The 10 Healthiest Bottled Drinks for You
There once was a time when the term "juice cleanse" wasn't part of our national lexicon. When a Red Bull was something you'd expect to find on a farm, not on a store shelf. But companies keep launching new drinks because Americans keep guzzling them. Beverage World estimates that per capita consumption of nonalcoholic beverages (not including water) was about 116 gallons in 2010.
Many drinks are nothing more than a blood sugar spike waiting to happen. But sometimes you need a little flavor or (gasp!) fizz that water can't provide. So what then? "Keep it simple," says Keri Glassman, RD, the author of The New You and Improved Diet. "Stick to natural ingredients, and use a small piece of fruit-about 60 calories-as a reference for how much is reasonable to consume at once."
Here, 10 drinks you'll feel good about gulping. (Plus, learn why you should Stay Away From Energy Drinks.)
1. Alo Drink$1.99; Whole Foods
Favorite flavor: Escape (aloe, pineapple, guava, and sea buckthorn berry juice)
Calories: 70 per serving
Perks: This juice contains sea buckthorn berry, which boasts omega-3s,-6s,-7s, and-9s. Together, these aid digestion, regulate inflammation, and maintain healthy skin and muscle, says Vandana Sheth, RD, a spokesperson for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
2. PitayaPlus Super Juice$2.99; Whole Foods
Favorite flavor: Pitaya + Lemon + Coconut Water
Calories: 70 per bottle
Perks: The pitaya's flesh and peel are potent sources of antioxidants. One bottle of this juice delivers the antioxidant equivalent of about 100 large blueberries and 25% of your daily fiber. Bonus: This company sources pitaya from small, family-owned farms in Nicaragua and operates out of a solar-powered factory.
3. AhhMigo$2.99; ahhmigo.com
Favorite flavor: Camu & Water
Calories: 20 per bottle
Perks: The star ingredient in this berry juice blend, camu camu berry, is a great natural source of vitamin C. One bottle contains 200% of your recommended daily intake. It's sweetened with a hint of maple sugar.
4. Mamma Chia$3.49; grocery stores
Favorite flavors: Blackberry Hibiscus, Grapefruit Ginger
Calories: 120 per bottle
Perks: Thanks to chia seeds, each bottle contains 4 g of complete protein and 25% of your recommended daily intake of fiber. These seeds develop a gelatinous texture when submerged in liquid, creating a smoothie-like consistency.
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5. Celestial Seasonings Kombucha$2.99; grocery stores
Favorite flavor: Original
Calories: 30-40 per serving
Perks: Kombucha is created by combining organic black tea, natural sugars, and SCOBY (symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast). The SCOBY consumes the sugar, producing an effervescent drink containing probiotics, B vitamins, and acetic acid, which studies have shown can help stabilize blood glucose levels and boost satiety. Kombucha is raw and unpasteurized, so keep it refrigerated and consume within a few days of buying.
6. KeVita$3.49; grocery stores
Favorite flavors: Mango Coconut, Pomegranate
Calories: 10-90 per bottle
Perks: These organic blends of fruit juices and seltzer are lightly sweetened with stevia and contain probiotics-4 billion colony-forming units at time of manufacture-to help maintain a healthy gut.
7. Tea of a Kind$2.99; gizmo-tea-of-a-kind. myshopify.com
Favorite flavor: Peach Ginger Black Tea
Calories: 10 per serving
Perks: This tea's bottle cap contains a special pressurized chamber that self-mixes the tea when you twist the cap, which may help preserve antioxidants (plus, it's fun to open!). It's lightly sweetened with stevia and a bit of cane sugar.
8. Izze Esque$1.39-$1.69; Whole Foods
Favorite flavor: Sparkling Black Raspberry
Calories: 50 per bottle
Perks: If you want juice without all the calories, opt for this one blended with sparkling water. It contains just 25% of the calories of an equal amount of juice.
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9. Taste Nirvana's All Natural Real Coconut Water with Pulp$1.08; tastenirvana.com, grocery stores
Calories: 75 per bottle
Perks: This coconut water has 600 mg of hydrating potassium (about 180 mg more than a medium banana), so it might be a better replenishing option than a sports drink after an intense workout, says Glassman.
10. Numi Organic Pu-erh Bottled Iced Tea$1.99-$2.99; numitea.com, grocery stores
Favorite flavor: Earl Grey
Calories: 40 per bottle
Perks: Pu-erh is a variety of tea that's fermented and aged for a prolonged period, similar to wine, and contains high levels of antioxidants. Some consider it to have a richer, smoother taste than other teas. This bottled variety is lightly sweetened with sugar.
--By Stephanie Eckelkamp and Hannah Woit, Prevention.com
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