In particular, Alzheimer’s disease – a progressive brain disease whose symptoms include reduced intelligence, memory loss, disorientation.

“Natural antioxidants reduce the vulnerability of cells to disease and aging – said Alan Crozier, professor of plant biochemistry and nutrition at Glasgow University (UK). – In addition, they improve health and protect against chronic diseases.”

The richest in antioxidants is dark grape juice.

For its medicinal properties the researchers liken it to red wine.

Unclarified apple juice is on the second place, and on the third – cranberry juice.

Doctors also advise to drink grapefruit juice regularly.

The finding was based on a review of the literature on energy drinks, researchers at the University of Miami said in the study appearing in the journal Pediatrics.

Many of the energy drinks reviewed contain three times the caffeine of a cola and some of which have five times more, said the study.

The study showed that caffeine in the drinks can exacerbate cardiac conditions, especially in children with eating disorders, and interfere with calcium absorption and bone mineralization in young adolescents.

Energy drinks produce extra calories which can contribute to diabetes, high body mass index and dental problems, according to the study.

Also, energy drinks contain additional ingredients which may boost caffeine levels, said the study.

The study also found that many children and young adults in the United States have tried energy drinks, and some consume them heavily.

A survey of college students reported that 51 percent regularly consumed one or more of the drinks per month, and a majority of those students drank them several times a week.

Insufficient sleep and a desire for more energy were cited as reasons for such consumption, said the study.

The drinks are unregulated in the United States, and the number of overdoses of caffeine from drinking them remains unknown, the study said.

But in Germany, Ireland and New Zealand, officials have reported cases of liver damage, kidney failure, seizures, confusion and arrhythmias associated with energy drink use, according to the study.

Most drinks do a good job of hydrating, but the components of some common drinks sharply reduce their hydrating ability.

Which drinks are the best hydrators, and which the worst? Here are the three most hydrating and the four least hydrating drinks.

Drinks That Are Strong Hydrators

Water
Water is the preeminent beverage for correctly hydrating the body.

Herbal Teas (Infusions)
The leaves from plants such as mint, verbena, linden, balm, and so on give a pleasant aroma and flavor to the water in which they are steeped, which makes infusions a satisfying alternative to people who don’t enjoy drinking plain water.

The medicinal properties of the plants do not have a negative effect on the body’s assimilation of the water.

Note: The benefit does not extend to sweetened infusions, or if the tea is made with plants that have diuretic properties, such as dandelion.

Fruit and Vegetable Juices
The water in fruits and vegetables–their juice–is one of the liquids nature has provided for hydrating our bodies. Juice is water bound to a substance. To maintain our harmonic balance with nature and avoid taking in too high a concentration of nutrients and sugars, we should consider juice a secondary resource to be used in moderation.

Drinks that Are Weak Hydrators

Coffee, Tea, and Cocoa
Drinks that have a base of coffee, black tea, or cocoa are quite high in purins, toxins that must be eliminated from the body by urine or sweat in the form of uric acid. Purines need to be diluted in large quantities of liquid to be evacuated without irritation. A good portion of the water consumed with these drinks is used to eliminate the toxins.

Milk
Milk is a food, not a drink, and its digestion by adults is frequently incomplete.

Whey, on the other hand, is very easily digested, but its diuretic properties are an impediment to its consumption as a daily beverage.

Soft Drinks
Soft drinks often have a high caffeine base, a diuretic, which makes a body lose water before it has time to make its way into the intracellular environment. The other problem comes from the high sugar content of most sodas. The body has a hard time properly metabolizing refined sugar. To correct the reaction to this, the body has to surrender water from the extracellular fluid. Because that makes a person thirsty, a vicious circle is created, as the thirst is being maintained by the very beverage that is drink with the intention of getting rid of it.

Alcoholic Beverages
Alcohol itself has dehydrating properties, removing water from the tissues it contacts and drying them out and increasing the need for water.

Adapted from The Water Prescription, by Christopher Vasey, N.D.

A study that was recently published has determined that it would help American lose weight should the tax was large enough.

However, even then the benefits would primarily be accrued by the middle class and be modest at best.

If the United Stated added a 40% tax to the price of sugary drinks such as sports drinks and sodas that were purchased in a retail store, it would reduce approximately 12 calories from the daily intake of beverages for the average person in the United States. This would translate into a person losing approximately 1 1/4 pounds.

Without doing all of the calculations, it turns out that a 20 % tax wouldn’t work as well as a 40% tax for discouraging the drinking of sugary drinks. Also, should the tax cover more kinds of sugary drinks, the reduction in caloric intake would be somewhat increased which would reduce the options for a substitution of a lower tax.

However, if such a tax could become politically palatable, the benefits from such a tax wouldn’t be advantageous for everybody. The study also determined that increasing the taxes on sugary drinks wouldn’t reduce the weight of the poorest of the wealthiest people in the United States significantly.

The idea of taxing junk food and sugary beverages is gaining some support in some political circles. However, it might be impossible to get public support for such taxes. Recently, a survey was conducted in which people in the United States were ask for their opinion a tax increase directed at sugary drinks.

Over 3,000 people or 51% if the people surveyed either opposed or strongly opposed such tax increases. Only about 1/3 of those surveyed were in favor of a tax increase.

However, there is the deficit to consider and one factor might be how much money the increased taxes might raise. It has been estimated that a tax of 40% on a variety of sugary drinks might gather over $2,500,000,000.

Wine producers touted the results of a scientific study as proof that wine is good for your health. A 1992 research study showed a correlation between high wine consumption rates in France and the low death rates in France from coronary heart disease. Further studies reported that a pattern of diet and alcohol consumption in other European countries seemed to support the earlier study.They stated that alcohol can lower heart disease.

Red wine does contain flavonoids which do work as antioxidants. It is possible that the antioxidants can help to reduce fat build up on the inner walls of the arteries. Scientists also are studying whether red wine may help maintain the flexibility of the blood vessel. Alcohol and heart problems need to be further studied.

These studies seem premature in their finding and do not consider that alcoholic drinks harm more than they help. It does address real issues with alcohol problems. A major risk of chronic alcohol use is the long-term damage that can be done to the internal organs of the body. For example, alcohol abuse is the leading factor of liver cirrhosis.

The scarred tissue of the liver cannot be returned to good health. The liver is responsible for metabolism of fats, proteins and carbohydrates as well as the major function of excretion of waste products from the body. An alcoholic problem can also lead to stomach ulcers, weight gain, fertility issues, and exhaustion of vital minerals and vitamins.

Doctors are cautious about alcohol consumption. In fact, generally, a woman (not pregnant) can have one drink daily. A man can consume two drinks daily. However, it should be the recommended serving size. For example, a standard drink is described as follows: 5 ounces of wine, 12 ounces of wine cooler, 12 ounces of beer or 1.5 ounce of 80-proof distilled liquor.

Current trends of alcoholic consumption have focused on carbohydrates. Many diet plans have limited carbohydrate consumption and this is a continuation of those plans.

A newer entry has been non-alcoholic drinks such as beers. They are malt-based beverage geared towards those who cannot consume alcohol: pregnant women, designated drivers and those with health concern that prohibit any malt-based products. There have not been studies on the health benefits of these drinks.

Doctors continue to state that the best non-alcoholic drink is pure water. It is the healthiest beverage choice. It helps to remove toxins and waste from your body. Water keeps the heart healthy and improves the condition of skin.

There are reasons for optimism about the possibility of renewed double-digit growth in yogurt drinks, including new flavors and packaging, rising interest in pro-biotic health benefits, lower cholesterol, high Omega 3 benefits, and the extension of the category into new forms of hybrids, including combinations with energy drinks.

Yogurt drinks have considerable health benefits, and are beneficial to the digestive system. It may offer the perfect balance of taste, convenience, nutrition and, increasingly, specific functionality to demanding individuals.

Yogurt drinks has benefits that the widely used milk don’t have: people who are moderately lactose-intolerant can’t drink milk but they can enjoy yogurt drinks without ill effects, because the lactose in the milk precursor is converted to lactic acid by the bacterial culture.

Yogurt healthy drinks are known and consumed all over the world. Being rich in potassium, calcium, protein and B vitamins, including B-12, they help stabilize the immune system, digest lactose and dairy products, and are a good source of iodine.

Yogurt drinks have uses for a variety of gastrointestinal conditions, and in preventing antibiotic-associated diarrhea. They also promotes good gum health because of the pro-biotic effect of lactic acids present in them.

Calcium, which is found in dairy products, needs to enter the body in an acid matrix or your body will not absorb it. So the lactic acid of yogurt, as a part of yogurt drink, is a perfect medium to maximize calcium absorption. Eight ounces of yogurt will equal 400 mg of calcium, 25% more calcium than you would get out of a glass of milk.

Another benefit is helping banish the belly. The same calcium stops the production of the hormone cortisol, which increases your stomach fat. So, if you want to look and be fitter then several tubs of fat-free yogurt drink a day can help you a lot.

As the summer is coming, some good, refreshing, yogurt drink recipes will be helpful. One of the most successful is the Spiced Minty Yogurt Drink. You will need: 1 cup of yogurt, ½ cup water, 12 mint leaves, ½ teaspoon cumin, 8 ice cubes, and some whole fresh mint leaves for garnish.

Firstly blend together all the ingredients except the ice cubes and whole mint leaves for the garnish until smooth in a blender. Then add the ice cubes and continue to blend another 20 to 30 seconds. Pour into glasses and garnish with the mint leaves. Then you can serve this refreshing, stimulating, and healthy yogurt drink.

Another Strawberry Yogurt Drink can be made of 1 cup of sliced strawberries, 1/2 cup of low-fat yogurt, 1/2 banana, 3 ice cubes, and some strawberries for garnish. Combine the sliced strawberries, yogurt, banana, and ice cubes in a blender. Process until smooth. Pour into glasses and garnish each serving with a strawberry. It is very simple and tasty.

And if it’s a really hot day, then you can try this one: Cooler-Than-Cool Yogurt Drink. Blend 2 cups of plain low-fat yogurt, 1 small, diced ripe avocado, 2/3 cup cubes seeded pared cucumber, 5 fresh mint leaves, 1/2 teaspoon celery salt, 1/4 teaspoon of pepper sauce, and 1 cup of cracked ice, except garnish. This really cool recipe will be good for 4 servings.

Yogurt drink is a healthy drink. It can be bought or made at home. It is a part of modern diets and always appears on the table of people who do care about their heath. It is tasty and useful and accessible in the same time. So what will you choose when looking next time for a drink?

Green tea. It is one of the most useful and healthy drinks, known for more then 4700 years. It contains over 700 chemicals that protects us from more then 300 different kinds of bacteria.

Tea plays an important role in improving beneficial intestinal micro-flora, as well as providing immunity against intestinal disorders and in protecting cell membranes from oxidative damage. The role of tea is well established in normalizing blood pressure, lipid depressing activity, prevention of coronary heart diseases and diabetes by reducing the blood-glucose activity.

Tea also prevents dental caries due to the presence of fluorine. Green tea infusions contain a huge number of antioxidants, mainly used to make our lives longer. Apart from that, green tea can easily reduces your thirst in hot, sunny days.

Black tea. It is a variety of tea that is more oxidized than the oolong, green, and white varieties. Black tea is generally stronger in flavor and contains more caffeine than the less oxidized teas. It also retains its flavor for several years. In spring, cold days it is perfect for rising up your mood and to keep the body temperature higher.

These types of tea can be mixed with different fruits, usually small, dried pieces. It will add something new in the casual process of drinking tea. Every tea-drinking can become a small holiday. If you have no time for creative work – the same teas mixed with fruits can be bought in the neighbor shops.

Water. One of the oldest and most undiscovered substances and healthy drinks. Using natural water in you daily food is essential for a healthy life. Some raw-eaters consider water the only drink that must be consumed.

But only clean water is really useful for our body. There are many and difficult ways to clean it, but one of the most available and workable is just using silver in the process of purifying. It will give you the possibility to drink clean water and to have a healthy body and life.

Juice. It is a healthy liquid naturally contained in fruit or vegetable tissue. Juice is prepared by mechanically squeezing or macerating fresh fruits or vegetables without the application of heat or solvents. Juice may be prepared in the home from fresh fruits and vegetables using variety of hand or electric juicers.

It’s composition and taste depend on the fruits mixed there. Juices are often consumed for their health benefits. For example, orange juice is rich in vitamin C, while prune juice is associated with a digestive health benefit. Cranberry juice has long been known to help prevent or even treat bladder infections. Besides, today it’s popular to combine different fruits into a single juice drink.

These simple and accessible drinks do help everyone to support a healthy body and good mood. They represent a part of everyday life for all people who cares about themselves.

Protein Drinks are usually associated with body building, endurance, weight loss or supplementation but no matter what is your interest, there is a protein drinks formulated that certainly suits your needs. High protein beverages have now become one of the fastest growing areas of health foods. The best protein drinks is fortified with all the needed nutrients and packed with benefits. It works on beefing up or slimming down, immunity enhancement and boosting endurance.

Our body is capable of making amino acids but not the essential amino acids. Essential amino acids can be achieved by eating quality protein foods. Quality protein foods are based on person’s age, weight, sex, activity level and overall health.

To ensure that your protein drink is nutritious and safe, you can prepare a homemade protein drinks for your family. Make your own protein drink by using protein powder combined with orange or grape juices. A fruity flavor like bananas, peaches and blueberries is great especially for children. Here is a suggested ingredients and procedure that will make a tasty and delicious homemade protein drinks.

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup of frozen yogurt vanilla flavor or ice cream
• 1/4 medium-size ripe banana, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup evaporated milk
• 2 pecans, broken
• 1 tbsp of raw or toasted wheat germ
• 1 tbsp protein powder

Direction:

1. Put the frozen yogurt or ice cream, milk, banana, pecans, wheat gem and protein powder altogether in a mixer or blender.
2. Cover and blend them until all ingredients are mix thoroughly.
3. Serve and enjoy!

The main source of protein is the animal meat. However, eating them everyday is not advisable. Meat cannot be digested easily and it contains cholesterol which is harmful to health. Protein Drinks is the best alternative. It will sustain your daily protein requirements and can be digested easily. This is widely used by body builders, weight losers, athletes and people that are always on the go. On the other hand, protein drinks is not exclusively for them, it is for everyone.

There are different kinds of protein drinks available in the stores, supermarkets and online. In purchasing one, see to it that you read the nutritional facts posted in its label. By knowing the nutritional facts you can determine which product is suited to your age, sex, weight and taste. If you prefer to buy them online, there are websites that provide proper information about the product. Visit one of them and choose what best protein drinks are for you and your family.

If you are healthy drinking soda, you are more likely to have a lower intake of important nutrients, such as vitamin C, vitamin A, folate, magnesium, and calcium. The decrease in calcium can result in reduced bone mass, which can contribute to broken bones in children and can possibly lead to osteoporosis later in life.

Some nutritionists say that healthy drinking high-fructose corn syrup causes weight gain by interfering with the body’s natural ability to suppress hunger feelings. For those who can’t do without their soda pop, natural varieties are growing in popularity and can be found at most health food markets. Many use cane juice to sweeten, because it is less processed but has many of the nutrients found in sugar cane. Others add no sweetener and instead let the real fruit ingredients do the job.

Healthy drinking – water.

Whether it is flat or fizzy, flavored or plain, water is a fundamental component of your family fitness plan and is the perfect beverage for everyone. Over 1 billion people worldwide have no access to safe drinking water. The United States is fortunate to have one of the best supplies of drinking water in the world. Although tap water that meets federal and state standards is generally safe to drink, threats to drinking water quality in the United States still exist. Outbreaks of drinking water-associated illness and water restrictions during droughts demonstrate that we cannot take our drinking water for granted.

Did you know that your tap drinking water may contain a number of contaminants from a range of sources that can make you ill? Some contaminants have an effect on the look, smell and taste of your drinking water, yet some will be unnoticeable and can potentially have more harmful effects on your health.

Healthy drinking – milk.

Low-fat and fat-free milk are healthful beverage alternatives. Next to water, low-fat or fat-free milk and soy milk are the best beverage options for your family healthy drinking. Milk contains calcium, which we often don’t get enough of, as well as protein. Soy milk is a great alternative to cow’s milk, especially if you are lactose intolerant, have problems with chronic upper respiratory infections (sinus infections or ear infections), have asthma, or are just looking to include more soy in your diet. Chocolate milk is healthy drink for an occasional treat; just try to control the amount of chocolate added to keep the sugar under control.

Healthy drinking – vegetable juice.

Healthy drinking of vegetable juice is a great low-calorie choice that offers antioxidants, such as vitamins A and C, and other nutrients such as lycopene, which has been linked to a reduced risk of prostate cancer. Eight ounces of vegetable juice has 2 grams of fiber, is very low in sugar, and has only 50 calories.

Healthy drinking – coffee drinks.

With the rise of the chain coffee houses has come the popularity of creamy coffee drinks that are chock full of sugar and calories You could easily get more than half of your daily calorie allowance from your coffee break. Fortunately, you don’t have to forgo your treat. There are many lower-calorie choices, such as a small café latte or cappuccino made with fat-free milk (about 120 calories). You could also try for healthy drinking a 12-ounce Chai tea with fat-free milk for about 170 calories. Choose from a selection of herbal teas or, of course, plain old zero-calorie black java. And instead of the muffins or cake, try a crunchy biscotti for around 120 calories.

Healthy drinking – 100 percent fruit juice.

100 percent fruit juice is just that — it is made solely from fruit with no sugar added. Healthy drinking of fruit juice has the added benefit of being full of the vitamins that are naturally found in fruit, such as vitamin C and folate. I would suggest limiting the total amount of juice for the day to 4 to 8 ounces.

Bradford and Airedale Community pharmacy development and clinical governance pharmacist from BAtPCT, Rachel Urban, mark out:

Top tips for babies’ healthy drinking

- Breast milk or infant formula should be the main drink for babies aged one and under
- Cooled boiled water is best if extra drinks are needed between meals
- Sugary drinks should never be served in a bottle
- Parents should not allow babies to use a bottle in bed
- Bottles should not be used by babies aged over 12 months
- Pure unsweetened fruit juice is a useful source of vitamin C and should be drunk with main meals or breakfast
- Squash, if given, should be served at mealtimes only and never in a feeding bottle
- Fizzy drinks – including diet drinks – should be discouraged
- Free-flow feeder cups should be used from six months
- Valve cups, anyway up and sip and seal cups are not recommended

Here’s the list of the healthiest drinks in the world:

1. Water
The best and most healthy drink in the world is water. So safe drinking water is another essential. It is the most natural drink in the world yet normal tap water can contain up to 2100 contaminants and if you are consuming these you can be exposed to all means of nasties such as poisons, lead ingestion & even chlorine. So in order to get the full benefits of water you must drink it from a pure source. Pregnant women should drink pure water as impure water can lead to birth defects.

2. Tea
Tea is actually one of the three healthiest drinks in the world. In fact, it is the most commonly consumed beverage after water. The simple tea leaf has conquered the world and has become a beloved drink that billions of people enjoy. However, tea is not just an ordinary beverage. This delicately flavored drink offers numerous important health benefits. It’s therefore not sensible to stop drinking tea in favour of sweetened, artificially flavoured drinks.

The antioxidants that tea contains in abundance can help keep our immune systems healthy and fight infections; they have anti-aging properties, and can even help in the fight against cancer causing cells. The polyphenols in tea can reduce gastric, esophageal and skin cancers. Another health benefit of tea is that it has virtually no calories. Tea is a perfect beverage for people who are trying to reduce weight. It is also a preferred alternative to coffee as it has less caffeine. Tea also contains fluoride for strong teeth. Green tea also seems to help protect the body from autoimmune disorders. As one of the healthiest drinks in the world, green tea aids digestion, boosts the immune system, promotes weight loss, inhibits carcinogens, and lowers cholesterol and high blood pressure.

It’s clear that we should be drinking as much tea as we can. And with a sophisticated black kettle as a part of your stylish black and white kitchen, boiling up that brew can be as fun as it is healthy.

3. Grape Juice
Grape juice is a fruit juice obtained from crushing grapes, and considering all of its benefits it can be named as one of the healthiest drinks in the world. The juice is often fermented and made into wine, brandy, or vinegar.

A recent study published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry found that grape juice was among the highest in antioxidants among the juices tested, including pomegranate juice. Red wine and certain types of grape juices have high levels of polyfenol which can stop the production of proteins causing cardiovascular illnesses. Drinking Concord grape juice can be good for the heart – much like red wine. And so, with the link between alcohol consumption and breast cancer causing concern for some women, drinking 100 percent grape juice made from Concord grapes can help your heart and perhaps your breast health. Grape juice can also lower the risk of developing the blood clots that lead to heart attacks.

4. Superjuice
One of the healthiest drinks in the world – is a superjuice that contains 19 different nutrient-rich fruits, and the whole fruit: juice, pulp and skin, so you get all the goodness and antioxidants. The main ingredient is the acai berry from the Amazon rainforest, which has been dubbed The World’s Number One Super Food by Dr Nicholas Perricone. The other fruits include bilberry, goji (wolfberry), pomegranate, acerola, camucamu, red and white grapes, all selected so that the superjuice is packed with health-protecting phytonutrients right across the entire colour spectrum.

Remember it’s important to drink much, but don’t forget about the clean drinking water.