Healthy alternatives to energy drinks include fresh fruits and vegetable juices, coconut water, and many more. This blog will list the healthy alternatives to energy drinks. After a long and hectic day at the office or before a tough workout, many of us turn to energy drinks for a little boost. Judging by the popularity of energy drinks, they seem to work after all because it’s a multi-billion dollar industry.
Despite their popularity, energy drinks carry health risks. As per reports, in the year 2011, over 20,000 emergency cases in the United States involved energy drinks. The question is why are energy drinks unhealthy?
Energy drinks are loaded with sugars, additives, and calories that a person doesn’t need even when he/she feels completely dehydrated. These are nothing but temptations when you feel really thirsty. What’s more concerning, energy drinks may also include health-damaging ingredients like caffeine and other stimulants that increase the heart rate and blood pressure and sometimes lead to anxiety and irritability. Being hydrated is crucial, and if you want healthy sports drinks for a healthy life, there are several options available. This blog lists some healthy alternatives to energy drinks.
Also Read: How to deal with stress in a scientific manner
Best healthy alternatives to energy drinks:
Want to energize and hydrate your body? Replace your energy drink with these healthy alternatives:
• Water- Obviously, water has what it takes to energize you. All the functions inside your body require water. When you are dehydrated, your body metabolism slows down and, as a result, you begin to feel lethargic and fatigued. At such a time, re-hydrating the body through water can reverse exhaustion and give you more energy.
• Chocolate milk- Researchers have stated in studies that low-fat chocolate milk is one of the healthy alternatives to energy drinks. It helps in muscle recovery and also replaces lost nutrients. The only downfall with chocolate milk is the sugar content. Packaged chocolate milk, available in stores, contains a lot of sugar. Instead, it’s best to make your own chocolate milk with reduced sugar.
• Protein shakes- Protein shakes are regarded as some of the healthy sports drinks for a healthy life. They provide your body with the amount of protein it needs to function adequately. It is a healthy alternative to energy drinks. To make your protein shake more effective add some carbohydrates like quinoa or wheat germ to it because your body needs carbohydrates to convert the protein into energy.
• Juices- Juice-making is an easier process today, and you can make a healthy energy drink like fresh orange juice or mixed fruit juice. To make an effective juice, use dark green vegetables. The juice from dark green veggies provide instant energy as they contain vitamin B. Juices from parsley, kale and spinach also contain vitamin B, which your body needs for optimal metabolism. In order to add some sweetness to your juice, use honey as it will provide natural sweetness along with the optimal energy your body needs.
• Green tea- A number of health benefits are associated with green tea. It decreases the risk of heart disease and a likelihood of cancer. Green tea can boost body metabolism which helps in weight loss. As green tea contains less caffeine than coffee, it helps improve your mental clarity and performance.
• Smoothies- Make a smoothie of your own, as homemade smoothies are full of vitamins and minerals. A smoothie is made out of dark green veggies will increase your energy levels. In order to further increase the energy levels, try adding a bit of bee pollen into your smoothie. You can also add ginger, lemon, apple, orange, and honey to create healthy alternatives to energy drinks.
Also Read: The best way to manage diabetes
Conclusion:
Energy drinks may seem like a quick fix for fatigue, but people should outweigh the short and long-term consequences of these drinks. Healthy alternatives to energy drinks mentioned in the blog above offer energy boosts that never let you down.
