Water is a basic form of life. There are a lot of liquids out there that can replace water, but there are just as many that can be harmful to the body. In other words, not all drinks are created equal.

Water

The long-standing consensus is everyone needs eight glasses of water a day. That is just a guideline, however. Water can be replaced with other drinks such as milk and juice. More water is needed when a lot of caffeine or alcohol is consumed. A good ratio is one glass of water for every cup of coffee or alcoholic drink. Caffeine and alcohol are diuretics and dry out the body. More water is needed to replenish the body after caffeine or alcohol.

Coffee and Tea

Coffee does have some health benefits, as long as it is consumed in moderation. Tea, particularly green tea, is growing in popularity as a health drink. Have that cup of coffee in the morning, but then follow up with cups of tea.

Milk and Fruit Juices

Milk is the new weight-loss drink. Recent studies show that two or three servings per day of milk increase metabolism and assist with weight loss. Skim milk is the healthiest milk to drink, but if one has no health problems, 2% or whole milk is better than nothing.

Fruit juices are deceiving. They are not always acceptable replacements for a piece of fruit. This is a situation where the consumer must read the labels carefully. The best juice is one hundred percent juice. Others are concentrates made with a lot of sugar and little fruit juice.

Soft Drinks

Soda and other soft drinks are nothing more than hidden calories. A twelve ounce can of soda is about one hundred and forty calories. More common are twenty ounce bottles or the super-sized drinks that easily add five hundred extra calories to one’s daily diet. Energy drinks and other soft drinks are equally calorie heavy. There has also been speculation that drinking soda and soft drinks can lead to bone loss. Some researchers say that the problem is that soda drinkers consume so much of the beverage each day that they are not drinking healthy beverages like water or milk, and that is the real health problem with soft drinks.

Alcohol

Minimal alcohol consumption has some health benefits. Red wine, for example, is good for the heart. But the key is moderation. More than one or two drinks per day leads to major health problems and can also lead to addiction problems.