You are what you drink!

We are not only what we eat, we are also what we drink. We are being told repeatedly to eat healthy and have balanced diet. It is important to “drink healthy” as well. Decaying teeth, thinning bones, heart disease, stroke, diabetes, dementia, cancer, obesity, etc are all the health problems that we are concerned of. And you may be surprised to know that all of these health problems are linked to the beverages you drink — or don’t drink.

The best choice of beverage is always – water. No calories, no hazards, only benefits. But the panel expressed concern about bottled water fortified with nutrients, saying that consumers may think they don’t need to eat certain nutritious foods, which contain substances like fiber and phytochemicals lacking in these waters.

And we know that sugar-sweetened soda and fruit punch may provide our body with eccessive sugar that may cause diabetes and do our body no good. Just how much sugar are we talking about in these drinks? A 20-ounce bottle of Coke contains 17 teaspoons of sugar; an equal amount of fruit punch has 18 teaspoons. The scary part? The average woman should aim to have no more than seven to 14 teaspoons of added sugar a day, and that includes sugar from cookies, desserts and candy. So if you have just one large sweetened drink, you’ve already exceeded the recommended sugar limit. Drink any more soda and your risk of weight gain and eventually diabetes could start climbing. How about 100% fruit juice?

We have to be careful of the 100% fruit juice as well as the sugar content is usually much higher than eating plain fruits. 100% fruit juice is okay to drink sometimes, but we will receive more vitamins and minerals if we eat the actual fruit. Then why not we just eat the fruits. Furthermore, fruit juice usually don’t fill our stomach and we might end up consuming more calories..

So before we grab our next drink, have a look at what is best for your body and what’s not [Source]:
Super Healthy

Plain ol’ water. Drinking six to eight glasses keeps the body humming and staves off thirst, which could keep you from reaching for a soda in the first place.

Skim milk. One cup has a third of your day’s calcium, so drink up, says Sharon Akabas, Ph.D. It’s good for more than just your bones. Research shows that a diet rich in low-fat dairy can help burn fat.So-so Healthy

Pure fruit juice. One glass of OJ equals about four to six oranges — which means the sugar and calories add up fast. “Juice is a little healthier than soda because it’s nutrient-rich,” says Akabas — most glasses have 100% of your vitamin C needs, and fortified versions contain calcium and folate. But whole fruit is still better: You get all of the vitamins, plus fiber, and you’ll feel fuller on fewer calories.Less Healthy

Diet drinks. “If I’m going to have a soda, I choose diet,” says Joy Short, R.D. But while research shows that the sweeteners in diet drinks (like NutraSweet) are safe, the jury’s still out on their long-term effects — so consume in moderation. That goes double for pregnant women. “One diet soda a day is unlikely to be very harmful if you’re expecting,” says Akabas. “But you might want to ask yourself whether it’s something you really need.”Not Healthy

Vitamin drinks. “They may provide some nutrients along with the sugar and calories, but they lack the phytochemicals found in fruits and vegetables that help you reduce your risk of chronic disease,” says Short. No time to get your nutrients from a plate of greens? Better to swallow a multivitamin with plain water instead.

Sweet coffee drinks. “Frappuccinos and mochas might provide some calcium if they’re made with milk, but the caramel and whipped cream in them make for an unworthy splurge,” says Short. A healthier but still tasty way to treat yourself: Order a skim latte with one pump of flavored sugar-free syrup.

Fruit punch. Depending on the brand, these can contain some juice or none at all. But no matter what the ratio, the result is minimal nutrients with maximum sugar and calories.

Sugary soda. Try to drink it only on occasion ‑- and savor it. Never drink one as a “background beverage.”