We recently debated about drinks that we enjoy and are also good for us. Drinks that we sip daily or occasionally. We started digging around for answers to declare a winner. Some of the choices we found were clear and obvious, but there were also some that caught our attention or felt like it was just a current trend.
No matter where we looked or who we spoke with, the top 3 choices kept coming up as water, green tea, and coffee. These 3 were consistently on everyone's list for healthy drinks and are basically no brainers at this point. These drinks have been linked to a ton of health benefits. Just don't add the sugars or syrups. Natural is a great way to go.
Water is the most essential drink for every person and animal on planet earth. It keeps us naturally hydrated, which helps with basically everything. Drinking water and staying hydrated can help with your mental well-being, physical movement, and even weight loss. Most suggest adding a little lemon to your water if you're looking for added taste. Infused water can be good for you too.
Green tea is another healthy drink most people agree on. Everyone loves it for its antioxidants, low calories, and low carbs. Taste pretty darn good too. Green tea has been linked to lowering inflammation and potentially preventing some cancers. It can reduce sugar spikes post meal and it contains caffeine, which is linked to its own set of health benefits. You're also hydrating since it's almost like you added some flavor to your water. Hot, cold, or with some lemon, green tea is a great choice if you're looking for a healthy drink.
Speaking of caffeine, coffee is one of the healthiest drinks out there. Coffee has always been our go to source for a quick pick up or the drink to wake you up. Well studies have shown that it does more than just a jolt. Coffee has actually been linked to reducing the risk of liver diseases and Type 2 diabetes. It's also being associated with improving blood circulation, mental functions, and mood. Some studies go as far as suggesting that coffee can help lower your risk for dementia and stroke. You can definitely over do it with coffee, though. Too much can ruin your sleep, which is crucial for your health. We like to drink our coffee black with 3 or fewer cups per day. Lattes are a nice treat and we might add sugar just a few times in the year.
There were a lot of other great suggestions for healthy drinks that were interesting. Some juices like pomegranate, tart cherry, beet, cranberry, and orange made a lot of sense to us. They all have antioxidants and are full of vitamins. Milk came up a lot. Plus, hot chocolate too. There were also other teas like white tea and peppermint tea. Red wine was popular as well. There are health benefits linked to red wine like increasing blood flow and good cholesterols, but just 1 or 2 glasses per day and on occasion is good enough.
There were some trends that popped up and some that faded away. Kombucha was a suggestion since it's supposed to help with the probiotics in your tummy. Vegan milks, turmeric, and kefir. Coconut water is still a recommended choice as long as it's not full of additives. Fruit smoothies are bad for you but green smoothies are good. There are new manufactured drinks full of vitamins and minerals. We might try a few one day but we do tend to stick to the natural stuff. What ever happened to wheat grass and bone broth? We didn't hear too much of those recently. In any case, moderation is always key, even with water.
Cheers to you and your health!
Some More Reading
No matter where we looked or who we spoke with, the top 3 choices kept coming up as water, green tea, and coffee. These 3 were consistently on everyone's list for healthy drinks and are basically no brainers at this point. These drinks have been linked to a ton of health benefits. Just don't add the sugars or syrups. Natural is a great way to go.
Water is the most essential drink for every person and animal on planet earth. It keeps us naturally hydrated, which helps with basically everything. Drinking water and staying hydrated can help with your mental well-being, physical movement, and even weight loss. Most suggest adding a little lemon to your water if you're looking for added taste. Infused water can be good for you too.
Green tea is another healthy drink most people agree on. Everyone loves it for its antioxidants, low calories, and low carbs. Taste pretty darn good too. Green tea has been linked to lowering inflammation and potentially preventing some cancers. It can reduce sugar spikes post meal and it contains caffeine, which is linked to its own set of health benefits. You're also hydrating since it's almost like you added some flavor to your water. Hot, cold, or with some lemon, green tea is a great choice if you're looking for a healthy drink.
Speaking of caffeine, coffee is one of the healthiest drinks out there. Coffee has always been our go to source for a quick pick up or the drink to wake you up. Well studies have shown that it does more than just a jolt. Coffee has actually been linked to reducing the risk of liver diseases and Type 2 diabetes. It's also being associated with improving blood circulation, mental functions, and mood. Some studies go as far as suggesting that coffee can help lower your risk for dementia and stroke. You can definitely over do it with coffee, though. Too much can ruin your sleep, which is crucial for your health. We like to drink our coffee black with 3 or fewer cups per day. Lattes are a nice treat and we might add sugar just a few times in the year.
There were a lot of other great suggestions for healthy drinks that were interesting. Some juices like pomegranate, tart cherry, beet, cranberry, and orange made a lot of sense to us. They all have antioxidants and are full of vitamins. Milk came up a lot. Plus, hot chocolate too. There were also other teas like white tea and peppermint tea. Red wine was popular as well. There are health benefits linked to red wine like increasing blood flow and good cholesterols, but just 1 or 2 glasses per day and on occasion is good enough.
There were some trends that popped up and some that faded away. Kombucha was a suggestion since it's supposed to help with the probiotics in your tummy. Vegan milks, turmeric, and kefir. Coconut water is still a recommended choice as long as it's not full of additives. Fruit smoothies are bad for you but green smoothies are good. There are new manufactured drinks full of vitamins and minerals. We might try a few one day but we do tend to stick to the natural stuff. What ever happened to wheat grass and bone broth? We didn't hear too much of those recently. In any case, moderation is always key, even with water.
Cheers to you and your health!
Some More Reading
- https://foodrevolution.org/blog/healthiest-beverages/
- https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/healthy-drinks
- https://www.eatthis.com/healthiest-drinks/
- https://www.webmd.com/diet/ss/slideshow-drinks-and-your-health
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/emilysiegel/2017/05/17/best-health-drinks/?sh=362c6bf95ae5
- https://www.menshealth.com/nutrition/g19485260/best-healthy-drinks-for-men/
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/annahaines/2021/01/19/the-best-wellness-drink-for-every-type-of-health-concern/?sh=587c85567c3b
- https://www.eatthis.com/best-drinks-weight-loss/
- https://www.consumerreports.org/healthy-eating/what-to-drink-for-better-health/
- https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/13-best-healthy-drinks-supermarket-165536333.html
- https://www.eatingwell.com/gallery/7909859/healthy-anti-inflammatory-drink-recipes/?slide=0e47b422-983e-4196-93d5-9e61409ef6cd#0e47b422-983e-4196-93d5-9e61409ef6cd
- https://www.shape.com/healthy-eating/healthy-drinks/worst-drinks-your-body?slide=bdb84de0-a4f9-4682-a082-fe122874dfd2#bdb84de0-a4f9-4682-a082-fe122874dfd2
- https://www.womenshealthmag.com/food/g19989804/best-energy-drinks/
- https://theperfectpregnancyplan.com/what-to-drink-while-pregnant/