Just adding a few healthy drinks to your diet can add probiotics, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals that support gut health. Hydration plays a vital role in keeping body temperature consistent as well.
Alkaline beverages have come into their own as part of a holistic wellness regime, so search out unsweetened versions that are low-cal and fortified with calcium and vitamin D.
Water
Water is the optimal drink to quench thirst, as it offers essential hydration without adding additional calories. Sugary drinks should be avoided to reduce obesity risk as well as other potential health issues.
Natural spring or underground source waters are considered the healthiest option because they do not undergo any processing, as well as being more pure and cost effective than processed products.
Sparkling water adds an invigorating burst of flavor without the calories and artificial sweeteners found in soda, without increasing your body’s risk for disease through artificial sweeteners. Some carbonated waters are even ionized to raise their pH to alkaline and give added electrolyte benefits like improved hydration, nerve function support and muscle health benefits.
Be sure to consume at least six to eight cups of water daily – whether during meals, snacks or exercise. Drink water during all stages of your day for optimal hydration!
Green Tea
Tea (Camellia sinensis) is one of the world’s most beloved beverages, with green tea in particular being revered for its health-giving properties since ancient China. Crafted using Camellia sinensis leaves, buds or delicate stems as ingredients for production, green tea has long been recognized for its medicinal uses and is revered as an indispensable beverage choice.
As opposed to black tea, green tea contains higher concentrations of disease-fighting polyphenols such as epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) which may protect against cancer, improve bone density and prevent cognitive decline according to The Today Show 2024.
WebMD reports that EGCG can also help reduce insulin resistance and blood sugar levels, and drinking green tea may even help you shed unwanted weight more efficiently by helping the body break down fat more rapidly.
Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented beverage composed of tea, sugar, bacteria and yeast, popularly sold at grocery stores or promoted by influencers on TikTok. While some studies support its health benefits, others caution against its consumption because it can lead to stomach upset and infections.
Kombucha drinkers claim that its probiotics help with gut health and immune function, according to Smith. Although this may be true, it remains uncertain whether drinking kombucha alone will have these positive impacts; to get these advantages it would be wiser to consume an array of fruits, vegetables and whole grains alongside it for optimal results. Furthermore, excessive consumption may cause headaches, nausea, or GI distress and lead to ketoacidosis (a potentially lethal condition). Pregnant women and those with compromised immunity systems should refrain from drinking this beverage altogether.
Kefir
Kefir is a fermented milk beverage packed with probiotics and other essential nutrients, made by adding kefir grains (colonies of bacteria and yeast) to milk, leaving it for 24 hours, then stirring it up before enjoying its creamy texture with its unique tangy flavor.
Regular dairy foods contain lactose, an easily digestible natural sugar that some individuals struggle to break down and assimilate properly. But in the case of kefir, bacteria convert the lactose to lactic acid for production instead, making this fermented beverage far lower in lactose than milk products.
Kefir is also loaded with minerals and vitamins (such as B1, B2, B5, C and E), folic acid, calcium magnesium and phosphorous – and has been shown to both reduce inflammation and speed healing processes in animal studies (for instance in one murine model of fusiform cell sarcoma in which regular ingestion of kefir significantly reduced tumour size – in fact some mice were even able to completely clear away tumors after 20 day treatment period! (Cevikbas et al 1994).
Orange Juice
Orange juice is an easily accessible natural health beverage that provides an abundant supply of Vitamin C. Additionally, potassium and thiamin as well as calcium may also be found within its content if fortified with it. Orange juice boasts anti-inflammatory properties to lower specific inflammation markers linked with chronic diseases while being packed full of phytonutrients such as flavonoids that provide additional support.
Orange juice is an ideal beverage to help diabetics manage their blood sugar levels and is also known to boost immunity and support heart health by reducing inflammation and oxidative stress. Promote orange juice alongside lower-sodium meals as an attractive health solution to draw in customers with health-oriented habits.
