You can alsoHealthy Drinks Lead To A Healthy You!
22nd October 2006
By Rebecca Lanham
With all of the new fangled drink choices on store shelves today, it is hard to know just what to consider a healthy choice for yourself and for your children. While many people don’t get enough liquids in their diet on a daily basis, some choices available may have added ingredients that are bad for the body instead of beneficial. So, what is a person to do? How do consumers wade through the choices available?
The answer is relatively simple…as with foods, read the labels! All ingredients, calories and serving size should be found on the container somewhere. This will give you a good idea of whether this product is okay for you.
As a general rule, there are some basic drinks that are considered to be “healthy”. These are:
1. Water – H2O is what makes up most of the human body, so getting enough water everyday is critical to staying healthy. If water is difficult for you to “swallow”, add a touch of juice or squeeze a lemon, lime or orange slice into a glass.
2. Milk – A great source of much needed calcium, milk is one drink that many enjoy. To avoid unneeded fats, choose skim milk instead of whole milk, unless your health care professional recommends otherwise. For young children, adding just a touch of chocolate or strawberry flavoring can make milk a real treat, without adding much sugar.
3. Juice – Beware of the “Contains Real Fruit Juice” claim on labels. Many times if they don’t come right out and say it is 100% juice, it is only about 5% to 10% real fruit juice. Look for the no sugar added, 100% juice selections. Apple, cranberry, grape and tomato juices are wonderful additions to your diet.
Where people stumble is soda. This drink should be enjoyed very rarely by both children and adults. With very little nutritional value and so much sugar, a soda should be saved as a once in a while treat instead of an everyday selection.