You’ve heard it before and you’re sure to hear it again: water should always be your drink of choice.
But what about those times when water just doesn’t cut it (and it isn’t an acceptable time of day to crack open that bottle of wine in your fridge)?
Well, I’ve got you covered with my top three healthy thirst quenchers. But first, let’s take a look at why water is actually the bomb – and why we shouldn’t resort to sugar-sweetened beverages.
Why go with water?
Our bodies need water for lots of different reasons – after all, we’re made of up to 75 per cent of the stuff!
To give you an idea, some of its functions are: to uphold the integrity of our cells, regulate our body temperature (via sweat) and even assist the digestion of our food. It’s really quite important!
Water is also kilojoule-free, so it’s a good option with your waistline in mind.
If you don’t drink enough, you risk becoming dehydrated, which can lead to headaches, weakness and even confusion. So, drink up! As a guide, women should aim for eight cups a day, and for men that quota is increased to ten.
And why not soft drink?
Soft drinks are what we call empty calories: they offer no nutritional benefit, but pack a decent kilojoule punch, thanks to their high added sugar content (the kind of sugar we’re supposed to limit).
Add to that the dental issues that can come with excessive sugar intake and it’s easy to see why soft drinks aren’t the best choice with good health in mind.
What about something in the middle?
If you’re after something that’s still healthy but has a bit of flavour, here are my top three choices:
- Fruit smoothie – I often whip up a quick fruit smoothie at home for an easy snack to grab and go. My favourite recipe is half a frozen banana, half a cup of frozen mango and a cup of skim milk. This satisfying snack gives you the benefits of a serve of fruit – that is, a range of vitamins and minerals, gut-friendly fibre and disease-fighting antioxidants. Plus, you’ll get a dose of all-important bone-strengthening calcium, too.
- Kombucha – while society raves on and on about the benefits of kombucha for its probiotic content and positive effect on gut health, I think one of its greatest perks is that it’s an excellent alternative to soft drink. By comparison, a 330mL bottle of my favourite Remedy Kombucha (Raspberry Lemonade) contains just 96 kilojoules and no sugar, whereas a 375mL can of Coca-Cola has 674 kilojoules and 39.8g of sugar. Wow!
- Mineral water with citrus and berries – if kombucha just isn’t your thing, why not try flavouring your water instead? I like to use slices of citrus (think lemon, lime or orange), fresh berries and fresh herbs to give plain water a little zing. You could even opt for mineral water for some bubbles.
