Healthy Homemade Drinks That Keep You Hydrated

When the weather is warm it's important to make sure that you have the proper fluid intake. But drinking too many of the wrong fluids can actually make you more thirsty. Here are some homemade drinks you can make that taste good and keep you full and cool.

What is it about drinks? We feel thirsty so we grab all manner of wet liquids, but they all aren’t created the same. And many people forget to count their drinks when they are adding up calories in their day.

Here is an eye-opener. One glass of soda is one cup or 8 ounces. With one of those large 24-ounce bottles, that would equal three servings. If each serving is about 120 calories, then drinking the whole bottle means you’ve just consumed 360 empty calories (not to mention all the chemical additives you just consumed). That could be the better part of a meal that would have kept you full. Instead, it’s a soda that will leave you hungry in 20 minutes.

Healthy Drinks

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What we need is a drink makeover. Separate the hydration drinks from the non-hydration drinks. Sodas are definitely non-hydration drinks. This means that while they may taste good, they are not meeting the thirst need.

In your body, all of that extra sugar is actually causing more water to be pulled out of the cells. The same thing happens with caffeinated drinks. So, caffeine drinks and sugar-filled drinks are not what you want to drink if you need to stay hydrated.

Here are some drinks that you can make at home that will fit the bill. Obviously the best hydration drink is water but sometimes you need a change. Many other healthy foods contain water and you can use that to your advantage.

* Smoothies – Fruit contains natural sugars and also a lot of water. Use fiber-filled fruits like mangoes, bananas, strawberries and blueberries. Mix with vanilla or plain yogurt and some ice cubes or fruit juice. If you need to, add a little honey to taste. Mix well in a blender. (I do this pretty much every morning for breakfast throughout the summer when I want something cool and fresh to start the day. I also add a tablespoon or so of organic virgin coconut oil for a bit of healthy fat and it really does keep me full until lunchtime.)

* Lemonade – Instead of using those drink mixes, make your own. Juice six to eight lemons. Add the juice to a large pitcher. Fill to near the top with water. For sweetness, instead of adding sugar, try a natural sugar substitute like Stevia or honey or agave nectar. Mix well. Allow to chill in the fridge. Serve over ice.

* Fruit teas – Start with your favorite flavored tea or herbal infusion. Be sure that it is decaffeinated. Steep the tea bags in a pot of boiling water. For taste, add some honey. You can also add some fruit juice concentrate to further sweeten the taste.

If you like soda, for any drink that you make at home like lemonades or teas, you can mix with equal parts seltzer water for a bubbly refreshing take on soda without all the extra calories. Or use one of the popular soda maker machines to turn just about any beverage into a sparkling drink.

Drink to your health this summer and stay hydrated with these healthy and refreshing drink ideas.