With so many unhealthy drinks on supermarket shelves and media coverage of their effects, it may be hard to determine the optimal choice. Water, tea and coffee are great healthy beverages to consider as potential choices.
Some drinks come packed with nutrients to boost your health, such as vitamin C (carried by sailors to prevent scurvy). Others contain fiber and prebiotic plant compounds for better digestive support.
Water
Water is an indispensable beverage that should be included as part of any healthy lifestyle, and we should aim to consume at least eight glasses each day. Drinking enough water allows your body to replace lost fluids through sweating and digestion while helping circulation as it delivers oxygen-rich blood to key organs like the brain and other areas.
Sipping too little water can result in dehydration. Dehydration can make you tired and less focused while it also causes blood pressure to spike – two conditions that are far from desirable.
Many bottled drinks contain added sugar, preservatives and unhealthy levels of caffeine which may increase heart rate and cause jitters. Instead, opt for water flavored with lemon or limes; you could even add fruit slices for an enlivening fizzy beverage!
Tea
Tea has long been recognized for its healthful properties. Enjoyed across cultures for millennia, black, green and oolong teas contain flavan-3-ols that have been linked to reduced risk for heart disease as well as its anti-inflammatory benefits.
Green tea’s antioxidant EGCG may play a part in protecting against neurodegenerative disorders like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s due to its iron chelating and free radical scavenging abilities.
Other healthy tea choices include chamomile, rooibos and fruit teas – as long as no additional sweetener is added – without adding sugar. Opting for unsweetened options instead may help. If caffeine sensitivity is an issue for you, decaffeinated options should be consumed if possible – caffeine can increase heart rate and cause jitteriness; to limit intake to 400 milligrams daily is recommended.
Coffee
One cup of coffee daily may help lower the risk of type 2 diabetes. Caffeine found in coffee stimulates insulin secretion and enhances glucose metabolism, and contains antioxidants like phenolic acids, flavonoids, and sterols with anticancer properties such as antioxidants, flavonoids, and sterols that also offer anti-inflammatory benefits and reduced prostate and endometrial cancer risk reduction properties. But too much coffee may cause acid reflux symptoms in some individuals or interfere with some medications.
Avoid expensive coffee drinks filled with sugar and whipped cream that contain 800 calories and 1/3 of your daily allowance of artery-clogging saturated fat. Instead, switch to black or green unsweetened iced coffee made without sweeteners; unsulfured blackstrap molasses is an ideal sweetener that provides calcium, potassium and thiamin as well as being the richest plant source of iron. People who are slow metabolizers of caffeine should limit intake to two cups per day.
Milk
Milk is an excellent source of protein-rich nutrition and includes 13 essential vitamins and minerals, making it particularly beneficial to children as it promotes bone development and cognitive development. Furthermore, its electrolyte content assists recovery after exercise while simultaneously hydrating them – plus studies suggest milk could even lower risks of stroke, hypertension and heart disease!
Nondairy milk alternatives such as soy, almond, oat and hemp milk offer calcium and vitamin D without high saturated fat levels compared to their dairy counterparts.
Fruit juices contain high amounts of added sugar, so it is wise to consume only as necessary and opt for unsweetened varieties in order to lower your added sugar consumption. Vitamin C acts as an antioxidant against free radicals while supporting collagen synthesis, wound healing and iron absorption.
Fruit Juices
Fruit juices are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals, particularly Vitamin C. In addition, they contain numerous disease-fighting antioxidants.
But remember: fruit juices contain lots of added sugar and are low in fiber content, so it is wise to consume them sparingly.
Instead of providing our bodies with essential dietary fibre, fruit juices often lack this important resource during production, leaving them high in sugar and calories – which could contribute to weight gain and negatively affect our health.
When purchasing fruit juices, look for those made with 100% fruit without added sugars or ingredients. Or drink pomegranate juice which contains powerful antioxidants which may help prevent cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke while improving blood lipid levels and improving overall cardiovascular health.
