Dietary and nutritional content reviewed by Jasmin Gorostiza, DT, DM, DSS, CFPP.️
Water is great. It’s considered to be the healthiest beverage of all. It has no calories. It cleanses our body of all the toxins.
Water also quenches our thirst without any threat of weight gain. This is the ultimate beverage for us to stay healthy.
In spite of its limitless health benefits, not a lot of folks enjoy drinking this particular beverage.
There’s no need to frown or even dread at the thought of drinking water. The good news is that there are other beverages that taste great and are pretty healthy as well.
This doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t drink water at all. We need water, no matter what. The point here is that there are awesome tasting beverages that we can actually benefit from.
We are not just stuck with water alone. Though we still have to drink it, we can also enjoy other awesome beverages that are actually good for our health.
Take a look at the list of awesome tasting beverages below. We can not only enjoy their taste but we will also reap their intense health benefits.
8. Orange Juice
An excellent source of vitamin C, orange juice is also a potent antioxidant that may protect against a variety of diseases including cataracts (a clouding of the eye’s lens that can lead to blindness) and lung cancer.
7. Cranberry Juice
Research suggests that the same antibacterial properties present in cranberry juice that fight off urinary tract infections may also protect against periodontal disease. Experts theorize that a component of the juice called nondialysable material (NDM) inhibits bacteria from sticking to the gums.
6. Low-Sodium Tomato Juice
Processed tomato products are the richest source of the antioxidant lycopene, which has been associated with a reduced risk of lung and stomach cancer, as well as pancreatic, colorectal, esophageal, oral, breast, and cervical cancers.
5. Hot Chocolate
Chocolate increases the production of the neurotransmitter serotonin, which is responsible for regulating mood.
4. Soy Milk
Soy milk contains soluble fiber and soy protein, which lowers LDL (bad) cholesterol levels and triglycerides, reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease. If a person drinks it instead of cow’s milk, buy soy milk fortified with calcium and vitamins A and D.
3. One Percent Reduced-Fat Milk
Curbs cravings and helps protect against osteoporosis. Because it has the components of a healthy meal — carbohydrates, protein, and a little fat — we absorb it slowly and stay full longer, says Molly Pelzer, RD, a nutrition educator in Tipton, Iowa.
2. Mint Tea
“Mint is an antispasmodic, so it can relax muscles, which combats stiffness and aches,” says Susan Lark, MD, author of The Chemistry of Success (Bay Books, 1999). It also aids in digestion by promoting the movement of food through the digestive tract.
1. Green Tea
Green tea contains a rich concentration of flavonoids and polyphenols, natural antioxidants that may protect cells from carcinogens (cancer-causing substances) and inhibit tumor growth by helping to neutralize free radicals in the body.
The list above was taken from Tamar Schreibman’s article posted on FitnessMagazine.com. You can also read her article here and find out more about the benefits of the 8 awesome tasting drinks.
