Introduction
Whether you’re trying to cut calories or just make more healthy choices, your beverages can make or break your healthy goals. Often, our beverages are just a habit. We drink coffee in the morning, soda at work and wine at night. However, with a little planning, you can focus on drinks that boost your health with every sip
Coffee and Tea
Filtered, plain coffee and tea are both loaded with health if you can avoid the cream, sugar and other additions. Black coffee can protect your heart and reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes. If you’re drinking it black, you can enjoy up to 5 cups a day.
Tea is high in antioxidants. Antioxidants are the chemicals that collect oxidized toxins known as free radicals from your tissues and flush them from your system. If you like iced tea, brew your own at home to avoid sugary add-ons that detract from the nutritional value.
It should be noted that both of these products can cause tooth discoloration. Take care to brush after your morning coffee or tea to protect your teeth. Also, both of these products can be a bit acidic. If you notice any stomach irritation, consider moving between coffee or tea and water to reduce the impact of the acid.
Fortified Milk, Dairy and Alternative
Both dairy and non-dairy milk offer critical nutrients including calcium, Vitamin D and protein. If you prefer to avoid dairy or don’t tolerate it well, check out fortified milks such as almond, cashew, coconut and soy.
Cashew milk tends to be a bit gritty. However, it’s very low in calories. If you enjoy smoothies, consider blending them with cashew milk instead of almond or soy milk to keep calories down and get the best use from this product. If you enjoy the flavor on its own, be ready to filter it to keep the grit down.
It’s important to note that smoothies generally don’t rank high on the list of healthy beverages. These drink can be very high in sugar. Additionally, if you’re replacing meals with smoothies, you may find that you are hungry sooner than you’d be after a regular meal. Keep an eye on the clock if you choose to replace meals with smoothies to make sure you’re not actually overloading on calories by eating sooner. A motion activated camera in the kitchen can help you keep track as well.
Coconut Water
A serving of coconut water after a hard workout is a terrific way to replace the sodium you lose while sweating. In addition, you may experience low potassium after a workout and suffer cramps. Coconut water can help.
While many juices are high in both natural and added sugars, a serving of coconut water has half the natural sugar of other beverages. If you’re interested in using smoothies as a meal replacement, start with coconut water as a snack replacement to see if you can change up your understanding of what it means for you to feel satisfied.
Coconut water is a great way to shift from soda to plain or sparkling water. The flavor is quite subtle, but more interesting than water. If your taste buds miss sugary or diet soda, try a few sips of coconut water and let your taste buds adjust.
Hot Chocolate
Your grandmother was right! Hot chocolate will make you feel much better. Chocolate will boost your serotonin level and boost your mood. Cocoa has high levels of the plant-derived antioxidants known as polyphenols. However, if you’re going to enjoy the full health benefits of true hot cocoa, you’ll need to skip the packets with their dried out marshmallows.
If you’re not keen on the texture of coconut milk but want the health boost of this product, consider making a nice cup of spicy coconut cocoa. The slippery, almost oily texture of coconut milk can be a bit much to drink alone. However, by combining it with cocoa and a bit of spice, it adds up a smooth, luscious treat.
Conclusion
Of course, your primary go-to beverage needs to be water. It keeps your gut working efficiently, can protect you from kidney stones and makes your skin glow. However, all water and no flavor can make Jill reach for something unhealthy. Instead, supplement your water intake with the beverages listed above–to your good health!
