Healthy Drinks: Refresh Your Body Naturally

Drinking can make you gain weight, as many supposed thirst quenchers contain hidden calories. Healthy drinks, on the other hand, provide you with essential fluids and minerals without adding extra calories to your hips. Find out here which ones are recommended and which you should avoid.

Healthy drinks with few calories

Drinks quench thirst and maintain fluid balance. Ideally, they should be low in calories or even calorie-free to avoid burdening the body with unnecessary calories.

Tap water and mineral water, herbal and fruit teas, as well as diluted juices that consist of at least 3/4 water, are therefore the first choice for healthy drinks.

Water

Tap water is among the most strictly controlled food products and is therefore a good thirst quencher. It is mostly obtained from treated groundwater and has a lower mineral content than bottled mineral water.

Mineral water comes from underground springs. It contains minerals such as calcium, magnesium, and sodium in varying proportions. This is why mineral waters taste different, depending on which minerals are predominant. Sulfur and iron may be removed, and carbon dioxide may be added. Since the body loses minerals through sweating —after sports or play—mineral water is ideal for replenishing these losses. Whether it is still or carbonated is purely a matter of taste.

Spring water also originates from underground sources. Unlike mineral water, spring water is not required to contain a legally defined minimum amount of minerals.

Table water is of the lowest quality of all waters. It is a mixture of tap water, mineral water, seawater, various salts, carbon dioxide, and permitted additives.

No matter which water you choose – all are recommended as healthy drinks.

Infused Water

Infused water, also known as detox water, is currently very popular and refers to water flavored with ingredients. Water – with or without carbonation – is infused with fruits, vegetables, and herbs and left to steep for a while. This allows the water to absorb the flavors. Popular healthy drinks include combinations with slices of lemon, ginger, or cucumber, along with fresh mint.

Diluted juices

If you are looking for a diluted juice (juice spritzer), always choose fruit juice. Fruit juices consist of 100% juice and pulp from the fruit listed on the packaging – for example, apples in apple juice or oranges in orange juice. When shopping, look for the label "100% fruit content - no added sugar": this guarantees that the juice has not been sweetened. Naturally cloudy, direct-pressed juice is particularly recommended.

Orange juice and other fruit juices contain healthy vitamins and fiber, but often also considerable amounts of calories: 200 milliliters of apple juice, for example, provide about the same amount of energy as a scoop of ice cream. Therefore, always dilute fruit juices with tap or mineral water. This way, they quench your thirst much more effectively than pure juices.

The best mixture is two parts water and one part juice.

Fruit nectars, on the other hand, contain only a small percentage of fruit; the rest is made up of water, sugar, and flavoring. Fruit juice drinks have an even lower fruit content. Fruit juices made from concentrate consist of processed drinking water, fruit flavoring, and added pulp. Ready-made fruit juice spritzers from the store are not recommended. Because they contain too much juice and sugar and too little water, they are unsuitable as healthy drinks.

More healthy drinks

In summer, fresh fruit like melon or strawberries can be wonderfully puréed. Topped with sparkling water and a squeeze of lemon, it makes a refreshing lemonade. If you like, you can freeze the fruit beforehand, purée it, and add a splash of fruit juice. In winter, those who do not like tea can dilute their apple juice with hot water and add a pinch of vanilla or a cinnamon stick – and there you have it, a healthy winter drink.

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