Healthy drinks are easy to make and creating them at home provides an opportunity to mix and match various flavors dependent on personal tastes. Smoothies are taking the healthy juice market by storm, and more and more people are enjoying their daily allotments of fruits and vegetables in a tasty beverage. In addition to smoothies, there are a lot of green tea based drinks currently on the market. Another popular drink option that is healthy is water that has been fortified with enzymes, such as Smart Water. It is very important to stay hydrated, especially in the summer months, and there exist a multitude of healthy juices and fortified waters available to today's health conscious consumer. Bolthouse Farms offers nutrient packed smoothies that can even double as a meal replacement option.
The main advantage of making one's juice at home is quality control over the ingredients used. Personal tastes and preferences make home juicing ideal for those with food sensitivities and allergies. Knowing exactly is going into the juice is another advantage.
Bananas and strawberries are far and away the most popular smoothie ingredients. For those looking to up their veggie intake, kale and spinach reign supreme. Blueberries are also popular due to their high antioxidant content.
Old-style brands such as Tropicana are joining the healthy juice wave and introducing some great low-sugar products along with their classics. Newer brands such as Pom and Bolthouse Farms have introduced products that are both healthy and great tasting.
Juices that contain a lot of fruit will have a high natural sugar content. Natural or not, sugar is still sugar and it is best to limit its intake when looking for healthy options. Look for juices that have a fruit and vegetable mix rather than those that are all fruit.
Caffeine is not necessarily unhealthy but it is important to not drink too much of it. Juices and iced teas are still healthier than sodas, no matter their caffeine content. Herbal iced teas that do not contain any caffeine are a better option, and green tea has less caffeine than black tea.
Smoothie enthusiasts have quickly realized the hefty price tag associated with buying their daily fix at trendy juice bars. For this reason and others, many are opting to make their juices themselves. Most reputable kitchen appliance makers such as Kitchen Aid and GE offer a range of high-quality juicers.
When looking for healthy juices the biggest concern is the sugar content. High sugar and calorie contents can negate many of the healthy aspects of juices. Fresh ingredients are best, and if buying mass-produced juices, be sure to double check the sugar content.
Juice fasts are gaining popularity in the mainstream but there is little scientific research that supports their efficacy. Fasting for weight loss may yield temporary results but the long-term benefits seem mostly unfounded.