Chapter 2: Reduce Sugary Drinks

What does it mean to reduce sugary drinks?

It’s exactly what it sounds like—cutting back or eliminating drinks that are high in added sugars or hidden sugars. And yes, that includes more than just soda.

Sugary drinks contain sugar in its other forms. Glucose is the typical table sugar, Fructose is fruit sugar, Lactose is milk sugar and Sucrose is sugar cane sugar. There are several other forms of sugars, but these are the most common ones. And sugary drinks may contain one, two or several of them.

Sugary drinks are one of the fastest ways to spike your blood sugar. The sugar in drinks hits your bloodstream almost instantly because there’s no fibre, protein, or fat to slow it down.

So even if you’re eating “healthy” but still drinking sugary beverages, your blood sugar could still be all over the place.

Where can you find sugary drinks?

You might be surprised—sugar is hiding in places you wouldn't expect. Of course, there are the obvious ones:

The usual suspects:

• 🥤 Soft drinks and soda

• 🧃 Fruit juices

• 🧋 Milk tea, bubble tea

• 🍹 Flavored iced teas, cocktails

But also hiding in:

• ☕ Tea and coffee drinks with flavored syrups or condensed milk

• 🎴 3-in-1 instant beverages

• 🍼 Milk and especially low fat milk (there is usually more sugar in low fat drinks)

• 🥛 Sweetened plant milks (almond, oat, soy, if they’re flavored or sweetened)

• 🥤 Energy drinks and “sports” drinks

• 🧃 Store-bought smoothies or protein shakes

• 🧊 Even some bottled “detox” drinks!
  
  

Always read the label. Sugar has two main forms, monosaccharides (or simple sugar) and disaccharides. Most food nutrition labels show sugar as carbohydrates or as sugar separately.

When should you avoid sugary drinks?

Honestly? As much as possible. But especially:

• 🚨 When your blood sugar is already high
  
  

• 🛌 Before bedtime — you don’t want sugar spiking your system at night
  
  

• 🥱 When you’re tired — because your body might mistake fatigue for hunger and sugar will only cause a short-term energy spike, followed by a crash
  
  

• 🍽️ With meals — sugary drinks alongside carbs and fat = calorie overload
  
  

• 💉 If you’re taking insulin or meds — these drinks may interfere with their effectiveness
  
  

A lot of people think fruit juice or vitamin drinks are “healthy”... but many of them contain the same or more sugar than a can of soda.

Why do sugary drinks spike blood sugar so much?

Because there’s no buffer.

When you eat whole food and a balanced meal, the fibre, protein, and fat help slow down how fast sugar is absorbed into your bloodstream. Drinks don’t have that buffer. So sugar enters your system fast—and your body has to work hard to manage it.

Sugary drinks can:

• 📈 Spike your blood sugar almost immediately

• 🧨 Cause sugar crashes and fatigue

• 🤕 Increase insulin resistance over time

• ⚠️ Contribute to weight gain and inflammation

• 💊 Make blood sugar harder to control even with meds

Cutting back can make a big difference in how steady you feel throughout the day.

How do you cut down on sugary drinks realistically?

Here’s how to ditch the sugar bombs without feeling deprived:

 ✅ Switch to infused water – add cucumber, lemon, mint, or berries
✅ Choose unsweetened tea or black coffee
✅ Use natural sweeteners (stevia, monk fruit) in moderation
✅ Make your own smoothies with no added sugars
✅ Go for sugar-free alternatives with zero calories and no artificial junk
✅ Try sparkling water with a splash of lime or a drop of natural flavor
✅ Avoid condensed milk or sweet syrups in your coffee or tea

It’s about retraining your taste buds—your body will adjust, and you’ll notice that things start tasting too sweet very quickly once you stop overloading on sugar.

🍽️ Simple Blood Sugar-Friendly Recipe

🥥 Coconut Chia Energy Shake

Ingredients (Serves 1):

• 1 cup unsweetened coconut milk (or almond milk)
  
  

• 1 tbsp chia seeds
  
  

• ½ small avocado
  
  

• 1 scoop unflavored or vanilla plant-based protein powder (no added sugar)
  
  

• A pinch of cinnamon
  
  

• A few drops of stevia or monk fruit sweetener (optional)
  
  

• Ice cubes
  
  

Instructions:

1. Blend all ingredients together until smooth.
   
   

2. Let it sit for 5 minutes so the chia seeds thicken.
   
   

3. Pour over ice and enjoy.
   
   

Nutritional Info (approx.):

• Calories: 270 kcal
  
  

• Protein: 18g
  
  

• Carbs: 6g
  
  

• Fats: 20g (healthy fats from avocado and chia)
  
  

• Fiber: 9g
  
  

• Sugar: <1g
  
  

• Key nutrients: Omega-3, magnesium, potassium, calcium

Benefits:

 ✅ No sugar
✅ High in healthy fats and protein
✅ Keeps blood sugar stable and energy steady
✅ Perfect post-meal or mid-afternoon drink

👀 Visual Tip: Swap Your Drink

Stick this table in your kitchen or phone gallery. Use it when ordering drinks or choosing at the grocery store!