The Best & Worst Drinks for Hydration!

Today, we spill the truth about the best and worst drinks for hydration. We’ve all debated whether water is a boring drink, so here, we boil down the best (and worst) drinks that’ll assist in keeping you hydrated!

We all know how amazing water is to drink. And we too are great advocates of encouraging water intake, but it can be hard to do when water tastes so… well, watery! Very luckily, we can get a lot of hydrations from different sources, which is exactly what we’ll be talking about today!

How much should you be drinking a day? Find out what happens when we delve a little deeper into the research behind daily water intake.

The Best Drinks for Hydration!

Wondering what the best drinks for hydration are? Our list breaks it all down for you! Whilst our first three are the hands-down best hydrating choices, the rest are great supplements to give your body that extra boost of water!

Water

Not surprised, are you? Well, we aren’t either! Hands down, plain water is the number one way to hydrate, no debate about that! Whilst going to and from your kitchen tap can be quite inconvenient at times, water bottles significantly assist water intake! Here are the top 5 best and affordable reusable water bottles in 2021!

Milk

Thought that milk isn’t great for hydration? Wrong! Because it’s so much thicker than water, a lot of people think that milk is bad for hydration. Packed full of nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, milk contains a lot of protein that keeps you fuelled on hot days.

Fruit-Infused Water

Water can be boring to drink – an opinion we’re all familiar with! If you find it particularly difficult to drink plan water all day every day, you can add a healthy twist by infusing your water with your favourite type of fruits. You can also stay hydrated by eating healthy foods! View the top 10 foods that boost hydration to find out which is best for you!

Fruit Juice 

Juice, or fruit juice, contains around 85% water, which makes it super hydrating! You’ll need to make sure you’re picking 100% fruit juice, though. Whilst fruit juice is incredibly hydrating, it’s also packed full of natural fruits, that are also healthy. However, be mindful of the sugar within, as it often contains added sugars to make it taste sweeter/better. You can also make these into popsicles, to help you stay cool in the warm weather! View more ways that you can stay cool during the summer!

Sports Drinks – Wait, really?

We’ve all been a bit sceptical about the boasted hydrating powers of sports drinks, such as the widely recognized Lucozade… but they don’t just have huge marketing budgets, they really are on to something here! Within sports drinks, there are electrolytes, a very scienc-y word for essential salts, making the drinks all-the-more hydrating. Whilst easier to drink because they’re already bottled, sports drinks also taste great and are more flavourful, often coming in a variety of favourites. Again, we advise you to watch the sugar and carb content within these sports drinks. Usually, one rehydration drink is enough!

Tea

Caffeine-free tea is amazing! It doesn’t matter what type of tea you’re having (herbal, black, green, chamomile, etc), hot or cold, tea is just about as hydrating as water and is also packed full of antioxidants. Whilst the best-favoured option might be to avoid caffeine in general (caffeine dehydrates you, as it’s diuretic!), drinking regular tea (which is caffeine free) will help you reach your water goal.

The Worst Drinks for Hydration

There are many drinks that don’t help with hydration – and it’s best to know what to stay away from. To keep it simple, we’ll boil down the worst drinks for hydration, and what to stay away from during the hot weather.

Coffee

You’re probably not surprised to see this one at the top of our list. In moderation, coffee isn’t awfully bad, but once you go past that second cup, your body can start to suffer. A milky morning coffee with a custard cream is sometimes tempting, but it needs to be taken in moderation. Drinking between two and three cups of coffee has led to dehydration – to keep yourself safe, stick to decaf, or limit yourself to a cup or two a day.

Soda

Next to coffee, soda is also packed full of caffeine. Unless you’re opting for the healthier, but still fizzy, option of diet and caffeine free, it’s a good idea to stray away from soda in the hot weather.

Alcohol

Wines, hard liquor, and beer all greatly contribute to dehydration. Consuming any type of alcohol removes water from your tissues, meaning to stay hydrated, you’ll need to drink significantly more water. It’s a very good idea to move away from drinks and consumables that contain alcohol if you’re wary of the warm weather and wish to stay healthy and hydrated!

There are many other drinks that help contribute to dehydration, such a lemonade, smoothies, energy drinks and sweetened iced tea. As a rule of thumb, stick to less sugar and caffeine-packed consumables during the warm weather, so you can stay healthy and hydrated when the sun is at its strongest.

If you’re looking for more ways to stay hydrated during the warm weather, feel free to check out our article, packed with other tips, tricks and healthy bits to keep you safe!

If you’re looking for care for yourself or your loved one and wish to discuss more hydration concerns, please feel free to contact us – our friendly and compassionate teams are always happy to discuss any care queries at any time, in free home consultation.