One of the major problems with low carbohydrate diets is that if you have a serious sweet tooth you may run into problems. Since sugar, corn syrup and honey are the typical sweetening ingredients in most foods and beverages and contain huge amounts of carbohydrates, they are not going to be options for you.

So your challenge is to find a drink that you can use to replace your former sugar laden beverages and then informing yourself about which ones you must avoid if you are to see results.

First let's cover which ones you should avoid at all costs and then I will give you alternative choices that will still taste great without destroying your diet.

#1 Regular Soda

If there is one beverage that should be banned from the earth it is, without a doubt, regular soda. I personally feel that there is no place for this in anyone's diet. I do not care if you are a marathon runner with 5% body fat, you still do not need to be drinking this.

The first reason is because soda is basically devoid of nutrients. There are zero health benefits you are going to get from this since all it is basically composed of is sugar, colouring and phosphoric acid. Sounds healthy doesn't it.

In overweight people, not only is all this soda going to contribute a whole slew of calories to their diet going against basically their number one goal (reduce calorie intake) but it is also going to cause insulin levels to surge upwards increasing the chances they become insulin resistant and potentially diabetic. It is also going to send blood sugar levels through the roof, creating a drastic increase in energy level followed by a sharp low when energy drops and they become hungry again. And then what happens? Yes, you guessed it, they will go looking for MORE carbohydrates to eat - likely a second round of soda. It is a vicious cycle that no one should get themselves into.

What about those who need the calories though you may ask? Wouldn't it be okay for them? While it may be okay for them from a bodyweight prospective since they don't have any concerns regarding that at the moment, there are still plenty of other choices available to them that are far more superior, ones that contain a balance of electrolytes that will help their bodies maintain proper homeostasis while they are engaging in their rigorous activities (since when you sweat a great deal this balance between sodium and potassium can be thrown off).

Low Sugar Replacement

This one is virtually a dead giveaway - diet soda. Some people may complain that it doesn't taste as good but honestly, when you compare a small difference in taste to all the negative side effects seen from regular soda above, is there really any choice in the matter? If you're health is even just of minor importance to you I'm sure you could see this. Others may challenge that all that artificial sweetener is not good for you but so long as you are not drinking liters of diet soda a day, you really have nothing to worry about - and if you are STILL worried then you should be drinking water. Regular soda is by no means any healthier than artificial sweetener, just trust me on this one.

#2 Dessert Coffee Drinks

These days it is not uncommon to walk out onto the street and see a Starbucks or Tim Horton's on every corner you pass by. More and more people are also turning their old regular coffee with one cream, one sugar into super sized, blended concoctions of sugar and caffeine filled liquids that is guaranteed to wake even the most tired individuals up.

While it is fine to need a morning pick-me up, adding over 500 calories a day from fat and sugar is definitely not required by anyone for proper health, little own those on a low carbohydrate diet. Any time you start ordering whipped coffee drinks, or those that are in some way, shape or form resembling a milkshake, you know you are headed for trouble.

Low Sugar Replacement

The best way to create a low sugar replacement is either to be smart about what you order or to just make your own. I realize however that making your own is not always a practical option when you are already late for work. So when you are at the counter, first, if you must order your milkshake-in-disguise, do yourself a favour and at least order the smallest size available. While still much higher in calories and sugar than you would like, so long as you are really strict with yourself for the remainder of the day you may be able to get away with it.

If you can hold off ordering that, instead try and order a regular black coffee on ice. Then add your own artificial sweetener and some vanilla flavouring to give it that taste you are looking for. If you prefer a warm beverage on the other hand, look into all the various sugar free syrups they have that you can add to a plain cup of coffee. These will help perk up your morning without becoming a diet demon.

If you can make your own beverage, here is an excellent recipe.

Mexican Coffee

4 cups coffee (fresh)

¼ cup tequila (can be left out if you prefer non-alcoholic)

2 tbsp DaVinci sugar free chocolate syrup

6 tbsp heavy cream (whipped)

Combine coffee, tequila and syrup together in a pitcher. Pour into cups (over ice if you prefer) and then serve with whip cream on top. Sprinkle with chocolate shavings.

# 3 Juice

While many may think that juice is the perfect option for those who are looking for a healthy way to eat since it will help you get the recommended daily intake of fruits and vegetables, for those who are on low carbohydrate diets or who are simply watching their sugar intake, this is not the best option.

First, many of the 'juices' out there are not actually juice. They may contain a small portion of natural juice but then the rest is just sugar and flavouring, making you believe that it is real juice when in fact it is not.

Secondly, even if it is 100% real fruit juice, much of the fiber will be removed since this is typically found in the skins of the fruit. This means that you are losing half the benefit from consuming the fruit in the first place!

In addition to this, the calorie count of juice compared to real fruit is highly concentrated, making juice a much poorer choice for those who are trying to maintain their weight. For example, 1 cup of orange juice contains approximately 120 calories. You would need to eat 2-3 oranges to equal the same calories. Which one do you think you would feel more full after? Likely the real fruit. (add to the fact that most people do not drink just one cup of juice at a time, as it's usually around 2 cups in the individual bottle you buy). In all reality drinking juice is really only marginally better than consuming soda and in most cases a beverage that should be avoided.

Low Sugar Replacement

A great low sugar replacement option for your normal cup of juice would be either a artificially sweetened fruit flavoured beverage such as crystal light or a home made beverage that you create yourself.

Here is a homemade recipe that would satisfy your craving for fruit without adding too many additional sugars to your diet.

Frozen Fruit Shake

1 cup frozen strawberries

1 cup sugar free yogurt

1 scoop vanilla or strawberry protein powder

1 cup skim or 1% milk

5-10 ice cubes (depending on how thick you want it)

Sweetener to taste.

Combine frozen strawberries, yogurt and milk in a blender and blend until mixed. Next add protein powder, blending once more. Finally add in your ice cubes and crush them into the mixture. Pour and serve.

This recipe is not only much lower in sugar but it is also high in protein, calcium and low in fat making it a great snack for anyone.

So don't let beverages be the thing to derail your diet. While you definitely need to focus on consuming enough liquid, as the majority of Americans don't, make sure the ones you choose are low in sugar. This will make maintaining your body weight and keeping your energy levels under control much easier.