People focus on food when trying to lose weight but what about what you are drinking?

You really do need to be careful that you aren’t sucking loads of calories through a straw.

Some drinks actually dehydrate our body, so what are the best drinks to keep us hydrated?

 1)    Coffee and tea are diuretics due to the caffeine so these are not hydrating drinks. Don’t count them in your 8 glasses of water each day and remember if you are adding sugar to your coffee this can add huge amounts of calories as well.

 2)    Herbal teas are a good way to increase your fluid intake and detox your body.

 3)    Fruit Juice has a high sugar and low fibre intake. I also think that juice should be drunk in moderation and not instead of water. It is better to eat your fruit than juice it.

 4)    Vegetable juice is a good way to increase hydration and is low in calories. Just be careful as over consuming carrot juice can make your skin go a little orange due to the carotene.

5)    Water is the optimum drink. If you have 8 glasses a day your body will thank you for this. If you aren’t a big fan then put a purifier on your tap to make the water taste better.

 6)    Alcohol does not hydrate your body at all. Just like caffeine drinks, alcoholic drinks dehydrate the body and add huge amounts of calories to your diet. Moderation is important for good health.

 7)    Soft drinks are full of sugar and gas. Avoid cola’s as they have caffeine. Diet soft drinks use artificial sweeteners. Don’t overdo them as they are so sweet they can keep your sweet tooth alive.

8)    Milk is an important part of people’s diet. It is a good source of energy and protein and contains a wide range of vitamins and minerals. It is important to remember it is a food not a drink, so don’t count this in your 8 glasses of water each day.

9)    Cordial is high in sugar. Diet cordials use artificial sweeteners so use in moderation. If it isn’t in the cupboard the kids can’t have it so it is better to not bring high sugar drinks home.

 10)  My last tip is to remember habits are formed early in life so if you teach children water is the best drink and the one they should have when thirsty, then it will not only help keep their teeth healthier but will decrease the amount of calories consumed.

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