6 Healthiest Drinks Besides Water

Summer is officially underway with extreme heat and humidity, so staying hydrated is a top priority to stay healthy.

Don’t wait until you’re thirsty to drink when it’s hot outside and drink more fluids regardless of your activity level, the National Weather Service advises.

Cold beverages rule, but which are the healthiest?

Amid all the emphasis on healthy eating, healthy drinking is crucial, too, since sugary options can derail a nutritious diet, experts note.

“Healthy drinking is incredibly important,” says registered dietitian Natalie Rizzo, nutrition editor for TODAY.

“Not only does drinking ensure adequate hydration, which is necessary for a healthy life, but it also plays into the amount of calories and sugar a person consumes each day.”

Those calories can really add up, says Beth Kitchin, Ph.D., a registered dietitian in Birmingham, Alabama.

“People are not as aware of the contribution, especially with things like juices,” Kitchin tells TODAY.com.

But hydration is important to replace the water the body loses when a person sweats, goes to the bathroom or just breathes, according to the National Institutes of Health.

What Is the Healthiest Drink?

Water is the healthiest drink, Rizzo says.

“The body is made up of 60% water, and we need to drink water to live. Water plays a role in basically every single process in the body. You would die without drinking water,” she notes.

“Water is the best hydrator if you want to quench your thirst,” Kitchin adds.

But she finds still water boring and prefers mineral water because the fizziness “makes it a little jazzier.”

Both still and sparkling water are fine options. Carbonated water has carbon dioxide in it, which doesn’t factor into hydration, Rizzo says, so it’s just a matter of preference.

Squeezing some lemon or lime juice can also enhance the taste of water.

What Are the Healthiest Drinks Besides Water?

While plain water is the No. 1 hydrator, it doesn’t have to be the only choice.

The healthiest drinks besides water include:

Flavored Seltzer

It’s just carbonated water with a little unsweetened flavoring, Rizzo says.

The flavored varieties usually have zero sugar and calories, but look at the nutrition label to be sure, Caroline Susie, a registered dietitian based in Dallas and spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, previously told TODAY.com about healthy alternatives to soda.

Just keep in mind that the carbon dioxide in seltzer water makes the drink more acidic, which can have an erosive effect on your tooth enamel if you drink it too frequently, dentists previously told TODAY.com.

Mineral Water With a Bit of Juice

Kitchin likes mixing sparkling water with a little orange juice so that she’s getting the flavor, but not drinking a big glass of juice. “You don’t want to quench your thirst on orange juice. It’s healthy, but it does have a lot of calories and natural sugar,” she says.

The healthiest juice made from pure 100% provides some nutrients, but it also contributes calories, so it’s best to stick to 8 ounces per day, Rizzo adds.

Coffee and Tea

Both beverages come from plants, so they contain phytochemicals — naturally occurring plant compounds that may have health benefits, Kitchin says. Rizzo also likes that they contain antioxidants, which can protect the body from free radicals.

Both beverages can be served hot or with ice. Green tea is particularly healthy.

The caffeine in coffee won’t dehydrate you, Kitchin notes. Up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day is safe for most adults, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. That’s about four 8-ounce cups of brewed coffee.

Black unsweetened coffee and tea contain the least calories, but Kitchin is OK with people adding a bit of sugar and milk, as long as it’s not in excess. She’s taken aback by the intense sweetness of iced tea served by some restaurants. Her preference is to order it unsweetened with a lot of extra lemon and then add a little sugar.

“You’ve got to like what you drink,” she says. “I’m very into the pleasure principle of food.”

Milk

It’s a healthy beverage because it has protein, vitamins and minerals, and contributes to hydration, Rizzo says. Her picks for the healthiest milk include cow’s milk and soy milk.

Since milk is mostly water, it can quench thirst and it’s very nutrient dense, so if a person likes it and it’s not causing weight gain, it’s a fine beverage, Kitchin says. Some people even find it can keep their appetite in check.

“I have a patient who said that for her to keep her weight down, she would often drink a cup of milk because it satisfied her. For her, that cup of milk kept her from overeating because she found it very, very satisfying,” she notes.

“But are you going to bring a water bottle filled with milk to the gym? Probably not.”

Plant milks — like almond and oat — can be good hydrators as well but watch out for added sugars, she advises.

Smoothies

For healthy smoothies, it depends on what you put in them, of course, but both experts have their favorite versions.

Rizzo makes a smoothie after every workout that contains Greek yogurt, fruit and soy milk. It’s a great protein-rich recovery drink, she notes.

Kitchin’s daily smoothie includes orange juice, yogurt and lots of fruit.

Is Coconut Water Healthy?

Coconut water is the clear liquid found in immature coconuts.

It contains potassium and some natural sugar from the coconut, so it can be a tasty, healthy substitute for water, Kitchin says.

It has electrolytes that help with hydration, but also comes with 44 calories and almost 10 grams of sugar per cup even when it’s unsweetened, so Rizzo advised drinking it in moderation.

Overall, there’s a lot of hype surrounding the health benefits of this trendy beverage, but little substantive evidence that supports these claims, Kitchin adds.

What Drinks Should I Avoid?

The two main categories include:

Regular soda

“It is basically just a can of sugar with no other nutritive value,” Rizzo cautions.

A 12-ounce can of Coke has 39 grams of added sugar, a “huge amount” given that a person should consume no more than 50 grams of added sugar a day, she says.

If you really like the taste of soda, go for the diet variety to get the taste without the unwanted sugar or calories, Rizzo advises. Or look for healthy soda alternatives.

Alcoholic Beverages

No level of drinking is good for health, but if you choose to drink in moderation, dietitians name light beer as one of the healthiest alcoholic drinks.

Some people also swear by beer as a thirst quencher.

But beer and other alcoholic beverages are diuretics, meaning they make you urinate more often and dehydrate you, Rizzo says.

“Although you may think they are quenching your thirst, it’s all in your head. Feel free to enjoy a beer here and there, but don’t fool yourself into thinking it’s helping with hydration,” she notes.

“The message with alcohol is less is best,” Kitchin adds.