What is that we reach for after a tiring day- a bottle of soft drink, what is that we prefer to drink at the parties and meetings- Wine and alcohol, what refreshes us after being in the sun- golas, fruit juices and sherbets! While these drinks are liked by us all, these contain plenty of liquid calories and hardly any nutrients. Though these drinks promise to quench our thirst momentarily they also cause weight gain. While we are obsessed about what we eat and how many calories we consume, most soft drinks and beverages are the real culprits of being calorie rich and no nutrients.
We make a list of 7 drinks with numerous benefits that will help us stay healthy as well as lose weight….
Lemon water: You must have heard it hundreds of times, mostly from your mother or grandmother but you paid no attention. But starting your day with lemon water makes sense. Lemon water is good for detoxification of the body and drinking it first thing helps to eliminate the bodily wastes effectively paving the way for a glowing skin. Lemon water is rich in Vitamin C that helps in strengthening the immune system and also potassium which is good for heart. Lemon water though is acidic, acts as an alkaline in the body thus helps in curing digestive problems like heart burn, constipation and nausea.
Lemon water is simple and easy to make, take a glass of lukewarm water and squeeze half lemon and you are done.
Remember: Lemon water first thing in the morning does not work for everyone, for those for whom it doesn’t; you can drink it later in the day.
Coffee- Its aroma refreshes you, without your daily cuppa you wouldn’t dare begin your day. Coffee for coffee lovers is the answer to stress, fatigue, joy, a good book and a rainy day. But coffee is more than that; large amount of research proves that coffee has health benefits for those suffering from Diabetes, hypertension, Parkinson’s and Colon cancer. Those who drink 2 cups of coffee everyday have 25% less chance of suffering from colon cancer, 80% less likely to suffer from liver cirrhosis and 50% less likely to have gall stone other than reducing the risk for Parkinson’s by 80%. Coffee is also known to manage asthma in absence of medication, reduce headaches, boost mood and prevent cavities. Doesn’t that make you glad, okay time for another cup of coffee!
Remember: Not more than 2-3 cups of coffee everyday and mind the sugar you add otherwise you will do more harm than good!
Buttermilk: The perfect drink for summer, chaas, as Buttermilk is known has been a favorite drink in India. Buttermilk provides calcium from the milk but is low on calories, it is a good source of B complex, potassium and phosphorous. The probiotics or the good bacteria in buttermilk make it easy to digest and great for those who are lactose intolerant. Buttermilk is a good drink after lunch as it improves digestion as well as aids weight loss.
Let’s drink a glass of buttermilk to that!
Remember: Do not add too much salt as it will not be good for your blood pressure. Instead of adding sugar and salt, you can add rock salt, coriander, jeera, curry leaves for flavor and taste.
Milk: We were scolded, yelled and threatened so that we would drink our daily glass of milk. We made a dirty face and drank it but as we grew older, the habit of drinking milk was just was dropped without a question or a thought. However 1000 mg of calcium that is required by our body everyday to prevent osteoporosis in future can be obtained by drinking around 2-3 glasses of milk everyday! Other than calcium, milk is rich in protein, phosphorus, magnesium that is good for development of teeth, fight hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease and even obesity.
Remember: Those who are looking out for weight loss should opt for low factor skimmed milk and cow’s milk which is low in fats and healthier.
