Buying Guide

Fluid Foundations Liquid Solutions: Buying Guide

May I take your order? Or, are you too confused by all of the beverage choices that are available to you? If so, you might find our Liquid Solutions: Buying Guide a great companion. Please read below to find general information as well as specific brand names that contain healthy ingredients.

WATER

• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) maintains that tap water in the United States is actually safer and more controlled than bottled water. • Bottled water is often filtered and treated to enhance flavor. Consider a home filtration device if you don’t already have one. • If you prefer bottled water, choose a glass bottle when possible to minimize the environmental and contamination concerns with plastic. • Carbonated water, seltzers or sparkling waters are great options if you prefer bubbles. • Flavored waters are flavored with different ingredients. Check the ingredient list and choose non-caloric varieties with flavor essences.

Brand suggestions: La Croix, Pellegrino, Perrier, Poland Spring, Polar, Voss

JUICE

• Look for 100% juice or “no sugar added” terminology on the food label • Avoid juice cocktails, aides or beverages as they often contain added sweeteners • Limit your overall quantity - ½ cup of juice contains approximately 60 calories and liquid calories can add up quick and impact your weight • Dilute 100% juice with still or sparkling water to stretch your calories

Brand suggestions: Bionaturae, Bolthouse, Eden, Florida’s Natural Orange, Hansen’s Blasters, Lakewood, Langers 100%, Minute Maid 100% Juice Boxes (not lemonade), Minute Maid Pure Squeezed Orange Juice, Mountain Sun, Motts 100%, Naked, Northland 100%, Ocean Spray 100%, Ocean Spray Sparkling, Odwalla, POM, Polar Fruit A-Peel Spritzer, RW Knudson, Santa Cruz, Sunsweet Prune Juice & Plum Smart, Tropicana Orange, Walnut Acres, Welches 100%

MILK

• Choose organic or hormone-free, antibiotic-free brands • Grass-fed is another term you might see on cow’s milk labels, which means the cows were never fed grains • Non-fat/skim or low-fat options contain less saturated fat, cholesterol and calories • Limit your overall quantity - 1 cup of skim milk contains 90 calories. Excess dairy consumption is correlated with risk of prostate cancer in men. (Source: The Cancer Project, Milk Consumption and Prostate Cancer by Neal Barnard, MD; Prostate Cancer Risk Factors from Prostate Cancer Foundation)

Brand suggestions: Horizon Organic, Organic Cow of Vermont, Organic Valley Family Farms, Stonyfield Farms, Trader Joe’s Organic, Maple Hill Creamery

DAIRY ALTERNATIVES

• Choose lactose-free or dairy-free options if you are lactose intolerant (almond, rice, coconut, soy, oat beverages) • Choose dairy-free options if you have a dairy allergy • Soy continues to be a controversial topic. Soy is a top allergen in the United States and many people have difficulty digesting soy, yet, it has also been shown to have potential health benefits such as lowering cholesterol. If you tolerate and enjoy soy, choose organic or non-genetically modified (non-GMO) sources in whole food form instead of highly processed foods containing isolated soy protein.

Brand suggestions: Earth Balance Soy, Edensoy Rice & Soy, Lactaid, Meyenberg Goat, O.N.E Coconut water, Organic Valley Soy; Pacific Almond, Oat & Rice; Pure Harvest Oat, Rice Dream, Silk Soy, Vitasoy Soy & Oat, Almond Breeze, Trader Joe’s Almond Milk, Trader Joe’s Coconut Milk

NATURAL SODAS

• Make your own by combining 100% fruit juice with sparkling or seltzer water • Choose real fruit juice sweetened over sugar sweetened • Stevia is an herbal sweetener derived from a plant. It imparts a sweet flavor without calories but is generally regarded as safe and a good choice for people with diabetes or glucose intolerance.

Brand suggestions: Blue Sky Organic, Izze, Steaz, Switch

SPORTS BEVERAGES

• Sports beverages are most beneficial for trained athletes who exercise for more than 60 minutes at a time • Studies do show that when people rehydrate with a carbohydrate solution within 45 minutes of completing exercise their muscles recover more efficiently • Practice your hydration routine (type of beverage, quantity of beverage and timing of beverage) while training before you compete in an event • You can create your own 6% carbohydrate solution by diluting 100% fruit juice with an equal amount of water • Recipe for homemade sports beverage (Yield: 1 quart) – combine: o ¼ cup sugar o ¼ teaspoon salt o ¼ cup hot water o ¼ cup orange juice o 2 tablespoons lemon juice o 3 ½ cups cold water Nutrition information per cup: 50 calories, 12 grams carbohydrate, 110 milligrams sodium

Brand suggestions: Golazo, Kul Fuel, Recharge by RW Knudsen

Summary Tap water, albeit filtered for improved flavor and appearance, is a safe and preferred choice for maintaining hydration. If you need a change from water, balance your fluid needs with the suggestions provided here to achieve the generally accepted suggestion of consuming 9 cups per day for women, and 13 cups per day for men.

Sources: United States Environmental Protection Agency; American Society for Clinical Nutrition; American College of Sports Medicine