The five healthiest drinks

By: H. Morison

Certain foods are particularly healthy but, what’s less well known is that the same is true for some drinks.
Here’s what experts advise you should be drinking to stay in top form.

Red Wine:
It not only helps you relax and join in the fun of the party, but powerful antioxidants in it may reduce your risk of heart disease. To get the benefit, though, you need to drink in moderation - certainly not more than 21 units a week, where a unit is a small glass.

Play safe and aim for not more than one to two glasses a day. Drink any more and you’ll damage your health - and put on weight!

Water:
Each day, we need to replace lost body fluids, and water is the best way to put up fluid levels in the body. It doesn’t contain sugar or calories, ensures the body works properly, stops you getting dehydrated and prevents constipation. You need eight glasses of fluid a day - more, if you’re exercising - so, have at least a third of this as water.

It doesn’t matter whether it is bottled or tap, just go for what you like.

Cow milk:
It’s been blamed for causing all sorts of health problems and some people can’t stomach it because they’re lactose - intolerant (can’t digest milk properly), but this drink is in fact, one of the nutritionally complete foods. It contains protein; A, D and B vitamins, and calcium and two 250ml glasses daily gives you most of the 700mg calcium recommended for women.

Since whole milk contains a lot of fat, opt for semi-skimmed milk which has half the amount.

Soya Milk:
It’s a good source of plant oestrogen known as isoflavones which relieves menopausal symptoms such as hot flushes and can also help reduce cholesterol levels.

A glass a day gives you most of the 40mg of isoflavones you need, and about a third of the amount of soya protein recommended for lowering cholesterol levels. Soya has lots of goodness in it but, it doesn’t naturally contain calcium so, if you’re using it as an alternative to cow milk, make sure it is fortified with calcium.

Fruit Juice:
Citrus fruit juices like orange juice, are rich sources of vitamin C, an antioxidant which boosts the immune system and protects against heart disease and cancer.

A glass a day counts as one portion of the recommended five fruits and/or vegetable portions we need each day. There is not much difference between concentrate and freshly squeezed products, so go for whichever you prefer and can afford.