Drink This, Not That!
By: JermaicHonsher Date: Sat, 5 Dec 2009 Time: 12:54 PM
Many people are starting to make healthy meal choices, including healthier drink options. A healthy beverage should revitalize and refresh your body without adding unwanted fat or calories.
Water. Don't wait until you are thirsty to drink water. Everyone should drink plenty of water throughout the day to prevent headaches, body aches, and fatigue that is associated with dehydration. Drinking water helps keep your body functioning at optimum performance. Water also acts as an appetite suppressant. If you drink a glass of water before a meal, you will find that you will eat less and lose weight.
Cranberry juice. Not only are cranberries packed with vitamin C, studies show that drinking cranberry juice can help prevent bladder and urinary tract infections. Cranberries contain an ingredient that prevents bacteria from sticking to the walls of the bladder, making this little red berry not only tasty, but pretty useful too. The antioxidant properties in a glass of cranberry juice can help rid your body of harmful free radicals and and help reduce inflammation. Avoid sugary cranberry juice cocktails and choose 100% natural cranberry juice instead.
Green tea. The health benefits of green tea are seemingly endless. Green tea is not only a major source of antioxidants, but it can also help reduce the over-production of harmful enzymes in your body that may eventually lead to cancer. Forget your morning cup of coffee and enjoy a relaxing cup of green tea instead. Naturally occurring compounds in green tea are responsible for regulating blood sugar levels by promoting glucose metabolism, blocking glucose absorption and increasing insulin activity.
Don't be fooled by these sugary, colorful drinks. They may masquerade as healthy and inviting, but in fact, these beverage are loaded with extra sugar and fat.
Fancy coffee drinks. Your local coffee shop may try to entice you with a tasty caffeinated treat that features full-fat dairy products, chocolate, sugary syrups, artificial colors and flavors. These drinks often have as many calories and fat as a fast food meal.
Summer cocktails. Don't be tempted by fancy drinks with a little paper umbrella. It's probably the healthiest ingredient in many popular summertime drinks. Sweet summer drinks like margaritas, daiquiris, and pina coladas are packed with calories due to the alcohol and sugar.
Smoothies. The smoothie is often advertised as a healthy drink, even as a replacement for a meal, but many are anything but healthy. Loaded with fat and calories, unhealthy smoothies get a bad rap from added ice cream, full fat-dairy, sugar, and even crushed candy or cookies.
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