Here at The Alternative Daily, you will find a great deal of information about nourishing foods and nutritionally deficient foods, as well as superfoods which can revolutionize your meals and snacks. However, if you accompany a healthy meal with a preservative-loaded, chemical-filled beverage, you’re not doing your body much good.
For this reason, we’ve compiled our list of the top 15 healthiest drinks we could find. While we’ll start by mentioning that plain, old filtered water is the best and most important beverage on the planet, and eight glasses a day are essential, once you’ve got that on lockdown, check out these other wonder-drinks to enjoy:
Water with lemon
Adding the juice of a freshly-squeezed organic lemon to a glass of water, especially warm water, results in one of the healthiest beverages you can make. Lemon water helps to detoxify the liver, balances the body’s pH, improves immunity, amplifies energy levels and can provide a notable mood boost.
Cucumber mint water
To add some antioxidant power to your water, float a few slices of organic cucumber in your water pitcher. Along with a pleasant flavor, the cucumber will enrich your water with vitamins, minerals and other nutrients. For added refreshment, and to soothe digestion, throw in some organic mint leaves, as well.
Coconut water kefir
This superfood beverage is made by fermenting coconut water with water kefir grains. This results in a potent vegan probiotic, which helps to support healthy gut bacteria. Keeping gut bacteria healthy aids in digestion as well as providing a much needed boost to your immune system.
Coconut kefir water can also help the body to absorb nutrients from food, aids in burning belly fat, and may also help to stabilize blood sugar and blood pressure levels.
Organic coconut milk
Organic coconut milk, made from the meat of the coconut, is abundant in healthy saturated fats, which support all of the body’s systems, and can even help boost your metabolism to support healthy weight loss. It is also rich in antioxidants, B-vitamins and vitamins C and E.
Organic almond milk
This delicious milk is rich in vitamin E, which along with protecting skin health, is an important antioxidant for system-wide health. Almond milk also contains vitamin A, B-vitamins and vitamin D, along with the minerals calcium, iron, magnesium and potassium.
Organic chai tea
Chai, a black tea and spice mixture enjoyed in India since ancient times, offers some incredible health benefits. While the ingredients vary depending on region, most chai blends contain black tea, cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, clove, fennel and black pepper. Along with the antioxidant benefits of the tea itself, the added spices each contribute their own potent antioxidant and disease-fighting benefits.
Boosted ginger tea
A mug of tea made from fresh ginger slices on its own offers potent anti-inflammatory benefits, soothes digestive disturbances and can help to ease cold and flu symptoms. Adding organic cayenne pepper can increase the antioxidant quotient even further, as well as providing benefits to circulation and, according to some research, even stabilize blood pressure and provide relief from chronic pain.
Matcha green tea
Matcha green tea comes in a powder, and is made from crushed green tea leaves. Drinking green tea this way (combined with organic coconut milk or almond milk – or water) is thought by many to provide more health benefits than simply steeping a cup of green tea, since the antioxidants within the whole leaf are retained. Drinking matcha green tea can boost energy levels, supports the immune system and may help to foster optimal cognitive functioning.
Lemongrass tea
This aromatic, sharp-bladed grass has been a used in Ayurvedic Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine for centuries. Drinking fresh lemongrass tea can help with detoxification, especially of the digestive system. It also has soothing, relaxing properties and may help to ease anxiety and insomnia. Not to mention, lemongrass is brimming with vitamin C, which kicks the immune system into high gear.
Turmeric juice
The juice of turmeric, which is a relative of ginger, floods the body with potent antibacterial, antiviral and antifungal elements. Turmeric, a spice ubiquitous throughout India and parts of Southeast Asia, has been found to be effective against inflammatory pain, and also has anti-carcinogenic properties. Furthermore, it is a powerful antioxidant which can reduce your risk of many chronic ailments.
Beet juice
Along with vitamins B6 and C and a wealth of minerals, beets contain antioxidant pigments known as betalains, which have some unique and beneficial characteristics. Betalains have been linked to protection from heart disease, and have been found to help diminish tumor growth in lab studies. Beets are one of the very few sources of these pigments, making them a worthy addition to a juice.
Kale juice
Adding some kale to your juices gives your body a wide and plentiful array of vitamins and minerals, as well as omega-3 fatty acids which support heart and brain health. Kale also contains at least 45 different flavonoid antioxidants, as well as sulfur compounds which are linked to exciting cancer-fighting potential.
Organic bulletproof coffee
Organic bulletproof coffee is simply the combination of brewed coffee, grass-fed butter and either organic coconut oil or MCT oil, which is coconut oil blended with palm oil. The ingredients are whipped in a blender until a smooth and tasty beverage results.
Along with the many benefits of coffee itself, adding butter and MCT oil aids in your cup’s fat-burning power, provides important nutrients and can help you feel full and energetic throughout the day – among many other perks.
ACV immunity charger
Combining superfood apple cider vinegar (ACV) with some raw, local honey, a squeeze of lemon, and some fresh garlic can give your immune system some intense support, and help it to fight off seasonal illnesses. Drinking this blend when you are sick may also help you to heal faster.
Rooibos and honey
Adding some raw, local honey to your cup of rooibos supercharges this drink to a whole new level. Along with being a nutritional powerhouse, it can help protect your body against the onset of allergy symptoms. Maybe add a dash of cinnamon, too.
-The Alternative Daily
Sources:
http://www.naturallivingideas.com/10-healthiest-drink-recipes-in-the-world
http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-5825/Why-Everyone-Should-Drink-Chai-Tea.html
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=49
http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=38