Coconut Water as a Natural Health Drink

Today, people are more conscious about their health more than ever. From food, lifestyle, and down to their fluid intakes—many people are cautious to maintain a healthy body. This thinking led to the emergence of various products that can veer them away from certain diseases such as health drinks.

Into healthy practice

Nowadays, more and more of people are getting into diets that lower down the excessive intake of fats and other chemicals that may cause illness. Many are also those who get into workouts to keep their bodies fit and healthy. And there are also those who use products such as vitamins and other health supplements to improve their bodies' resistance to illnesses.

But many are not aware that drinking commercial healthy drinks don't always guarantee a healthy body. In fact, many of the so-called "healthy drinks" in the market contain chemicals and additional substances that may be harmful to the body. Also, make sure that you buy these from reputable stores and manufacturers to ensure your body's safety.

The wonders of coconut water

If you are one of those who are into healthy drinks, the best way to ensure that you are getting vitamins and minerals with harmful chemicals is to drink natural-based drinks such as coconut water.

In tropical islands such as those in the Caribbean, Southern Asia, Pacific Islands, South America, and Central America, coconut water is considered as the most popular drink not only during summer but also for the whole-year. Aside from being abundant, people in these areas drink lots of it not only because it is the purest natural drink available but also because of its health benefits.

When freshly obtained from unripe coconuts, coconut water is a rich source many organic compounds that are good for a person's total well being. Experts agree that this is one of the best health drinks out there because it is basically 99 percent free from fat, have low amounts of sugar content and low in carbohydrates which is among the major culprit in gaining weight.

For people who are on-the-go or those who undergo rigorous workout, this is an ideal health drink because it maintains the body's normal temperature, re-hydrates the body well, and easily replenishes the lost fluids in the body after a series of exercise.

Considered as a natural isotonic beverage, coconut water is considered as one of the best natural health drinks out there aids fast but healthy metabolism, it improves the body's immune system, while cleansing the your digestive tract very well.

For those who are into maintaining physical beauty, coconut water is a healthy drink because it greatly helps in the rejuvenation of body cells and maintaining the pH levels of the body while acting as an effective natural detoxifying supplement.

Doctors and other professionals in the medical field will also agree that coconut water is very effective in keeping a healthy body. People who want to protect their bodies from various illness, coconut water is a very effective healthy drink because it contains anti-viral properties which protects the body from diseases such as flu, herpes, and others.

It is also useful in maintaining sugar counts for diabetics, effective for those with kidney stones and other urethral conditions, and can reduce the risks of having cancer as well as in the enhancement of the blood's proper circulation.

Can Coffee be a Health Drink?

A few years ago, there were studies saying that coffee can be associated with cancer. This prompted people to avoid drinking the caffeinated drink. A few years after that study, researches have recounted the research quoting that the research is flawed. Current research have showed that coffee can give the body a lot of benefits.

Harvard researchers are saying that coffee, when drank regularly, can be a cure for diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and colon cancer.  It could even improve your mood and treat daily headache problems.  It could even be drank to lower risk of cavities.

Research shows that regular coffee drinkers are 80 percent less likely to have Parkinson’s disease.  While 2-cups-a-day drinkers can reduce the risk of colon cancer by 25 percent and 80 percent in liver cirrhosis risk.  It can even slash the risk of gallstones by half.  There are even studies showing that people who smoke and drink heavily, have less heart and liver damage because of their coffee intake.

So, what causes these benefits?  It is the anti-oxidants, and surprisingly from the caffeine also.  Currently, drugs for curing Parkinson’s disease are being developed.  These drugs have a derivative of caffeine as their component.  Coffee also has chlorogenic acid and  tocophenols which are antioxidants.  These mineral components can improve insulin sensitivity.  When we talk about insulin sensitivity, it is the body’s response to insulin.

There were studies conducted in Europe citing that the trigonelline, the compound which is why coffee smells good and has bitter taste,  also has benefits.  It can be both antibacterial and anti-adhesive.  These prevent the formation of dental cavities.

But can everybody drink coffee?

Unfortunately, not everybody can drink coffee. People with bladder and kidney problems, existing diabetes, gallstones, heart problems, high cholesterol levels, hypoglycemia and generalized panic and /or anxiety attacks should avoid drinking coffee altogether.  Avoiding drinking coffee is also advised to pregnant women and those with high risk of osteoporosis.

For pregnant women, if coffee cannot be avoided, then it is recommended just to drink one to two cups a day.  Infertility, miscarriages and low birth weight among babies are the primary reason why pregnant women are recommended against drinking coffee.

Excessive caffeine intake can also lead to nervousness, anxiety and rapid heartbeat.  The caffeine overstimulates the nervous system, making the adrenal glands work overboard.  Osteoporosis patients are also advised against coffee.  Coffee reduces the capability of bones to absorb the necessary minerals, making the bones weak and in risk of osteoporosis.  But the effects can be reduced if milk is mixed with coffee.

For some people, coffee can also be addictive.  People who have stopped drinking coffee experience withdrawal symptoms.  They would get headaches, less energy and alertness, difficulty in being focused, get irritated easily and sometimes even get depressed.

Over caffeine consumption can also have an impact on your skin, since it increases the risk of developing stretch marks.  Caffeine may also play a role in weight gain.  Although, it is mentioned that coffee drinkers may lose weight in the short-term, but in a longer period of time, coffee can lead to weight gain.

Coffee both has good and bad effects.  Similar to other beverages and food, once it is taken in big amounts, then it is likely that they may have undesirable effects to your body.  Whether coffee can be considered as a health drink, it is up to you to make the choice.

Black Tea is also a Health Drink

Tea is a good health drink. While some prefer Green Tea, did you know that you can get the same benefits by drinking Black Tea?

This is because Green tea and Black tea come from the same plant. In fact, there are two other teas that can also be made namely oolong and white tea. What makes these teas different from one another is simply how it is processed.

If you drink Black tea regularly, you will have healthy arteries and increase your blood flow because it has antioxidants known as falconoid that also give the tea this rich flavor. Your cholesterol levels will also drop, you can protect yourself from certain cancers, develop stronger bones, have fresher breath and fewer cavities.

Just like coffee, Black Tea contains caffeine. The difference between the two is the fact that a cup of Black Tea or any other only contains 30 to 40 mg. of caffeine while coffee contains about 135 mg.

Another benefit of Black Tea is the fact that it is calorie free. However, this will only stay that way as long as you don’t ass any sweeter or milk which can’t be helped since tea tastes bland without these additives.

Heating is important to get the most of a sachet of Black tea.  This is because the heat helps the tea leaves impart their taste to the water. To do that, you have to set the sachet in the kettle for 2 to 3 minutes before pouring it into the cup.

For those who decide to put the sachet straight into the cup, take out the bag first before drinking to prevent it from sinking to the bottom. Nothing bad will happen if you don’t except that when you are almost finished with the cup, the tea bag will probably land on your face.

If you don’t like the taste of Black Tea and want to sweeten it a bit, try putting in some sugar, honey or a slice of lemon. You may even add ilk similar to those who drink coffee.

You can have a snack whenever you feel like drinking Black Tea. This is great to have with biscuits, cake or cookies. This will even be better if you decide to have this before you go to work, as you are relaxing in the house or when you are entertaining visitors.

Black Tea does not always have to be served with hot water. You can enjoy a cold glass by adding some ice and honey. One alcoholic concoction is punch and for that, you will need some orange juice, apple juice, mint, gingerale and some rum.

It is also great to serve with egg nog by mixing some eggs, ground nutmeg, milk, vanilla extract, salt and whip cream.

Aside from these three drinks, there are other mixtures you can make with Black Tea. All you have to do is read up on it and try out a few experiments on your own. That way, you have something healthier to offer yourself and guests whenever you have someone over.

Black Tea is very popular which is why a lot of people drink it. While some prefer this over coffee, little do they know that doctors and other health professionals consider it as health drink.

Green Tea is a Great Health Drink

Green tea is one of the best health drinks around. In fact, the Chinese have used this for more than 4,000 years which is why we should drink it as well and experience its benefits.

The benefits of drinking green tea include regulating your blood sugar, preventing certain cancers, fighting plaque, lowering your cholesterol and slowing down the aging process.

But what makes green tea so special is the fact that it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate also known as EGCG.

This is a powerful anti-oxidant that does two things. First it inhibits the growth of cancer cells and second, it kills cancer cells without harming any healthy tissue. It also lowers your cholesterol by inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots which causes someone to have either a heart attack or stroke.

Green tea is able to fight tooth decay because it inhibits the major bacteria called Streptococcus mutans from forming in between the teeth. At the same time, drinking this regularly also helps prevent gum disease.

Some people might ask, don’t other types of tea have the same benefits as green tea? They do but what sets green tea apart is how it is processed. The other products are not steamed so the EGCG compound which was explained earlier is not oxidized.

So what are you waiting for? Go down to the supermarket and buy a box of green tea and starting drinking it so you are able to experience its many healthy benefits. If the taste is bland after you pour it into your cup, add some flavoring by adding sugar, honey or even a lemon wedge.

You might be wondering, when is the best time to drink green tea? Since it contains caffeine, you should only drink this first thing in the morning and at different times during the day. You must never drink caffeine when you are hungry because this will just increase your appetite or at night because it will make it hard for you to get a good night’s sleep.

Since it will take some time to finish a box of green tea, proper storage is important. To do that, make sure this is kept in an airtight container once you open it and away from light. You can also put it in the refrigerator at a temperature between 38 to 45 degrees Fahrenheit.

People who are allergic to caffeine should not drink green tea. If you are pregnant, drink this in moderation. If you happen to have some left over green tea from the day before, throw it away and just make a new one because it is best to drink when it is fresh from the kettle.

Green tea just like coffee contains caffeine. This might lead you to the conclusion that this makes this drink just as bad as coffee but in reality, it isn’t because the caffeine content in green tea is fifty percent less than coffee.

There is no doubt that a health drink like green tea can do a lot for you. If you have never tried it before, it is never too late to start to boil a water of water and putting in a tea bag. You can drink it separately or do with the English do and serve this with a few biscuits.