Fluid Foundations to Drink Or Not to Drink?

Fluid Foundations To Drink or Not To Drink?

Choosing a beverage that you enjoy that is also healthy can be a daunting task when you consider all the available options that you encounter at grocery stores, restaurants, coffee houses and vending machines. Please read below for a quick primer to help you navigate your way through the decision-making tree on the topic of best beverage decisions.

Tap or Bottled? Despite what bottled water manufacturers would lead you to believe, bottled water is not safer than tap water. Additionally, bottled water is less regulated than tap water. Bottled and tap water often come from the same sources including lakes, springs and aquifers. The primary difference between the two is that bottled waters are filtered and treated to improve taste. The Environmental Protection Agency states that the vast majority of tap water in the United States meets their drinking water standards, which regulate contamination levels. The EPA recommends contacting your local water supplier to request information about contaminants in your drinking water. Tap water can taste funny and be discolored, which impacts your enjoyment, but not your safety. In fact, the bottle water trend has come full circle – currently, it is trendy to avoid bottled water in a plastic container, which presents its own environmental and contamination concerns.

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Caffeine or Caffeine Free? Coffee and caffeine have conflicting scientific messages about their health advantages or disadvantages. Yet, despite this controversy, some things remain clear. Caffeine is not synonymous with coffee as caffeine can be found in sodas, energy drinks and chocolate-flavored beverages - all of which should be consumed in moderation. Caffeine can elevate blood pressure and high intakes can contribute to loss of bone density; hence, it would be wise to choose caffeine-free options if you have high blood pressure or a decline in bone density, osteopenia or osteoporosis. If you are seeking caffeinated beverages for increased energy, try to better understand why your energy may be depleted and explore caffeine-free alternatives that recharge you instead.

Carbonated or Still? Media outlets have often blamed carbonation for health problems including, but not limited to, bone loss. Yet, scientific research doesn’t place the blame with carbonation. Phosphoric acid is a unique ingredient in colas which contributes to bone loss. Hence, carbonation, as a process is not, in fact, harmful. Drinking carbonated water offers the same benefit as drinking still water including maintaining hydration and preventing constipation. Depending upon the source, some carbonated water may contain minerals that may actually strengthen your bones and teeth. Gastro-esophageal reflux disorder (GERD) is one particular example of when it would be wise to avoid carbonation, as it can exacerbate symptoms associated with this disorder.

In Favor of Flavor? Flavors can be derived from several places such as real fruit juice, natural sweeteners, artificial sweeteners or flavor essences. If you prefer flavor over plain water, determine where the flavor is coming from by looking at the ingredient list, as well as noting the calorie content. If your flavored beverages contain calories, be sure that you have the caloric freedom to include them in your daily choices. Most individuals who want to lose weight or maintain their weight can’t afford to drink their calories. Alternatively, choose flavored seltzer waters or dilute your fruit juices with plain or sparkling water to minimize their calorie content. We recommend consuming artificially sweetened beverages in moderation.

Juice, Cocktail or Ade? While cocktails and lemon-ade type drinks can sound fun and interesting, they often include more sugar or alternative sweeteners, such as high fructose corn syrup, than they do real fruit juice. Locate the ingredient list and confirm that you are drinking 100% juice with no added sugars.

Dairy or Dairy-Free There are two primary reasons for which you would avoid cow’s milk – a dairy allergy or lactose intolerance. Dairy is one of the top ten allergens in the United States. If you suspect or have a diagnosed allergy to dairy, there are many dairy-free alternatives available including almond, rice, coconut, soy or oat beverages (sometimes also referred to as milks). It is important to look at the ingredient list of these beverages as they sometimes contain added sweeteners and flavors for palatability. Some, but not all, dairy-free alternatives are fortified with calcium and Vitamin D, which are important nutrients for bone health so be sure to check the label. Lactose intolerance is a condition where your body produces insufficient lactase, the enzyme responsible for breaking down lactose the primary carbohydrate in milk. Symptoms of lactose intolerance can include gas or diarrhea after consuming milk or dairy products. If you are lactose intolerant, you can choose the dairy-free alternatives mentioned above or look for lactose-free options such as Lactaid brand milks. Additionally, depending upon what type of vegetarian diet you may follow, vegans avoid all animal products and can opt for the plant-based options mentioned above.

Alcohol or Alcohol-free? Any type of alcohol in moderation can be cardio-protective as alcohol thins your blood and decreases the stickiness of your platelets allowing your blood to flow more smoothly. Red wine has more scientific literature supporting health claims than does other type of alcohol as red wine is a greater source of antioxidants, including resveratrol which is found in the skin of red grapes. Consuming up to two drinks per day can be cardio-protective for men and drinking up to 1 drink per day can be cardio-protective for women. A drink is defined as 4 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of beer or 1 ½ ounces of hard liquor. Unfortunately, alcohol correlates with an increased risk of breast cancer for women; hence, weigh your personal and family health history before raising your glass and if you currently don’t drink, there is no reason to start. The same health benefits can be found in grapes and other antioxidant rich fruits and vegetables.

Summary As you can see, there are many factors to consider when you are faced with deciding what beverage to drink. The food and beverage industry is a multi-trillion-dollar industry and beverages are a significant contributor to that bottom line. Beverage manufacturers and marketing programs are competing for your attention because it directly impacts their profits. Use this handout and seek out additional information from neutral experts instead of being the victim of great marketing in a pretty bottle. That being said, may I pour you a glass of tap water?

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