WHICH DRINKS ARE THE HEALTHIEST?
Now in the peak of Summer, it is more important than ever to make sure you stay hydrated in the warm weather. Instead of reaching for a fizzy drink which does your body no favours due to the amount of unhealthy ingredients and empty calories present, turn in favour of some healthy alternatives. Get ready to drink a large amount of goodness!
Water
Water is the staple ingredient for leading a healthy lifestyle. As the body is made up of approximately 65% water, it is important to keep hydrated by drinking 1.5 litres of water for women and 2 litres of water for men every day.
Drinking water relieves fatigue and increases energy, flushes out toxins, aids in weight loss and improves skin complexion amongst other benefits. However, in today’s modern world tap water can often contain a mixture of impurities and pollutants such as pesticides and our bodies end up paying the price by acting as a filter.
The only way to improve the water purity is through using a water distiller. In fact, water distillers improve the composition of the water purity by an estimated 99.8% and are a great way to get rid of the scum you sometimes get on tea.
Top tip
Many people will admit that they do not drink the recommended amount of water each day because they don’t like the taste of water or they find it boring. You can add some extra zest to your water by adding fruit with an Aqua Zinger, which blends your own favourite combination of fruits into your water. If you prefer citrus fruits, a Citrus Zinger will help infuse your distilled water, giving it a refreshingly flavoured taste – a healthy alternative to squashes and pure fruit juices.
Cranberry juice
Cranberry juice renowned as a powerful antioxidant. Most people haven’t tasted the “real stuff” but it provides an array of health benefits. One of the main benefits of cranberry juice is that it contains phytochemicals and polyphenol antioxidants, which can deter cancer, yeast infections and disorders of the immune and cardiovascular systems.
Another benefit is that the proanthocyanidins within the cranberry juice helps to prevent urinary tract infections, and the presence of quinic acid may contribute to preventing kidney stones too. Unlike sugary counterpart versions of cranberry juice, unadulterated cranberry juice has also been shown to inhibit mouth bacteria that causes plaque so feel free to drink up!
Top tip
Buy your cranberry juice from health stores or specialist stores that sell organic produce to ensure you get your hands on unsweetened, dark red juice made from whole cranberries.
Pomegranate juice
Another juice that has powerful benefits. Pomegranate juice is full of antioxidants which help battle free radicals.
This tasty drink has been shown to help reduce the chances of developing prostate and lung cancer as well as preventing heart disease and inflammation. Research has also shown that pomegranate juice inhibits the growth of breast cancer cells. Aim to drink a glass a day to reap these benefits.
Top tip
A lot of commercial pomegranate juice is diluted with sugar or other liquids. Read the ingredient list to ensure you are drinking pure pomegranate juice.
Vegetable juice
Most of us know the health benefits of eating vegetables so why not drink them! Drinking fresh vegetable juice is an easy and convenient way to help you reach your five a day target and benefit from the intake of vitamins and minerals, reduced inflammation and cleansing of the body amongst others.
Vegetable juices can taste great as well. Mix some kale, spinach, carrots and some orange juice with mango or pineapple for added sweetness. Drink it chilled for a highly nutritious and tasty drink.
Top tip
Blend your vegetable juice the night before work and store it in a thermos flask so you can take it into work and drink it without wasting time and making the staff room messy!
Smoothies
Fancy a milkshake? Since most milkshakes are bought from fast-food restaurants that contain a notoriously high amount of calories and unhealthy ingredients, we recommend giving them a miss and trying a healthy smoothie instead, you won’t regret it! A smoothie made right can be highly nutritious and delicious at the same time and is ideal for a snack to stave away any hunger that may lead to you purchasing a packet of crisps or a chocolate bar.
Here’s a recipe we recommend:
1 Banana: High in potassium and always a great addition to thicken the consistency of a smoothie.
200ml of coconut milk: Coconut milk is highly nutritious, as it contains a variety of vitamins and minerals such as vitamin C, B1, B3, B5, B6, Selenium, magnesium and calcium.
4 tbsp of low fat, unsweetened yogurt: Yogurt thickens the consistency of a smoothie and provides a healthy dose of calcium. If you want a thinner smoothie add a dash of milk.
120g of frozen mango chunks and one passion fruit: Mango and passion fruits provide a healthy dose of fibre. Mangos also provide vitamin A while pectin, found in passion fruit, has been shown to help fight type 2 diabetes.
Top tip
Give your smoothie boost in flavour and calcium by adding some vanilla whey protein.
Green tea 
If you want to start drinking tea that has health benefits then look no further than green tea, which will give your distilled water a boost in flavour and antioxidants, which are believed to prevent cancer. Green tea has also been shown to be beneficial for cardiovascular disease prevention, is used as a supplement to help regulate weight and some research has indicated it could prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
Top tip: Water Distiller
Distil your water with a water distiller and add a dash of quality honey to improve the taste.