I'll Take Water

I’ve always recommended water as the every-day beverage of choice. Jazz it up if you like, with slices of lemon or fresh herbs. Or choose unsweetened sparkling water.

But stay clear of drinks laden with sugar, fat, artificial sweeteners and colors.

Fruit-flavored beverages are mainly sugared water. Some contain a small amount of fruit juice. Bottled flavored waters (yes, even the clear ones that look like plain water) may contain sugar too. Check the ingredient list carefully.

Pure fruit juice is yummy, and it’s pure, right? But all of the fruit that goes into making a cup of juice adds up to a drink higher in calories than most of us need (and minus the fiber we’d get if we ate the whole fruit).

For instance:

1 medium orange = 69 calories
1 cup orange juice = 110 calories

1 medium apple = 72 calories
1 cup apple juice = 117 calories

Soft drinks are loaded with sugar – A 12 ounce can contains, on average, 8 teaspoons of sugar. Some of them (not just cola) contain caffeine as well.

Substitute a can of soda or juice with a bottle of water every day
and you may lose up to 15 pounds in a year!

Are diet sodas any better? Most contain about 10 calories per can, compared to 135 calories in regular soda. But artificial sweeteners, flavors and colors don’t exactly add up to a healthy beverage.

This summer is the perfect time to try this healthier alternative to soda:

Pour a quarter to a third of a cup of pure fruit juice into a tall glass. Fill it to the top with cold sparkling water and enjoy!

What about those icy cool summer coffee drinks? Stay away from large, super-sweet, whipped-cream topped concoctions that are high in fat and calories. Opt for a small-sized "simple" drink like iced coffee or latte made with skim or low-fat milk. And why not try iced tea during the hot summer months? Just go easy on the sugar or skip it altogether.

Getting back to water – with no calories or additives, it’s the healthiest drink around. And if it comes from your tap, it is the most inexpensive choice as well.