Eating healthily is very important – but what are you drinking?

We need a total of 30mls of water per 1kg of body weight a day.

Water is the very best liquid for our bodies. Our cells thrive in a fluid environment, so drink plenty of fresh water. Try adding slices of lemon or lime to add some flavor. Herb and fruit teas can count towards your total water intake.

Being only slightly dehydrated will slow down your metabolism and your thinking. Often when we feel tired or grumpy and reach for a biscuit to give us a boost we are actually dehydrated and a glass of cool refreshing water would have done the trick. Every process that turns food into energy requires water; being slightly dehydrated will slow your metabolism down by about 100 calories per day. You need water to keep your joints lubricated and to help prevent kidney stones.

Fresh fruits and vegetables are like little packets of water, antioxidants and essential minerals.

Beware of fruit juice - even those that are labeled 100% fruit juice are very high in sugars.
A glass of orange juice can contain the equivalent of 10 teaspoons of sugar.
You are better off to drink water and eat an orange.

Low fat milk provides calcium, protein, water and other essential nutrients.
Soy milk is a good alternative but it needs to be ‘lite’ and calcium enriched.
Rice milk also needs to be calcium enriched.

Fizzy soft drinks have no nutritional value and contain 6-10 teaspoons of sugar per serve.

Tea and coffee are calorie free but do contain tannins and caffeine which, like cola, has a diuretic effect, they also inhibit calcium and iron absorption so are best consumed away from meal times.
Milk coffees contain a considerable amount of calories - a bowl of latte is the equivalent of an extra meal!!
Green tea, black tea and coffee all contain health boosting antioxidants

Alcoholic beverages are ok for most of us in moderation. Research shows us that alcohol can raise our HDL or good cholesterol levels. The flavinoids in red wine are also thought to be heart protective. But moderation is the key - that’s 1-2 drinks for women and 2 for men with 3-4 alcohol free days per week.

So let’s all drink to good health!!