7 summer drinks reviewed

Iced coffee is often high in sugar and is sometimes made with cream. “An iced cappuccino can contain up to 250 calories. You should therefore not quench your thirst too often with this kind of drink. It should be seen as a treat, says nutritionist Stéphanie Côté. Also watch out for iced tea sold on the shelves, it also contains a lot of sugar.

However, it is possible to make homemade iced coffees and limit the number of calories. “You need a blender, strong coffee, partially skimmed milk, a little sugar or chocolate milk and lots of ice cubes. It makes very refreshing drinks that are less concentrated in calories than the market versions. This homemade version can be considered “a very wise treat,” she adds.

Finally, there are also hot herbal teas that can be cooled, such as homemade iced tea. Fruit herbal teas are great with ice cubes and can be a good choice to quench your thirst, she says.

Among the less interesting choices to quench your thirst are soft drinks that contain an average of 10 teaspoons of sugar.

“The catch with these carbonated drinks is that liquid calories are less well detected by the body,” she says. So, we tend to continue to eat to be satisfied. One thing is certain, soft drinks and diet drinks do not provide valuable nutrients and they help maintain the attraction of sugar. “

Mineral water and lemon or lime flavored sparkling spring water with no added sugar are great ways to hydrate. But beware, mineral water can contain a lot of sodium. It should therefore be consumed in moderation.

Vitamin water

Regarding water enriched with vitamins, Stéphanie Côté recommends reading the list of ingredients or the nutritional information on the bottle because some are sweet.

Moreover, vitamin intake is not necessary if you have a good diet. “It is better to get our vitamins from food, not only in fruits and vegetables, but also in meats, grain products and other nutritious foods, than to turn to a vitamin supplement”, emphasizes- she.

Pure fruit juices are always a better choice than a soft drink. You should look for fruit juices that are 100% concentrated, but limit their consumption to 1 glass per day. However, it is possible to dilute them with water to decrease the concentration of calories and sugar.

Homemade, they can be healthy and nutritious. Consume in moderation, however, because depending on what you put in, a smoothie can contain 100 to 200 calories.

Here are some recipe ideas:

• Blueberry smoothie
• Refreshing smoothie
• Sportsman’s smoothie
• Chocolate-fruity smoothie
• Coconut milk smoothie

“Everyone needs to drink milk, especially children. They need to drink at least 500 ml per day to meet their need for vitamin D. Milk and soy drinks contain interesting nutrients, even if they provide calories. As these drinks contain protein, they are more filling. They do not have the same perverse effect as soft drinks, ”says Stéphanie Côté.

Vanilla and chocolate soy drinks are still a good choice, even if they are “a little sweet,” she adds. She suggests diluting them with a plain soy drink to reduce the sugar content.

“The water is sugar-free, calorie-free and additive-free. It is therefore the best drink to consume to quench thirst and hydrate. You have to drink several glasses a day. To get out of the monotony, you can add lemon, lime or orange slices. All you need to do is prepare a pitcher and leave it in the refrigerator all the time to make you want to drink more often, ”suggests Stéphanie Côté.

You can also make ice cubes from 100% concentrated fruit juice and put 2 ice cubes in your glass of water to enhance the taste.

Stéphanie Côté advises to always have water with you throughout the day. “You don’t have to wait until you are thirsty to drink. On average, you need to consume 2 to 3 liters of fluid per day, ”she explains. This amount includes what our diet provides us, including fruits and vegetables which are more than 80% water. To find out more, see our article Drinking water: why and how much ?.

HealthPassport.net

Updated: July 18, 2012