We all know water is good for your health, but what are some other healthy beverages you can take? Here are five of them.
Water is a good and safe bet to choose, and we are not discounting its importance on your body. However, you might want an alternative, but still stay healthy, instead of turning to alcoholic drinks that may land you in the recovery village.com for a rehab session or sugary drinks. Fortunately, many healthy beverages exist that will satisfy the urge of taking something different while remaining interesting choices for your overall palette.
Healthy Beverage Guidelines provides rich in nutrients:
Pomegranate juice
It may look humble, but the pomegranate fruit is more than just a feast for the taste buds – it carries a powerful array of antioxidants in its juice that are capable of fighting off heart diseases, inflammation, and even cancer.
Having a glass occasionally is, therefore, a good thing for your health. However, it is still important to note what you are drinking, especially if the juice is not freshly squeezed from the fruit. Some bottles might have added sugars or the juice might be diluted by other liquids. Opt for the freshly squeezed version – your health will thank you for it.
Hibiscus tea
A study was conducted in 2010 to find out the antioxidant levels of various foods, supplements, herbs, and spices that are used globally in various foods. The study included almost 300 beverages, and out of these, hibiscus tea was found to have the highest levels of antioxidants.
If you have ever consumed Red Zinger tea, you will notice it has a ‘zingy’ taste that is quite sour, which is due to the hibiscus leaves. You can sweeten the drink in various ways, even though the most common method is to make a variation of Agua Fresca, a traditional Mexican drink. The beverage is made from sugar, lime, and watermelon, and the sugar is an optional choice. The beverage takes advantage of the natural sour taste of hibiscus and blends it with watermelon sweetness to give you a delicious beverage.
Something interesting to note – watermelon contains dietary flavonoids, which prove to reduce soreness of muscles after ran exercise sessions due to their anti-inflammatory properties. The fruit is also full of citrulline, which the body metabolizes into an amino acid known as arginine. The amino acid proves to have several benefits, for instance dealing with problems of erectile dysfunction in men.
If you wish to sweeten your hibiscus tea, you can, therefore, try the option above, or explore other options as well.
From the time you were a child, you have always seen that milk is good or you because if the calcium it offers the body, in addition to proteins and Vitamin D.
However, somehow you think it is more of a child’s drink as you grow older, which is false. The benefits never stop, even though it may seem like less of an adult option. Skim milk and low-fat milk are great options for getting essential proteins in your diet though, in addition to important micronutrients that your body needs.
Overall, the best part about the low-fat variety of milk is that it has less saturated fats compared to whole milk and reduced-fat milk, so it is a great option for vegetarians as well.
Green tea
If you need a beverage that is a powerful fighter against cancer, then look no further than green tea. That does not mean it does not carry other benefits as well – studies show that green tea has the potential of improving the functionality of your blood vessels, especially your arteries; and that means your chances of getting cardiovascular disease to reduce significantly.
The blood vessels in your body are lined with a substance known as the endothelium, which is a protective lining of cells, but very thin. The cells produce a certain gas, nitric oxide, and this gas assists the blood to flow smoothly. However, these cells only manage to live for thirty years.
As the cells die and the body replaces them, a person in their 40s and 50s will go through a reduction in endothelial functionality, which means their chances of getting a stroke, heart disease, cancer, and diabetes, as well as other diseases of the circulatory system, increase.
Even though the news is gloomy, a reduction in the efficiency of the endothelial cells is not inevitable. One of the secrets to prolonging the life of these important cells is the consumption of green tea, as well as other foods that are rich in flavonoids.it is important to note that the addition of milk reduces the bioavailability of these flavonoids drastically, regardless of whether it is soy or cow milk. However, the addition of lemon makes the body absorb the flavonoids more efficiently because it increases the levels of antioxidants and helps the body fight the harmful effect of cell oxidation.
Beetroot juice
We know beetroot might be among the least appealing options here because it remains an acquired taste, but the benefits it holds for your body are more than the taste. In fact, the achievements of this fruit are intimidating, to say the least.
The benefits it holds include lowering your blood pressure, increasing the blood flow to your brain especially for older adults (it, therefore, has a major role in preventing dementia), increasing your overall energy and stamina, and promoting the health of your liver through increasing iron, magnesium and calcium levels while reducing saturated fats and trans fats. The only drawback it seems to have is its availability, but you order it from juice bars or make it at home.
Final thoughts
Different beverages and drinks will have refreshing qualities, but not all of them are healthy. However, you do not need to be bored because you keep settling for water – you can explore other healthy options as well, spice up your palette and still remain healthy.
