Making healthy drink choices is as important as your food choices.
On this page
- Benefits of making water your drink of choice
- How to make water your drink of choice
- 5 ways to add flavour to your water
- Other healthy drink choices
- Drinks to limit
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:
- blackberries + mint
- raspberries + cucumber
- strawberries + fresh basil
- chopped apples + a cinnamon stick
- 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.
Visit the Food guide for life for tips to:
- Save money
- Choose a healthy drink