What is wrong w/ just plain water? How is the water out of your tap? Unless you are on a well or something, just keep pouring. Here in Chicago, we get great water out of the tap. I simply cannot comprehend why a bunch of my officemates contribute to a fund to pay for a water cooler.
I drink 2-3 cups of coffee in the morning, and then switch to water, which I swill all day long. RARELY if I am out somewhere, I’ll have a lemonade or iced tea or something, but the majority of time, my beverage of choice is water. Tepid tap water - yum!
From what I can find, sparkling water seems to be fine.
Bolding mine.
I went years drinking sparkling water almost every day without any teeth issues. I don’t drink it as much now, but I drink other things that are probably more acidic (like sugar-free lemonade and carbonated diet soda) regularly, and still no issues. Granted, an anecdote doesn’t make a study, but see above.
I’m going to guess that if water, just water, were a fulfilling option for you, Jim B., you wouldn’t have posted here because it’s such an obvious choice. And you didn’t ask about the healthiest beverage; you asked for a good replacement for the coffee/tea you’re so used to. I find that when I keep water, just water near me, I forget to sip it. If it’s something with a little flavor, I sip it automatically.
Since you’re used to coffee and tea, a hot beverage seems to me a better replacement. I drink herbal tea (usually apple spice) with a splash of fruit juice to replace sweetener or a dollop of cashew milk if I want a creamier drink. When I want something cold, I have flavored sparkling water (no sugar). Lime is a favorite.
If he had been sipping coffee and/or tea all day long before, surely carbonated water or any of its substitutes would be better on his teeth, anyway, no? Yes, still water is almost certainly best, but even sparkling water, as noted by the ADA, has “a similar effect on your teeth’s enamel as regular, non-carbonated water.”
You forgot to mention how it tastes. It hits the midpoint between shit and sawdust, IMHO. Some people must like it though - it would be great if the OP is one. (Note to Jim B.: if you decide to try rooibos, don’t spend a fortune on a large quantity until you’ve tried it. Get the smallest possible package to see if you find it palatable or not first.)
The “zing” in various Celestial Seasoning zinger teas is rosella (aka “hibiscus,” although it is NOT the same as the bush most Americans think of when they think of a hibiscus flower). It’s caffeine-free and utterly delicious, though some people find it too sour to drink without added sugar. Bonus, it has been found to have a mild blood-pressure lowering effect.
Because rosella is a bit sour, you might want to purchase a small quantity first, as with the rooibos. (And be sure to buy PURE rosella - I got some from Thailand a while ago that was just a pekoe (which has caffeine) with rosella bits added. I left a disgruntled review on Amazon so if you shop there you can be warned away from it.)
Another vote for water. Cold, ice cubes, room temperature, put lemon in it, whatever it takes. I can now drink room temperature water and that quenches my thirst just fine.