Hydration is essential for good health, but maybe you’re not a fan of gulping down plain old tap water. Fortunately, if you’re bored with water, there are plenty of other healthy beverages you can drink to stay hydrated—and they can even provide you with things that water can’t, like potent antioxidants and vitamins.
While you shouldn’t go overboard with any of these drink options (no one needs 10 cups of coffee per day!), by including a few of these in your daily drink menu—in between your glasses of water—you’ll ensure that you stay hydrated and maybe get a few other health boosts, too.
While the old recommendation of eight glasses of water (or about 64 ounces) is a great starting point, you may need more or less than that, depending on your activity levels, how much you sweat, and your age. Other beverages, water-filled produce like watermelon or cucumbers, or broth in your food all count toward your total hydration each day.
Smoothies
Smoothies can be a quick and easy way to get nutrients fast and serve as a meal substitute when you’re busy and on the go. But you just have to be a bit cautious that you don’t go overboard with the add-ons, says Theresa Gentile, MS, RD, CDN, spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
She guides her clients to the following ratios for a good smoothie:
- 1 1/2 to 2 cups frozen fruit
- 1/2 to 1 cup raw veggies
- a serving of a thickening protein (think 1 tablespoon nut butter, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt or kefir, 1/4 of an avocado)
- liquid of your preference—such as milk or plant-based milk
Coffee
Coffee has a reputation for helping you power through the day. But beyond the caffeine, coffee has some definite health benefits. Recent studies have shown three cups of coffee per day can reduce your risk of developing cardiometabolic morbidities like cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. And if you’re a fan of black coffee, the drink can help reduce inflammation. (Just keep in mind that adding a lot of goodies into your coffee, like milk or sugar, can actually cause inflammation.)
Tea
Whether you like green, black, or herbal teas, tea provides plenty of benefits in every sip. For instance, green tea offers potent antioxidants called polyphenols that help your body fight off disease and inflammation, while black tea contains flavonoids that support heart health. Peppermint and ginger teas are great for helping settle nausea and aiding digestion. And Christa Brown, MS, RDN, LD, a private practice dietitian from New Jersey, has a soft spot for Ashwagandha tea before bedtime.
Kombucha
Kombucha has been a popular addition to many people’s beverage repertoire, as this lightly fermented tea features the gut health benefits of fermented foods, along with the anti-inflammatory boost of tea. Keep in mind that kombucha does contain trace amounts of alcohol and eight grams of sugar per cup, so keeping it to about four ounces per day is best.
Kefir
Kefir is another fermented beverage that’s usually made with milk and tastes like a tangy, drinkable yogurt. And like yogurt, it contains probiotics that can help improve your gut biome and reduce inflammation in your body. It’s a tangy beverage that can be enjoyed on its own or used in smoothies in lieu of yogurt or milk.
Juices
Juices can be a healthy part of your beverage repertoire if you’re careful about how you use them. Many juices contain a lot of sugar or mix in other types of juice that may be less nutritious in order to make the drink more palatable.
But juices often contain the same nutrients—including antioxidants and vitamins—as the fruits and vegetables they’re squeezed from (though you are losing out on the fiber benefits you’d get from eating the whole fruit).
Some of the most nutrient-dense juices out there include:
- Mango juice contains potent antioxidants like mangiferin, which helps repair cellular damage, along with vitamins A and C.
- Tart cherry juice contains both melatonin and tryptophan, which could help promote better sleep. It’s also rich in anthocyanins and polyphenols, potent antioxidants.
- Tomato juice features 189% of the daily value of vitamin C in every cup, along with the antioxidant lycopene.
- Prune juice offers 17% of your daily iron requirement, along with plenty of B vitamins, in each cup. It’s also a digestive aid, which can help ease constipation.
- Pomegranate juice, like tart cherry juice, features plenty of the antioxidant anthocyanin, along with vitamin K, which helps with heart health and bone strength.
When you’re shopping for juice, seek out fresh-squeezed options without added sugar—and watch out for juice drinks, which often contain very little actual juice. You may also want to swap fruit for vegetable juices, which may have less sugar overall.
Juice can be both sugar- and calorie-dense, even if you’re using a fresh-squeezed, just-the-juice variety. So limit your juice intake to about eight ounces a day, and use it to supplement your other beverages. You can add a splash of juice to bring flavor to sparkling or still water—or add fruit or vegetable juice as a liquid in your smoothies.
Milk or Plant-Based Milks
Low-fat dairy or plant-based milks can be a healthy addition to your beverage repertoire. Gentile recommends sticking with unsweetened cow’s milk, almond, soy, oat, or coconut milk.
“Cow’s milk has the best nutritional profile in regards to protein, calcium, and vitamin D,” Gentile says. You can enjoy milk cold or warm—and consider jazzing it up with unsweetened cocoa powder, cinnamon, or turmeric to add flavor and some nutrients, too.
Coconut Water
Coconut water is a nutrient-packed superfood that’ll help keep you hydrated and boost your antioxidant intake. Just enjoy in moderation, as every cup of coconut water has more than six grams of sugar.
Sparkling Water or Infused Water
Yes, technically this is still water. But by adding a hint of flavor or bubbles, you can turn it into something more exciting to drink—and a great alternative to sugary or artificially sweetened sodas. “I, personally, love bubbly drinks, and this is an easy way to have a fun, refreshing option with subtle flavor and no added sugar,” Gentile says. Simply putting fresh-sliced fruits and veggies—think lemons, cucumbers, berries, or citrus—along with herbs like rosemary or mint, can make water a lot more palatable.
