As the saying goes, you are what you eat. That mantra also extends to what you drink as well. While there are tons of beverage options out there, not all can help facilitate a healthy lifestyle. Soda, beer, and energy drinks may taste good, but are they adding any vital nutrients to your system?
Instead, we've compiled a list of the healthiest drinks you should try right now. Best of all, these are all super tasty and refreshing, so there's no excuse not to try them. Are you ready to upgrade your beverage diet?
Table of Contents
First, the Healthy Drink Basics
While juices and teas can be quite nutritious, there are plenty of other beverages you should be drinking that don't fall into either category. So, before we dive into those options, here are some standard healthiest drink alternatives.
Water
According to physicians, everyone should be drinking eight glasses of water per day to stay hydrated. However, that phrase is a bit misleading. While you should ingest 64 ounces of water daily, you don't have to add eight drinks to your current diet. Water exists in plenty of other forms, such as soups, fruits, and vegetables. So, regardless of how you take it, what matters is that you get enough.
Why It's Good For You:
There are too many benefits of hydration to list here, but some top reasons to drink more water include:
- Temperature regulation
- Lubrication of muscles and joints
- Better waste disposal
- Moisturize your skin
Any Conditions?
While you can technically drink too much water, most people don't have that problem. The only potential downside is having to use the bathroom more frequently, but that happens when you increase your beverage intake no matter what.
Any Alternatives?
Technically, no. Water is necessary for life, and you can't substitute it for any non-water-based beverages. However, if drinking plain water is too much, you can try these options:
- Coconut Water - Fresh from nature herself, coconut water adds a little sweetness without overwhelming your tastebuds.
- Infused Water - Add some fresh lemons, limes, or cucumbers to your water for extra nutrients. Lemon juice has plenty of vitamin C, and it may even promote faster weight loss.
- Iced Tea - Since this beverage is mostly water, it counts. Just try to avoid putting too much sugar in it.
Coffee
Yes, coffee can be healthy for your body when consumed in moderation. Americans don't need many reasons to drink coffee, as more than 60 percent of adults drink coffee every day. Coffee is on this list because it's a natural beverage with some beneficial side effects. Plus, if you need an energy boost, you can't go wrong with a steaming cup of Joe.
Why It's Good For You
There are tons of studies out there showing a positive correlation between coffee consumption and health. The list of benefits is almost as long as it is for water. However, some highlights include:
- Better liver function
- Prevention against various diseases (i.e., Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, and colon cancer)
- Avoid diabetes
Any Conditions?
Since coffee does have caffeine, too much can cause complications and unhealthy side effects. Excess coffee can increase your heart rate, cause anxiety attacks, and put extra stress on your body. Try to limit your intake to around three to five cups a day.
Any Alternatives?
If you're drinking coffee for energy, you can try various teas and caffeinated beverages. However, try to avoid sugary soda and energy drinks, as they can create more problems than they solve.
Milk
As the ads say, milk does a body good. We're taught from an early age that milk is good for our bones and bodies in general. Fortunately, these days there are so many new milk varieties that you could sample a different kind of milk every day. However, some are a bit tastier than others (looking at you, goat's milk).
Why It's Good For You
The primary reason to drink milk is to add more calcium to your diet. Calcium is necessary for bone production and health, and it can make your teeth stronger. Milk also has plenty of vitamin D, making it easier to absorb calcium and regulate your immune system.
Any Conditions?
High-fat milk can add excess calories to your diet, so you want to steer toward low-fat or skim milk varieties. Also, there is a limit to how much calcium your body can take. Too much extra, and you'll actually weaken your bones and immune system. Stick to around two or three glasses per day. Also, lactose-intolerant people should avoid milk at all costs.
Any Alternatives?
Yes, there are tons of alternatives to regular cow's milk, each with calcium and vitamin D. Some other options include:
- Nut Milk - Almond and cashew milk are the most common varieties, and they add a bit of sweetness to the mix.
- Coconut Milk - Coconuts are good for more than just coconut water. Coconut milk can do wonders for your body, including protecting your heart.
- Soy Milk - This version has been around for decades as a lactose-free alternative with all the same nutrients making it a very healthy drink.
Red Wine
Science seems to have a tug of war going on with red wine. Some studies show that it's bad for you, while others show that it can be good for the heart. Overall, the consensus is that one or two glasses per day have a net positive benefit, but it depends on the person. If you're not a wine drinker already, don't become one just because you think it's the healthiest drink /beverage. However, if you already partake, raise a glass to your heart.
Why It's Good For You
Two ingredients help make red wine beneficial: polyphenols and resveratrol. Polyphenols can help strengthen your blood vessels, while resveratrol (try saying that three times fast) can reduce cholesterol and repair blood vessel damage. It may even prevent blood clots.
Any Conditions?
Yes, red wine is still alcohol, so too much can damage your liver and make you embarrass yourself in front of your dinner guests. Again, try to stick to two glasses per day max if possible.
Any Alternatives?
If red wine is too intense, you can switch to white wine instead. While it's not as healthy, it does help your heart. Pay attention to calorie counts those, as wine does add up.
Smoothies
If you want more control over your beverage choices, smoothies allow you to create some of the healthiest drink options. There are far too many smoothie recipes out there to list here, but smoothies can yield some incredible advantages overall. That said, just make sure that you're choosing nutritious foods, not just those that taste good.
Why It's Good For You
Depending on how you make your smoothie, you can expect a wide range of health benefits, including tons of vitamins and minerals. It's easy to boost your intake of calcium, vitamins C, D and K, as well as potassium, fiber, and iron.
Any Conditions?
While smoothies are healthy as drinks, they can add excess sugar, fat, and calories. Typically, you want to use a smoothie as a meal replacement rather than add one to every existing meal. Too many will cause weight gain and may lead to diabetes, depending on how much sugar they contain.
Any Alternatives?
With so many smoothie options, there's nothing but alternatives. Just find some recipes you like and start blending!
The Healthiest Juices
When it comes to the healthiest beverage, why not let nature provide? Drinking juice is an easy (and tasty) way to add more nutrients to your diet. Fortunately, tons of juicy fruits are out there, so let's look at some of the best options.
Green Juice
Rather than using sweet fruits for your mix, a green juice drink uses vegetables instead. Typical ingredients include cucumbers, avocados, kale, and spinach. However, if you want to be able to drink it without wincing, we recommend adding some fruits as well, such as kiwis, strawberries, or apples. A spoonful of agave syrup can also work wonders.
Why It's Good For You
Although fruits have plenty of nutrients, they have a lot of sugar. Green vegetable juice has all the benefits with fewer downsides, making it a healthy drink alternative. You can expect advantages like:
- More vitamins and minerals
- Extra fiber to keep your system clean
- Improve your digestion
Any Conditions?
Too much of anything can be bad for your body, and green juice is no exception. As with smoothies, you should treat this beverage as a meal replacement. Some downsides of too much green juice include higher blood sugar and kidney damage (although rare).
Any Alternatives?
Unless you want your drink to be a different color, you should stick to the green veggies. However, vegetables come in a wide array of colors, including orange, purple, and red, so keep that in mind.
Beet Juice
Beetroot juice drink may not be high on your list of tasty beverages, but it should be due to its health benefits. Also, beets are relatively sweet, so they can be much more delicious than they get credit. That said, you may prefer beet juice with a few other ingredients, depending on the complexity of your flavor palate.
Why It's Good For You
Beets are chock-full of nitrates, which are beneficial for your blood. Beet juice can help improve stamina, circulation and even lower your blood pressure. Beet that for a healthy beverage!
Any Conditions?
As we mentioned, beets also have natural sugars, so too much can upset your blood sugar level. One glass per day should suffice.
Any Alternatives?
Most other foods with high nitrate concentrations are un-juiceable, such as hot dogs, bacon, and ham. However, carrots have some good nitrates, so a glass of carrot juice can be a suitable alternative.
Tomato Juice
Although we know that tomatoes are technically fruits, we firmly believe that they belong in the vegetable category. However, they are quite juicy, which is why tomato juice is so plentiful. Tomatoes are also highly versatile, as we know from eating them in ketchup, salsa, and Bloody Marys. Drinking a glass of straight tomato juice can help your body a few different ways, assuming that you can get used to the flavor.
Why It's Good For You
Tomatoes have a substance called lycopene. This ingredient has been shown to improve heart health, immune response, and cholesterol levels. Simply put, tomatoes are practically a superfood, so order another round of drinks!
Any Conditions?
It can take a while to acclimate to the taste of pure tomato juice. Many people choose to add extra fruits and sweeteners to make it more palatable. If you do so, be aware of how much sugar you're putting into your body. Otherwise, tomato juice is one of the healthiest beverages that doesn't really have any adverse side effects.
Any Alternatives?
Fortunately, lycopene exists in plenty of other fruits, including guavas, watermelons, and papayas. So, if tomatoes are too tough to drink, you can switch to something sweeter.
100% Fruit Juices
There are so many other fruits out there that it's hard to put them all here. Instead, we'll focus on the idea of extracting pure fruit juice. Mechanical cold press juicers can make it easy to get all the nutrients and flavors from your favorite fruits without creating a mess. Better yet, you can combine fruits for an even more delicious beverage. Here are some of the healthiest fruits you should incorporate into your next mix:
- Grapefruit Juice - Excellent for weight loss and vitamins.
- Pineapple Juice - Perfect for cocktails and vitamin C.
- Apple Juice - Get some extra potassium, vitamin K, and antioxidants.
- Orange Juice - Start your day with plenty of vitamin C.
- Pomegranate Juice - Fight inflammation and immunity issues with these nutrient-dense fruits.
- Cranberry Juice - If you can forgive the tart flavor, cranberries have polyphenols and other vitamins to boost your immune system.
Why It's Good For You
Why waste time, energy, and money buying pre-made fruit juices? Extracting your own liquids ensures that you get as many nutrients as possible with no added sugar. Also, if you've ever had fresh-squeezed orange juice, you know that it's so much tastier than store-bought varieties.
Any Conditions?
Fruits have tons of natural sugar, so don't drink too much. Also, keep in mind that you have to use quite a few whole fruits to make one glass of juice, meaning that you'll get more sugar than you might expect.
Any Alternatives?
No, nothing beats some freshly made, 100% pure fruit juice.
The Healthiest Teas to Drink
In America, tea is often overlooked as a beverage of choice. However, tea can be an excellent way to infuse your water with healthy nutrients and flavors. Here is a rundown of the top teas you should be drinking right now. Remember, pinkies up!
Green Tea
This drink is made from the plant Camellia Sinensis, which is the source for other types of tea, including black and oolong. However, green tea preparation is a bit different and offers better nutrient extraction. That said, it can take a while to get used to green tea's taste, so be aware that it might be off-putting at first.
Why It's Good For You
The jury is still out on many of the health benefits of green tea, but preliminary research is promising. Overall, the plant can help boost your blood circulation and strengthen your arteries. Green tea is also a natural source of caffeine, making it an ideal coffee replacement.
Any Conditions?
Although green tea is healthy, it's not a miracle drug. Don't expect to use it as a cure-all for various heart-related conditions.
Any Alternatives?
Black and oolong tea come from the same plant, so they can be suitable alternatives.
Hibiscus Tea
This tea is one of the most fragrant and colorful since it comes from the tropical Hibiscus flower. Although you'll find dried versions of this tea on store shelves, you can make a fresher variety if you grow the plants in your garden or backyard.
Why It's Good For You
The primary benefit of Hibiscus tea is that it's rich in vitamin C. In case you weren't aware, vitamin C aids in immunity, collagen formation (skin health), and iron absorption.
Any Conditions?
If you're pregnant, Hibiscus tea can potentially damage your liver. The tea can also interact with medications and cause allergies in some people.
Any Alternatives?
Most floral teas have vitamin C, so they can work well if you are allergic to Hibiscus.
Ginger Tea
If you're familiar with Asian ingredients, you should already know that ginger is used to treat various health conditions. So, using this plant to make tea can yield the same advantages while allowing you to sip on a hot, refreshing beverage.
Why It's Good For You
Ginger is full of ingredients like gingerols and phenols. These elements can help reduce nausea, improve blood circulation, and help the heart. Some studies have shown ginger to help dizziness and motion sickness, but those benefits haven't been confirmed.
Any Conditions?
In some cases, ginger can cause heartburn or stomach pain, but it's rare. If you feel worse after drinking ginger, avoid it or lower your dosage.
Any Alternatives?
Turmeric and cinnamon have similar ingredients, so they can potentially replace ginger if you have a bad reaction.
Drink to Your Health
Getting healthy and staying nutritious is easy when you can incorporate these healthy beverages into your diet. Juicing is an excellent strategy, as is making smoothies. Bottoms up!
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