10 drinks for a healthier life (and 5 drinks to avoid)

We all know that water is the healthiest drink, but sometimes we need a change. There are many beverages that claim to boost your health, and many that can hinder it! Here are 10 of the healthiest drinks, and 5 drinks to avoid.

Fruit juices have loads of vitamins and nutrients. But be careful, not all juices are created equal. There is difference between “100 percent juice” and “made with real juice”. It’s best to choose a fruit juice with lots of pulp, for added fibre that can help you feel fuller and eat less. With fresh squeezed, organic juice, you can be sure that you’re getting the best possible option.

Vegetable juice is every bit as nutritious as fruit juice but with about half the calories. Most vegetable juices are also rich in fibre which can help make you feel full and in turn eat less. Just go easy on the Bloody Marys.

Smoothies are ideal fuel-on-the-go for breakfast, an afternoon snack or dessert. Mix up a delicious batch of smoothies using your favourite fruits, skim milk and yoghurt. The thickness of the smoothie kills your appetite, plus yoghurt is full of beneficial active cultures that help prevent bad bacteria from taking up residence in your body. What’s more the calcium in yogurt helps you burn fat and it also limits the amount of fat your body can make.

Like coffee, green tea contains plenty of helpful antioxidants. It also helps to boost your metabolism if consumed on a daily basis, which can help to speed up your body’s fat-burning mechanism — as much as a 40 percent increase in some cases!

Coffee is rich in antioxidants that can help boost your mood, improve concentration, reduce the risk of diabetes and cancer, as well as many other benefits. What’s more, black coffee contains no calories! It is adding large amounts of cream and sugar to coffee drinks that makes coffee detrimental to the waistline.

Milk is an all-round good source of energy and protein. It is full of bone-strengthening calcium that doctors call vital in preventing arthritis and osteoporosis. Another benefit of calcium is that it can boost weight loss by increasing fat breakdown in fat cells. Adding a small amount of skim milk to your diet in moderation can increase the rate of fat you lose through diet and exercise. Look out for 100 percent organic where no hormones have been used to promote growth, no antibiotics have been used, and the dairy cows have been fed 100 percent organic feed.

Coconut water contains more electrolytes than most fruit juices and energy drinks without the extra sugar and artificial flavourings. It also naturally speeds up your metabolism and gives you more energy so you can work out longer with more intensity to lose weight faster.

A 250ml glass of pomegranate juice contains approximately 50 percent of an adult’s recommended daily allowance (RDA) of the vitamins A, C and E, 100 percent RDA of folic acid, and 13 percent RDA of potassium. As with any herbal or dietary supplement, talk to your doctor about pomegranate juice before you start drinking it regularly as a supplement. The primary health benefit of pomegranate juice is a significant increase in the output of blood from your heart to the rest of your body.

For those who like it, cranberry juice has a number of health benefits, such as prevention of urinary tract infections and respiratory infections, the delay of ear infections, and a special strain that stops bacteria from sticking to red blood cells. Just make sure you opt for the unsweetened variety of cranberry juice.

In Asia, ginger tea is usually used to prevent colds and to aid digestion, and also as a home remedy for nausea and sore throats. Ginger tea is ideal in assisting digestion and can ease morning sickness. It is easy to make it home. Simply peel some ginger, and slice it into thin slices. Bring the water to a boil in a saucepan. Once it is boiling, add the ginger. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes. Strain the tea. Add honey and lemon or fresh mint for flavour.

Juices from concentrate, “juice beverages”, “drinks” or mixes should be avoided. Look for one kind of juice if you want health benefits: those with the 100 percent juice label. Also check the label for sugar and artificial sweeteners that may pack a calorie punch.

Energy drinks are one of the unhealthiest beverages you can consume. They don’t hydrate the body, they lead to poor teeth and weakened bones, and calorie for calorie, they have nil in the way of nutrients. Some contain up to 500mg of caffeine in one serving. This has led to some people even being hospitalised for over consumption, which results in “nausea and vomiting, high blood pressure, tremors, dizziness, and numbness” according to WebMD.

When your coffee of choice is a caramel cappuccino, more than just a few calories sneak into your daily calorie allowance. Even a seemingly innocent blended iced coffee can have almost 200 calories—and that’s one of the lower-calorie coffee drinks.

Sometimes our bodies crave sugar, and we answer the call by drinking a sugary carbonated drink instead of choosing a healthier alternative. Even diet drinks can adversely affect weight loss. The artificial sweeteners can leave you craving more sweets, which may sabotage your efforts to eat healthier. Instead reach for mineral water with a slice of lemon or lime. This drink will help rehydrate you and not leave your taste buds asking for more sugar.

Your social life shouldn’t run dry when you are trying to lose weight. You just need to be smart about your choices. Avoid frozen drinks like margaritas, daiquiris and pina coladas, which have enough calories to count as a meal. Instead chose a light beer, dry wine or liquor mixed with soda water instead of sugar-loaded beverages. Even better, don’t drink alcohol at all and opt for water.