You are what you drink…

The human body contains anywhere from 50-75% water! The average adult human body is around 50-65% water, when an infant the body has a much higher level, typically around 75%. Amazing isn’t it?

We often hear how important hydration is. It takes only 1% dehydration to already effect our mental and physical coordination, this is happening even before we feel thirsty (this feeling usually kicks in after we have already lost 2-3% of water content). The common sign of dehydration is of course feeling thirsty but there are also other signs like headache, lack of energy or feeling lightheaded… are you experiencing any of them? Go and get a drink before you read any further 🙂

We are told that we should drink a lot of water / fluids to keep our body functions in perfect order. The European Food Safety Authority recommends that women should drink about 1.6 litres of fluid and men should drink about 2.0 litres of fluid per day. That’s about eight 200ml glasses for a woman and 10 200ml glasses for a man. That’s a lot! I must admit I do not drink enough most days and every so often I will promise myself to change… then life takes over and I simply forget… until thirst really kicks in…

So we all know that we have to drink, but what to drink is the other real question.

With 1000s of different drink options on the market these days sometimes it is hard to pick what is really good for us or even which drink can you benefit from the most. There are drinks manufactured especially to target specific needs, drinks without any real benefits but taste good and there is of course the humble water…

Lately I was thinking a lot about drinks and the different options available to us out there. I would like to share with you some of my picks that we have tried and now use.

So, what to drink?

WATER

This is always the best option for replenishing lost fluids in our body. Question is do I drink tap or bottled water? I do not have any strong feelings against bottled water, we do drink tap water in our home. We use bottled water when out and about and there is always some kept in the car… you know, just in case.

FLAVORED WATER – as in water + squash

This is Marks favourite drink – water and usually orange squash. We try to buy squash with no added sugar to reduce sugar intake.

JUICES

We buy quite a lot of juices, but we always read the labels first. 100% real juice with no added sugar is the best option out there. Yes, they do cost more, but our thinking is… better buy less but good quality than more of a poor quality. The same with fruit smoothies, always check the labels… you will be really surprised what is inside some of them.

MILK BASED DRINKS

There is a whole range of milk based drinks out there. We like Frijj 🙂 They do a great selection of flavours and when on special offer I think they represent a good value for money. Their milkshakes are made from skimmed milk which is a plus in my eyes, Mark doesn’t agree being a “proper” milk fan. Other milk based drink I would like to mention is an Activia drinking / pouring yogurt from Danone. They were very helpful, especially in the few last months when Mark was on a soft food / liquid diet.

PROBIOTIC DRINKS

Last year, I believe, there was a lot of talk about probiotic drinks… why? because some companies were claiming benefits which were actually never proven. Probiotic drinks are tiny and cost a lot, but they can be helpful; they can help with gut disorders and inflammatory diseases. We do not buy them very often but when we do we always go for Yakult.

BEAUTY DRINKS

This is something new. I’ve just discovered it and it was actually just launched. The Protein Drinks Co. created Collagen+ Beauty Milk 🙂

Collagen+ Beauty Milk has been synergistically formulated to provide health and beauty conscious women (and men) with a convenient way of consuming essential proteins, vitamins and minerals in strawberry milkshake format. Not only does Collagen+ Beauty Milk offer an impressive nutritional profile but it is also enhanced with Hydrolysed Collagen, extensively known for its skin and ‘anti-aging’ effects through acting internally on the dermis, to support skin elasticity, firmness and hydration in order to reduce fine lines and wrinkles. Furthermore, Collagen+ Beauty Milk also includes natural Green Tea extract, known for its antioxidant and metabolism boosting properties along with 100% of your RDA of Vitamin C, Vitamin E, Vitamin D3 and Vitamins B3, B6 and B12.*

I received just a few bottles to try it out, so I am unable to say if it works or will provide visible benefits, but it taste great! Again, not the cheapest option (£2 per 200ml bottle) but hey… when it comes to beauty in so many cases, money is no object.

I have also had the chance to try the new drink by Taj called Aloe Vera. It comes in a range of flavours. I tried the original and the strawberry. I mention these for the reasons that they are again being specifically targeted at a market segment who are interested in healthy drinks. They serve the function of aiding detox routines as well as boosting your general immunity and as if that is not enough they also give you a boost to energy. Made from 40%+ Aloe Vera juice and pulp they of course interested me as you regular blog readers are well aware I am a big fan of Aloe Vera. Please note that Aloe Vera drinks are not suitable if pregnant, lactating or for children under 3.

FIZZY DRINKS

We all drink them and most of us love it! They come in 100s of different flavour combinations and everyone can find something for themselves. But are they good for us? … most likely not. They are full of sugar and contain very few nutrients if any. So what? We will still buy them and drink them… if not an everyday basic, on holidays, when it is hot out there, when we are out and about etc… They are part of our lives, there is no question about it. Worth remembering is that they are not a part of a healthy diet (even the zero sugar versions), so we try to keep them as a treat for odd occasions…

ENERGY DRINKS

Oh, gosh – Red Bull, Tiger, Burn etc – they are a blessing sometimes; full of caffeine which will help you wake up right here, right now. Again, this is something most of us drink from time to time and I do not see anything wrong with it. They are created to help us and as long as they are used in moderation you will be fine. There is also a healthier option if you need a pick me up – Healthspan’s Multivitality Boost, which I featured on my blog earlier on.

SPORT DRINKS

This group is similar to energy drinks but they do serve a slightly different purpose. Sport drinks are supposed to help us quickly replace lost fluids. They are usually rich in carbohydrates – the most efficient long term source of energy. Sports drinks also contain electrolytes (minerals such as chloride, calcium, magnesium, sodium and potassium), which, along with body fluid, diminish as you exercise and sweat. So, I guess if you exercise a lot you will need some of those.

WEIGHT LOSS AID DRINKS

Ok, this is group of drinks I may have made-up but I wanted to tell you about Skinny Water and I wasn’t sure where to put it. Last year I’ve won a lot of Skinny Water… and when I say a lot… I really mean it. I was drinking it for months and months and I felt good… Bio Synergy Skinny Water is a low calorie flavoured water soft drink. Each bottle contains chromium which plays a role in reducing sugar cravings and L-carnitine, which has been the subject of numerous studies regarding speeding up the way the body goes about fat metabolism.

TEA AND COFFEE

……

So what are your drinking habits, and no I don’t mean alcohol 🙂

Have you found a good healthy drink out there you can recommend we try out?

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I received PR samples of TAJ and Collagen+ Beauty Milk drinks for free for review purpose. All opinions are honest and my own.

Source:

http://chemistry.about.com/od/waterchemistry/f/How-Much-Of-Your-Body-Is-Water.htm

http://www.nhs.uk/Livewell/Goodfood/Pages/water-drinks.aspx

http://www.saga.co.uk/health/medicines/probiotics.aspx

*http://www.healthgauge.com/read/collagen-beauty-milk/

http://www.diabetes.co.uk/sports-drinks.html