7 healthier drinks that can make a big difference over time

You might have heard people say that drinking lots of juice, fizzy drinks or alcohol means consuming lots of “empty calories”. What they mean is that often drinks don’t have that much nutrition in them. Therefore, it’s better to get your calories from eating foods rather than drinking. Therefore, choosing healthier drinks is an easy way to take control of your health.

There are many healthier drinks that I love to have and over the years I have researched which ones have the best health properties. I’m not a medical expert, so my list below is based only on what I’ve read. It should give you though a good guide of which drinks are better to have and then you can cut out most other drinks.

So what make my top 7 healthier drinks to have?

1. Water. It’s well known that staying hydrated is one of the key tips for optimal health and giving you energy to focus on your work and family. I do try to have 2 litres of water a day (see here for how to drink more water)

2. Coffee. I love my morning cafe latte and will not give it up for anything. For me, this is as much about enjoyment as it is for helping me to get started in the morning. There are loads of studies out there that talk about that coffee is actually good for you. There are just as many studies out there that talk about how bad coffee is for you. Coffee makes me happy, so I’m happy to stick to my daily ritual on this one.

3. Herbal teas, especially green tea. Often in the afternoon or before bed I feel like a hot drink. Instead of grabbing for another coffee, I choose a herbal tea. Usually they only have about 2 calories in them, so are good choice when you need the habit of drinking a hot drink.

4. Soda or mineral water with lime in it. Sometimes it’s nice to have a fizzy drink. If you do drink lots of fizzy drinks, I suggest you consider switching to a mineral or soda water with a splash of lime, lemon or whatever flavour you like through it. These have hardly any calories or sugar yet give you fizz. It’s important to check the label to make sure you’re not just buying one of the really sugary ones that are full of lots of calories.

5. Kombucha. I’d never heard of this drink until about a year ago. It’s a fizzy, non-alcoholic drink full of probiotics (aka good stuff). You can buy it now at most supermarkets.

6. Red wine. There are lots of studies out there also about the benefits of red wine. I haven’t investigated these deeply, but know that I like the taste of it and know it’s low in sugar, so it’s a much better option for a night out than white wine or champagne.

7. Vodka and soda with fresh lime. This is my other go to alcoholic drink, learned from Michelle Bridges. The amount of calories in a vodka, soda and fresh lime is considerably less than most other spirits and mixers (particularly gin and tonic unfortunately!) that are often full of sugar.

I try not to deviate from these drinks, as these are the ones that I’ve found that have some health benefits and also importantly taste good!

Swapping to these healthier drinks can have a massive impact on your health over time!