Make water your drink of choice

Making healthy drink choices is as important as your food choices.

Benefits of making water your drink of choice

There are a lot of drink choices available. Many choices have a lot of:

• calories
• sodium
• sugars
• saturated fat

Make water your drink of choice instead.

Drinking water is:

• important for your health
• a great way to quench your thirst
• a way to stay hydrated without calories

Our bodies lose water by:

• sweating
• breathing
• getting rid of waste

You need to replace what is lost.

How to make water your drink of choice

Use these tips to help make water your drink of choice:

• drink it hot or cold
• drink water with your meals
• ask for water with your food when eating out
• carry a reusable water bottle when you are out
• try a fruit and herb infused water or carbonated water
• drink water during and after physical activity or playing sports
• keep a pitcher of water in the fridge or on the table for easy access

5 ways to add flavour to your water

You can add fruits and herbs to your hot or cold water for flavour. Here are some ideas to try:

1. blackberries + mint
2. raspberries + cucumber
3. strawberries + fresh basil
4. chopped apples + a cinnamon stick
5. pear slices + a drop of vanilla extract

To release the most flavour:

• crush the berries
• chop or tear herbs
• cut fruit into cubes

If you like some fizz in your drink, try carbonated water.

Other healthy drink choices

Healthy drink options other than water can include:

• white milk (unsweetened lower fat milk)
• unsweetened fortified plant-based beverages such as:
  • soy beverage
  • almond beverage
• unsweetened coffee and teas

Drinks to limit

Some other drinks should be limited as they have too much:

• sodium
• sugars
• saturated fat

These can include drinks like:

• sugary drinks
• alcoholic drinks
• vegetable juices
• drinks like hot chocolate or specialty teas and coffees made with higher fat dairy

Some drinks may also contain caffeine. Caffeine is a stimulant found in:

• tea
• colas
• coffee
• some energy drinks

Caffeine affects children more than adults due to their smaller body weights.