What we drink has the same health effects as what we eat. Throw away soft drink bottles. They don't help a healthy lifestyle. There are many useful and affordable alternatives.
Having studied the recommendations of nutritionists and various health institutes, we offer you the top 10 most useful drinks for health, weight loss and great mood.
10. Water
Was the first thing you thought about water when you read the title of this article? Even if not, know that water is one of the healthiest in drink rating the world. It contains no calories, is important for digestion, and is essential for the absorption of vitamins B and C. In addition, water helps in detoxifying the body and is a very important component of the blood.
Scientists don't have a single estimate of how much water the average person needs every day. Instead, the American Institute of Medicine has set a sufficient daily intake of 15 cups for men and 11 cups for women. Please note that this is not a strict requirement, but a recommendation.
For most people, drinks account for about 80% of this water volume; the rest is for food.
9. Pomegranate juice
This delicious drink is obtained from pomegranate fruits, which are rich in sugars, fiber, tannins, various minerals and vitamin C. Pomegranate juice is recommended for people with anemia, high cholesterol and high blood pressure. This drink is a powerful antioxidant, similar to red wine and green tea.
A study published in Clinical Nutrition examined the consumption of pomegranate juice in patients with carotid stenosis. This is the narrowing of any of the two key arteries located in the front of the neck, through which blood from the heart enters the brain.
- Participants who consumed pomegranate juice reduced their blood pressure by more than 12 percent and had a 30 percent reduction in atherosclerotic plaque.
- Participants who did not drink the juice had a 9 percent increase in atherosclerotic plaque.
Before buying juice, make sure it is sugar-free.
8. Beet juice
This is not the most popular of the healthy drinks, but its taste is more than offset by the properties of beet juice. It not only lowers blood pressure, but also improves stamina and also increases blood flow to the brain in adults. Beet juice is high in calcium, iron, and magnesium. Beet juice is hard to find in stores, so it's best to make it at home.
7. Cranberry juice
Prevents the formation of kidney stones, urinary tract infections. It also protects against various types of cancer and heart disease.
Cranberry juice is rich in antioxidants that reduce oxidative stress. It also contains vitamin C and salicylic acid.
Let's say you consume 253 grams or a cup of unsweetened cranberry juice daily. Here's what it contains:
- 116.4 calories;
- 5.1 mg sodium;
- 30.9 g carbohydrates;
- 8 g of potassium;
- natural "set" of vitamins (C, B, PP and K);
- 3 g fiber;
- 1 gram of protein
- a large amount of minerals (magnesium, iron, phosphorus, calcium, etc.).
The drink is healthier if it is not sweetened or is pure cranberry juice with no other drinks added.
6. Ginger tea
Ginger is a natural remedy for a variety of stomach problems. It not only effectively prevents indigestion, but also provides relief from motion sickness, indigestion and nausea associated with pregnancy. To make ginger tea tastier and healthier, you can add a few drops of honey to it.
5. Hot chocolate
To the delight of those with a sweet tooth, we have included delicious hot chocolate in the list of the healthiest drinks in the world. One of the best ways to deal with muscle cramps is with a cup of hot chocolate. And all because it has a very high magnesium content - 282 mg per 100 grams of drink.
Hot chocolate is one of the home remedies for colds. To do this, add cinnamon and a small pinch of red pepper to it, and also honey to taste.
Plus, hot chocolate is rich in antioxidants, flavonoids, as well as potassium, phosphorus, and calcium. A cup of this invigorating drink also makes life more fun for a while, thanks to the fact that the cocoa beans contain phenylethylamine. In the brain, it affects emotions and mood, and also increases mental focus.
4. Water with lemon juice
Drinking a glass of lemon water on an empty stomach in the morning is very beneficial for your body. It not only aids digestion but also cleanses the liver.
Nutritionists recommend adding at least half a lemon (sliced, peeled) to 250-300 ml of water.
It is best to add lemon to warm water. Although vitamin C is not thermally stable - meaning it can break down when it reaches a certain temperature - even the boiling point is not high enough to negate the benefits of lemon. However, warm water is ideal as it is easier to drink in large quantities.
However, people who have dental problems should not drink lemon juice water because regular consumption can thin the enamel of the teeth. It is also worth giving up this drink for those who have a lot of iron in their blood, as lemon can increase the body's ability to absorb iron.
3. Hibiscus tea
In 2010, the Nutrition Journal published extensive research on the total antioxidant content of over 3,100 foods, beverages, spices, herbs and supplements used worldwide. This study included 283 drinks. Of all the drinks included, hibiscus tea was found to have the most antioxidants.
One unusual way to make this ruby herbal tea even healthier and tastier is to make a variation of the classic Mexican drink called Agua Fresca. It is traditionally made with watermelon, lime and sugar.
The flavonoids in watermelon are anti-inflammatory and can help reduce muscle soreness after exercise. Watermelon is also rich in citrulline, which is metabolized to arginine, an essential amino acid. Citrulline intake helps improve symptoms of erectile dysfunction in men.
2. Orange juice
This drink contains vitamin C and quercetin, a flavonoid that inhibits the production of histamine and serotonin (two main substances that cause allergy symptoms), and also relieves swelling and itching.
However, orange juice alone is not a universal remedy for seasonal allergies. He is just an addition to the drugs that the allergist prescribes.
1. Green tea
This is perhaps the healthiest hot drink in the world. Green tea speeds up metabolism, protects skin from UV damage, reduces inflammation and keeps teeth and gums healthy. One Japanese study found that drinking two cups of green tea a day reduced the risk of age-related cognitive decline by 50 percent.
And in green tea without sugar, there are practically no calories (no more than 5 in 100 ml of drink).All things being equal, drinking 1-2 cups of green tea daily instead of just one can of soda throughout the year will save your body over 50,000 calories in fat.
The biggest benefit of green tea is its high content of catechins, antioxidants that can help prevent the harmful effects of oxidation on your cells, which are the cause of many types of cancer. They may also help fight inflammation - a condition closely linked to heart disease and diabetes - and improve immune function, researchers at Penn State University said.