Sparkling Water

Bubbly, effervescent, and sometimes flavored sparkling water takes hydration to the next level. Sparkling water doesn’t have sugar or calories so it makes a great guilt-free choice and a good healthy drink for the office. You can get sparkling water via a dispenser or canned/bottled sparkling water. You can incorporate flavor options with both canned and dispenser methods. If going with canned or bottled, be sure to check the nutrition facts in case the product contains any added sugar.

Although both canned and sparkling water dispensers are great options, a sparkling water dispenser is the ideal choice for offices trying to be more eco-friendly since it eliminates can and bottle waste. You can also save counter space by getting a dispenser that has still water, sparkling water, and hot water options.

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2. Tea

In addition to its many flavors and variations, tea also has numerous health benefits. It aids digestion, helps regulate weight, and has high antioxidant content, which is shown to reduce the risk of heart attack and stroke. Unsweetened tea is also a zero-calorie, guilt-free drink option. Additionally, you can drink it hot or cold, making it perfect for any season.

When adding hot tea to your office’s amenities, there are a lot of easy brewing options. Many coffee brewers include a hot water option, and many water dispensers have a hot water option as well. Cold tea is most easily offered in cans or bottles.

3. Cold-Brewed Coffee

Cold brew coffee is probably one of the most popular healthy drink alternatives. Like regular black coffee, cold brew is high in antioxidants and no calories or fat, plus has more caffeine than regular coffee, can sit out for longer without tasting stale, and has lower acidity for easy digestion. It’s almost like cold brew coffee was made for the work day.
There are two methods for bringing cold brew coffee into your office: in cans or with a nitro dispenser. For offices trying to reduce waste, we recommend the nitro dispenser.

4. Isotonic Drinks/Electrolyte Drinks

Isotonic drinks, or electrolyte drinks, replace energy, fluids and electrolytes. These drinks are balanced in such a way that they can be readily absorbed by your body. Sports drinks and coconut water are examples of isotonic drinks.

Ideally, isotonic drinks are consumed during or following a workout. You can also drink isotonic drinks when dehydrated. It’s important to note that since they are intended to replace glucose levels during physical exertion, isotonic drinks do contain sugar. Depending on the product, sugar levels can vary greatly. The benefit to this drink option centers around hydration versus reducing calorie intake. However, there are reduced sugar options, including low-sugar sports drinks and coconut water, which contain just a few grams of sugar per serving.

5. Juices

Juice made from 100 percent fruit juice, or close to it, is another great way to hydrate and take in naturally-occuring vitamins. Fruit juice does contain more sugar than other drink types described above, but when consumed in moderation, these natural sugars don’t outweigh the benefits of getting more vitamins into your system. Especially handy during cold and flu season, orange juice is a great way to load up on vitamin C. 

Juices can also be combined with sparkling water for a great-tasting, low-sugar drink.