Carry on Beautiful!

So you’ve been eating healthily recently to try and feel a little more active. Nothing major – just cutting down on alcohol, or saying no to that extra biscuit when you visit your friend for coffee. By this point you thought you might be feeling a little less sluggish and a bit more energized, but you feel like all your efforts have been to no avail. This is a situation many women (and men!) find themselves in frequently, and it can be really frustrating. But before you slip back into old habits and order a family-size Dominos just to spite your health kick, consider things other than just your food.

Many people don’t realise that what we drink is just important as what we eat when it comes to being healthier and feeling energised. Fizzy drinks and energy drinks are amongst the worst culprits, providing you with a sugar and caffeine high only for you to crash immediately after. Somewhat surprisingly stereotypically ‘healthy drinks’ such as smoothies and fresh juices can also contain lots of additives and sugars. If you are needing a pick me up in your day to day life and want to drink your way to good health, here are some of the best healthy drinks you can choose.

Cranberry juice

Providing you choose fresh, unsweetened cranberry juice, the benefits can be endless. Cranberry juice is incredibly rich in antioxidants and also contains plenty of vitamin C. In terms of specific health benefits, you have probably heard of cranberry juice’s ability to prevent urinary tract infections. But, it isn’t a one-trick pony. It can also lower the risk of cardiovascular disease and some claim it can help eliminate tumors.

Tomato juice

You may be used to drinking tomato juice in one form and one form only: as a Bloody Mary. Whilst this unique cocktail is the perfect hangover cure, there are other reasons why you should drink tomato juice on a regular basis. Tomatoes contain the antioxidant lycopene, which has been linked to reducing the risk of many types of cancer. When choosing a tomato juice, look for a low-sodium version.

Oolong tea

If you are looking to improve your mental ability as well as your physical health, look no further than oolong tea. This partially fermented tea contains many vital vitamins and minerals, including calcium and potassium. It is this broad mix of minerals that is said to contribute to the tea’s ability to help sharpen the mind. In addition, it is also said to control diabetes and strengthen your hair and bones.

Hot chocolate

You may not think of hot chocolate being a particularly healthy drink at all. But actually, cocoa is a powerful antioxidant that has been used for health reasons for thousands of years. A cup of hot cocoa contains flavonoids which are said to help stop platelets forming in your blood, thus reducing the risk of blood clots. Plus, it is much healthier to drink cocoa than it is to eat it. Drinking cocoa has much less fat per serving than an average chocolate bar. But it just goes to show that healthy drinks don’t need to be boring! Well, now we all have an excuse to drink hot chocolate I may as well end this post here! 

-Dana