Smart Heart Drinks

Quench Your Thirst with Healthy Refreshing Beverages

A Heart Healthy Diet – green leafy vegetables, brightly colored fruits, fish …
To lower cholesterol and improve your heart's health, don't just think healthier foods - think healthier drinks too.

Here are some beverages that you should probably be drinking more of, in your quest of a ‘hearty health’ -

• Water - Water is the ideal beverage, with zero calories, and 100% hydration! Aim to have 6-8 cups each day. If plain water isn’t your thing, why not liven it up a little with a few slices of lemon, lime, or cucumber? Or, if you go for flavored water, be sure to check the nutritional label, as they can be very high in sugar, or artificial sweeteners.

• Milk - Low-fat milk or soymilk are also healthy beverage alternatives, and considering most of us don’t get enough calcium, a glass of milk each day can be particularly useful. If you opt for soymilk, look out for the calcium enriched version. Sterol-fortified milks are available, which can be useful if you’re trying to lower cholesterol levels.

• Whole fruit juice - When you are choosing fruit juice, select those that are 100% whole with no added sugar. A small glass (4 ounces) makes up one serving, which is the recommended daily amount.
You can also purchase a sterol-fortified version, which will help to lower high cholesterol levels, and reduce inflammation – a process which plays an important role in the development of heart disease.

• Alcohol - The beverage that has received the most attention when it comes to heart health is alcohol. The evidence is pretty solid that alcohol provides some benefits for the heart. However, those benefits are not strong enough to justify recommending that nondrinkers take up the bottle.

Adults who drink one or two alcoholic beverages a day have a lower risk of coronary heart disease than those who don’t. If you do drink, keep in mind that although moderate drinking is probably good for your heart, there is strong evidence that more than three drinks a day can raise blood pressure.

In addition, alcohol can interact with some medications and can lower blood sugar in people with diabetes. If you have diabetes, check with your doctor or dietitian before adding alcohol to your meal plan.

Drinks of this variety pack a punch for your heart, while fizzy beverages or energy drinks can be trouble-makers. When thirst strikes, choose wisely – after all, these are matters of the heart!