Drink To Live

“We drink to one another’s health and spoil our own” -Jerome K. Jerome
“I also eat fruit instead of drinking juices. That’s something I’ve read up on. I think that if you drink a lot of fruit juice you take in way too much sugar. You’d be better off eating a bunch of strawberries or apples.” -Kris Humphries
“First you take a drink, then the drink takes a drink, then the drink takes you” -F. Scott Fitzgerald
“Water is the Only drink for a wise man” -Henry David Thoreau”
In recent years, thousands of drink products have been brought to market. I have been amazed and sometimes overwhelmed at all the different drinks in supermarkets and convenient stores. Now, consumers can choose from drinks such as coconut water, antioxidant water, almond milk, hemp milk, juice, juice drinks, and so on. Consumers can choose from flavored, regular, diet, or mixed sodas. Sweet flavors and promotional health benefits have become main factors in choosing certain drinks. Even though people have more choice at the store, they are probably more confused than ever. We now “live to drink” as opposed to “drink to live.”
When people “Live to Drink”, negative health outcomes usually occur. Sodas, energy drinks, and sports drinks have become popular to most people and the norm from to their day to day. Most of these drinks that taste sweet contain a ton of sugar. Sugar has a double edged sword when it comes to our health. When people eat foods high in sugar, they become addicted to the molecule. They crave and want it more. Sugar contains empty calories, meaning that the high calories do not bring many nutritional benefits. With that being said, calories from sugar encourage weight gain. Why, then, do many people choose drinks that make them gain weight? Most of the time, people choose temporary enjoyment over longstanding, consistent health.
If you value your health and body, choose to “drink to live.” Choose drinks that encourage hydration, healthy bones, energy, and a healthy weight. Water is calorie free and does not count to any weight gain. It keeps our bodies hydrated and skin healthy. Drink milk! Low fat milk helps build healthy bones, repair muscles, and even relieves stress. Coffee can be a healthy drink if chosen wisely. Regular coffee encourages steady energy and offers antioxidants. Adding creams and sugars adds more empty calories to this popular drink. What matters most is to choose drinks that have health benefits over anything else. To choose a drink for its sweet taste is only setting yourself up for failure. As Always, Eat, Move, and Improve!