What is healthy to drink other than water? From the weight-loss benefits of cabbage juice and buckwheat tea to the kidney risks of carbonated beverages, explore how daily hydration choices impact your overall wellness.
When you drink a glass of milk, you gain complete protein and a significant amount of calcium and vitamin B-12. But unfortified milk has two concerns. It's notoriously high in fat, especially unhealthy saturated fat. It also lacks vitamin D, which your body needs to absorb the milk's calcium.
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Peanut milk is one option to try if you follow a casein-free diet because, contrary to its name, it does not contain real milk. This beverage is made by blending peanuts with water and adding sweeteners or seasonings such as cinnamon. Peanut milk provides some nutritional benefits you won't get from cow's milk.
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Black tea is better known for its benefits than for any type of side effects. But it contains two natural substances -- caffeine and tannins -- that have the potential to cause digestive problems, such as an upset stomach or nausea. The key is to enjoy black tea but don't go overboard.
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If your stomach rebels at the acids in coffee, there are several ways to make your favorite brew more tolerable. Calcium-containing products like milk help neutralize acids, but the best way to enjoy coffee doesn’t rely on neutralizing existing acids.
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Corn tea is a classic Korean beverage. When made from corn kernels, the tea’s primary benefit is hydration due to its water content, but you’ll also get small amounts of nutrients, such as carbs, vitamin C and folate. Corn tea is also brewed using corn silk.
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Electrolyte replacement drinks contain ingredients intended to sustain optimal physical performance and prevent dehydration in people engaged in intense exercise. To accomplish the job, these drinks are a mix of water, carbohydrates for energy and electrolytes such as sodium, which are lost due to excessive sweating.
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Dieter’s tea refers to many different brands of beverages carrying names such as herbal dieter’s tea, dieter’s drink, super dieter’s tea or similar variations. Below the name on the label, you’ll usually see a tagline telling you that the drink offers herbal support to promote cleansing.
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Fresh vegetable juice is a healthy option for meeting your daily vegetable requirement. When you juice raw vegetables, you gain almost all of their natural nutrients, including antioxidant phytochemicals.
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More than 80 percent of all tea consumed in the United States is black tea. Black tea is packed with nutrients that are slightly different from those in green and white teas but -- like green tea -- black tea is linked to weight loss. You’ll get the same benefits from caffeine in both types of tea.
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Sodium tends to grab more attention than other electrolytes because you lose a significant amount through excessive sweating. But sodium isn’t the only electrolyte you may need to replace. It’s just one of a group of minerals that have the ability to carry electrical charges through fluids in your body.
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Whether a milk shake is good or bad depends on its ingredients, your individual situation and fitness goals. Because shakes are based on protein-rich milk, they’re a good way to get extra calories for sports training or when you need to gain weight.
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You may know distilled water as the stuff you buy to pour into an iron, but it’s actually one of the safest types of water to drink. You can count on distillation to kill harmful microorganisms not eliminated by all water treatment methods, reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Perk up the flavor and boost the antioxidants and nutrients in your next cup of tea by adding pomegranate juice. Use your favorite brand of black, green or even herbal tea, but when you buy pomegranate juice, check the label because the ingredients, vitamins and minerals can vary between brands.
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Alkaline water is generally considered safe, but it has the potential to produce side effects. It can reduce stomach acid, which may sound like a benefit if you have acid reflux. However, for most healthy people, low levels of stomach acid are likely to cause problems.
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Drinking a beverage made from lemon juice and hot water won’t suddenly make you drop pounds, but it’s a tool that might make a difference. Lemon juice naturally contains substances that are associated with weight loss. If you include lemon pulp in the beverage, you’ll add pectin, which helps you feel full.
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Barley water is made by simmering barley and saving the cooking water. It may help you lose a few extra pounds, if you drink it right before each meal while following a calorie-restricted diet.
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Virtually all types of juice -- from classic apple, orange and grape to juices made from peaches or vegetables -- contain natural organic acids. Each fruit and vegetable has a slightly different combination of acids, and each acid is associated with a different degree of tartness.
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The aloe vera plant is packed with phytochemicals and nutrients. When applied topically, aloe vera gel helps heal cuts and burns. Aloe vera juice may help lower blood sugar, and it shows promise for fighting cancer, notes "Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects."
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Whether you enjoy a cup of chai tea that’s heavy on the spices or prefer a more mellow blend, you can be sure it contains black tea -- and black tea contains caffeine.
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The primary ingredient in ginger beer -- ginger root -- contains active compounds that can help relieve nausea and possibly fight inflammation and prevent the growth of cancer.
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