We grew up in a household with a healthy, cook-it-from scratch, granola-baking mom, who we often refer to as a hippie, minus the drugs. She never bought soda, so we rarely had it, only when we went to our besties’ house and occasionally shared a can of Fresca. We loved the bubbles and the grapefruit flavor, so when we got numerous emails from many of you requesting recipes for healthy, low-sugar soda recipes without artificial sweeteners, we instantly thought of the sweet and sour flavor of grapefruit for inspiration. While we’re making a healthy, DIY soda, as registered dietitians, we couldn’t help but make it even healthier by adding some of the benefits of our “detox” drinks ( ).
So we’ve concocted a delish flavor combination that not only tastes delish, but it flushes bloat, so we all can feel great!
This ‘lil grapefruit, ginger, and mint concoction is packed with antioxidant goodness, fresh flavor, and a spicy kick from the ginger that will make you want to keep sipping your way healthy (and slim!).
Psst…. In search of more of our bloat-flushing bevvies? Please feel free to search this site! And here are a few to try:
Minty Lime Iced Green “Flat Belly” Tea
Cool Citrus Cucumber Detox
Apple Cider Vinegar & Lime “Detox” Drink
Cucumber Blueberry Water Flush
Lemon Ginger Detox Drink
Mixed Citrus Ginger Flush
Drinks like these detox beverages above have become so important in the success of our clients that we’ve even included them as an important part in our 21-Day Body Reboot™, our life-altering program that helps you to lose your last 10 pounds or more—while going wild on the weekend!
They immediately help to get your mind and body back on the healthy track. We call them Clean-ToxTM drinks because they work especially well in helping the body in its’ natural detox process as you eat, wholesome, “clean” (aka, unprocessed) food. And although your body is equipped to detox and cleanse itself naturally, certain health-promoting foods and drinks, like these “detox” beverages, can be monumental when it comes to assisting in its process— and that’s why we included the components in our DIY natural soda.
Here’s why this drink is so good for your health! ):
It flushes bloat
When you’re dehydrated, your body hangs onto sodium, making you feel bloated and puffy. It’s easy to get dehydrated, especially in the summer if you’re out in the sun all day, or especially if you indulge too much in salty foods or boozy drinks! Drinking plenty of water and seltzer helps flush excess sodium and waste out of your body so you feel light and bloat-free. The ginger and mint in this drink also help flush bloat with their anti-inflammatory and stomach-soothing properties! They both help ease indigestion and eliminate gas to help you reset from a day of heavy foods or just show up to the beach with a flat belly, rather than with tummy troubles.
It reduces inflammation
We made sure that just about everything in this drink is anti-inflammatory! Grapefruit is packed with vitamin C, an immune-boosting antioxidant that mops up free radicals and toxins, preventing them from causing inflammation. Mint and ginger pack in antioxidant properties, too! Ginger owes its anti-inflammatory benefits to a polyphenol called gingerol, which is a potent anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer agent. Mint’s behind-the-scenes savior is rosmarinic acid, which calms everything down and chases out free radicals that damage and age the body.
Why do we care so much about inflammation? Well, in a healthy body, inflammation occurs when there’s some sort of damage as a signal that your body needs to work to heal the spot where the damage occurred (like if you get a cut, the pain that happens is your body’s inflammatory system yelling “Hey, help us out over here! There’s an injury – send all your healing cells!”) That’s totally normal (and necessary) – but the trouble happens when your body is faced with constant inflammation from toxins like alcohol, chemicals in processed foods, and more. Then, your body essentially goes into damage-control mode and works in overdrive to keep up with all the little bits of damage spread all over your body, wearing down your immune system and leading to lots of chronic health issues.
Eating – and drinking – foods with anti-inflammatory properties (like this hot number!) help fight that chronic inflammation so that your body can stay healthy and use energy for stuff like exercise and normal bodily processes, rather than trying to chase down the inflammation.
It crushes sweet cravings
This drink will fill your tummy, keeping you from getting overly hungry – or dare we say hangry? We all know that when you’re hangry, it’s hard to make reasonable food decisions, and we tend to end up reaching for the sweets rather than something filling and nourishing. Plus, the slight sweetness from the juicy grapefruit, the fresh mint and the small amount (15-calories worth) of syrup is just enough to give your sweet tooth something to hang onto, without having to dive into chocolate cake to feel satisfied!
It keeps your skin healthy
We’ve all fallen victim to sunburns during the summer, (we’re talkin’ to you– blistery burn from our Barbados soccer team trip in high school!) and it’s definitely not fun. But sunburns also wreak havoc on your skin health! Thankfully, grapefruit is loaded with “nature’s sunblock,” lycopene. Lycopene helps prevent sun damage before it’s done, helping you avoid the premature wrinkles and skin cancer that damage from UV rays can cause.
The vitamin C from the grapefruit and mint in this drink is also a skin-saver! Vitamin C plays an important role in collagen formation, a process that keeps skin vibrant, healthy, and youthful.
The best part about this drink? It’s totally flexible! If you’re absolutely in love with ginger (like Lyssie), add in another slice! If adding more mint makes you feel like you’re drinking a mojito, go for it! There’s no wrong way to do it!
Grapefruit Ginger Mint Soda–DIY- Make-Your-Own Natural Soda
Makes 1 cup concentrate, 4 cups of soda.
To make 1 cup soda: combine ¼ cup concentrate, ¾ cup seltzer water, and 1 tsp simple syrup
Grapefruit Ginger Mint Concentrate
Ingredients:
½ grapefruit, sliced
1 tsp chopped or sliced ginger
5-6 mint leaves
1 cup water
Directions:
1. Place all ingredients in a pitcher or large jar and smash them with the back of a wooden spoon to release juices.
2. Add the water and stir.
3. Let infuse in the fridge overnight, then strain.
4. To make soda: combine ¼ cup concentrate with ¾ cup seltzer water and 1 tsp simple syrup (recipe below)
Simple Syrup Ingredients:
1 cup water
1 cup sugar (organic, preferably); you can use honey if you prefer.
Directions:
Simmer the water and sugar, stirring occasionally until completely dissolved. Let cool.
Note: Start by adding a teaspoon of syrup to your natural soda and slowly add more, if needed. Each teaspoon simple syrup has approximately 15 calories and 4 grams of carbs (sugar).
Nutrition Information: 15 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams sodium, 82 mg potassium, 4 grams carbs, 1 gram fiber, 4 grams sugar, 0.4 grams protein
- ½ grapefruit, sliced
- 1 tsp chopped or sliced ginger
- 5-6 mint leaves
- 1 cup water
- Directions:
- 1. Place all ingredients in a pitcher or large jar and smash them with the back of a wooden spoon to release juices.
- 2. Add the water and stir.
- 3. Let infuse in the fridge overnight, then strain.
- 4. To make soda: combine ¼ cup concentrate with ¾ cup seltzer water and 1 tsp simple syrup (recipe below)
- Simple Syrup Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup sugar (organic, preferably); you can use honey if you prefer.
- Simmer the water and sugar, stirring occasionally until completely dissolved. Let cool.
- Note: Start by adding a teaspoon of syrup to your natural soda and slowly add more, if needed. Each teaspoon simple syrup has approximately 15 calories and 4 grams of carbs (sugar).
- Nutrition Information: 15 calories, 0 grams fat, 0 grams sodium, 82 mg potassium, 4 grams carbs, 1 gram fiber, 4 grams sugar, 0.4 grams protein
