Do you ever get tired of drinking water, but aren’t sure what
another healthy option is? If so, you’re not alone! Water is wonderful for our
bodies, but we understand needing other options too. Today we are going to
highlight a variety of beverage ideas for next time you’re shopping with us!
What Makes a Drink Healthier?
Water is great for hydration, of course, but also helps with
a number of additional bodily functions, which is important as we are made up
of about 60% water. It is great for digestion, absorption, transportation of
nutrients, and even maintenance of our body temperatures. It does a lot, so
it’s important we stay hydrated!
One thing to think about when choosing a beverage is what is
this beverage adding to our health? We
often think of things we should avoid in our diets, but we prefer to look at
what we can add. Many beverages have a water base, so they’re already doing all
of the same great things that water is, and sometimes even more! Take
probiotics for example. One of the products below is a probiotic powder that
you add to water, so it has the same benefits as a glass of water, but with
more flavor and of course, more probiotics!
Our favorite beverages to recommend are those that have
additional health benefits such as a probiotic or protein boost, or contain
additional vitamins and minerals. Hy-Vee’s aisles are full of healthy and tasty
drinks, so next time you are grocery shopping, stop by and try one of these
nutritious, delicious products!
Kombucha
As mentioned above, Kombucha is a great choice! It comes in
many different flavors and varieties, both in the carbonated and powder form.
There is a new line of these drinks called Mocu that comes in many flavors,
such as Pear Ginger Zing, Acai Blueberry Pomegranate Pow (pictured right), and
Maca Goji Mojo. This drink has a light flavor, and all you need to do enjoy it
is mix the powder with water. Each Kombucha product contains a significant
amount of probiotics, which are live microorganisms that live in our gut, aid
digestion and support a healthy gastrointestinal tract.
Mamma Chia
This organic and non-GMO brand, along with other probiotics,
offer great nutritional benefits. As you may guess from the name, each bottle
of Mamma Chia contains chia seeds, a natural and significant source of fiber,
protein (4 g per bottle) and Omega-3 fatty acids. These drinks come in a variety
of flavors, including Blackberry Hibiscus, Cherry Lime, Coconut Mango,
Blueberry Pomegranate, Guava Mama, Raspberry Passion, and Strawberry Lemonade.
True Citrus
If you like water, but think it could use a little more
flavor, this is the product for you! These True Citrus beverage mixes come in many
different flavors. True Lemon, True Lime, and True Orange are the unsweetened
varieties, and Black Cherry Limeade, Raspberry Lemonade, Original Lemonade, and
Mango Orange are the sweetened varieties. There are trace amounts of sugar as
most of the sweetness comes from stevia, and the flavors come from crystallized
fruits. These come in single-serving
packets within the box, and all you have to do is add them to water and stir,
or add to a water bottle and shake it up. They give water a delicious fruity
flavor that makes drinking it more enjoyable!
La Croix
Sparkling water is all the rage right now, and La Croix is
one of the more popular brands with over 15 different flavors to love. Pure,
Lime, Lemon, Orange, Berry, Cran-raspberry, Pamplemousse (grapefruit) and many
more make up the flavors of this brand. Each La Croix has only two ingredients
on the labels: carbonated water and natural flavors. If you enjoy sodas because
of the carbonation or flavor, try La Croix for a more nutritious alternative!
Unsweetened Tea (Green Tea)
Green tea is a great source of antioxidants and is quite
refreshing as well. Choosing unsweetened tea most of the time is good
for us as there is less added sugar, but if you feel you need a little more sweetness,
try adding a natural sweetener like Stevia, and enjoy on a hot summer (or mild,
yet quickly approaching spring) day.
If
you’ve been struggling to find healthier beverage choices, we hope this blog
was able to give you helpful options! If you’ve tried any of these, or have a
favorite of your own that wasn’t on the list, let us know! We’d love to hear
about it and are always open to learning about new products. J
-West Lakes Hy-Vee Dietitian Team
No comments:
Post a Comment