Top 5 Friday: Drinks That’ll Make You Healthier
Smoothies, Sports drinks, fruit juice, energy shots, diet soda, alcoholic beverages - With so many options, it’s easy to be confused about which drinks are healthiest. To help narrow the choices down, I’ve included the Top 5 drinks for a healthier you:
5. Almond Milk
A great alternative to traditional dairy milk, this nutty tasting, creamy textured beverage is naturally lactose free and doesn’t contain any hormones. Almond milk is not only low in calories, but it’s also packed with protein and calcium and is an excellent source of vitamin E and vitamin D. (Be sure to stick to the brands without added sugars!)
4. Coffee
With the help of Starbucks, coffee is now one of the worlds most popular beverages. Or is Starbucks, with the help of coffee, one of the worlds most popular beverage vendors? 🤔 Either way, Americans drink about 400 million cups of coffee every single day. (US population is approximately 334 million).
Why is coffee so popular?
In addition to the caffeinated pick-me-up, coffee has powerful antioxidants known to lower the risk of various diseases like Alzheimers, Type 2 Diabetes, Depression and various types of Cancers. It’s also known to improve brain function, mood and reaction time!
3. Red Wine
With over 1,000 grape types around the world, it’s no wonder I get lost in my local Wines and Spirits store. Choosing the healthiest wines from the massive selection of bottles (and boxes) can be difficult, but researchers have found a few common traits to look out for.
Dry, red wines tend to have the healthiest nutrients due to their longer fermentation process that helps decrease the amount of sugar in the finished product. Healthy wines often have high tannins as well. Tannins come from the grape skin and sometimes give wine drinkers a leathery mouth-coating feeling.
Red wines that are dry and contain tannins have been linked to increased longevity, lower blood pressure and better heart health.
Three that top the list: Pinot Noir, Sagrantino & Merlot.
2. Green Tea
It’s hard to ignore a drink option with a resumé like Green Tea’s.
Jam packed with nutritional value, green tea contains natural antioxidants that help prevent cell damage and is rich in polyphenols, which reduce inflammation and help fight cancer.
Due to its healthy minerals, green tea is also known to help improve brain function, promote fat loss and lower risk of heart disease.
🥁Drum Roll Please!🥁
1. Water
I know, I know - an obvious choice!
There’s a reason why humans can survive weeks without food, but only a few days without water.
Hands down the best possible drink option, water prevents dehydration, constipation and kidney stones, while adding 0 calories to your daily diet. Up to 60% of the adult human body is water, which is why it’s critical to give our water filled organs, such as the brain, heart and lungs the nourishment they need.
Water does a lot to help us survive each day; it forms saliva, lubricates our joints, delivers oxygen through the body and regulates body temperature, which is why we sweat.
This beverage powerhouse is especially tasty with an added squeeze of your favorite fruit - like lemon or lime.
Happy Drinking, Friends!
Let me know if I missed any!
Great list! Water may seem obvious, but it blows my mind how few of my friends actually seem to prioritize drinking it. I've been tracking my water intake the past few years with the Hidrate Spark smart water bottle. It's really been a game-changer for me!