Visit any supermarket and you will be spoiled for choice in the beverage aisle. There are dozens of varieties, but not all of them are healthy. Drinks like soda or caffeinated beverages are fine in moderation, but if you chug down full-sugar cola all day, you won’t have many teeth left and will have gained a few pounds at the same time.
Drinking isn’t optional. If you don’t take on fluids, you’ll get dehydrated. Luckily, there are plenty of beverages that are healthy and tasty. Read on to learn more!
Water
Drinking water is a no-brainer. It’s free and good for you. An adult body contains nearly 60% water, so it stands to reason that drinking water is healthier than any other beverage. Water will flush any nasty bacteria from your system and can help carry nutrients in your food directly to where they are needed. Even if you dislike water, drinking a couple of glasses per day is still good for you.
Green Tea
Green tea has been a very popular drink in Asian countries for centuries but now people in the West have discovered its benefits too. Drinking green tea can help prevent diseases like cancer and heart disease, thanks to the polyphenols it contains. Green tea can also boost the metabolism and control blood sugar but be careful not to drink too much because it does contain caffeine.
Kombucha
Kombucha is fast becoming a must-try health drink. It is a fermented beverage containing living cultures, which offer many health properties. The drink is made by adding sugar to tea, which causes the drink to ferment. Healthy bacteria are good for the gut, but the drink is also high in vitamin C and B. If you’d like to try Kombucha, look for a brand that is organic and unpasteurized, so it contains the right bacteria.
Cranberry Juice
Cranberry juice is not as sweet as, say, orange or apple juice, but it is very palatable. Cranberries have a lot of health benefits and drinking cranberry juice can support digestive health and heart health. Cranberry juice is also a popular home remedy for urinary tract infections and is thought to help women post-menopause when UTIs are common.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is an acquired taste. Not everyone is a fan, but if you like it, coconut water is very good for you. It contains potassium, which is known to support heart health and prevent strokes. Coconut water can also help diabetics manage their blood sugar levels, and thanks to high antioxidants, it is good for the immune system.
Red Wine
Alcohol might not seem like a healthy choice of beverage, and if you regularly drink bottles of vodka, it definitely isn’t. Luckily, red wine drunk in moderation does have some health benefits because it contains resveratrol, an important antioxidant. So, drinking a glass of red wine a day might actually keep the doctor away!
Other healthy drinks worth trying include lemon water, pomegranate juice, and beetroot juice.