What Are the Healthiest Drinks? Your Guide to Smart Hydration Choices

October 8, 2025 •

3 min read

According to the British Nutrition Foundation, water makes up over half of our body weight and is essential for good health. But beyond plain water, many people wonder, what are the healthiest drinks to incorporate into a daily routine for optimal hydration and nutrition?.

Quick Summary

This article explores the best beverage choices for your health, focusing on hydrating options like water and herbal teas, as well as nutrient-dense drinks like milk and healthy juices. It provides guidance on moderating coffee and tea intake and making smart, low-sugar swaps for sugary beverages.

Key Points

Water is the primary choice: It is calorie-free, sugar-free, and essential for all bodily functions.
Prioritize low-sugar beverages: Focus on drinks with little to no added sugar to avoid excess calories and negative health impacts.
Herbal and green teas offer benefits: Unsweetened herbal teas provide antioxidants, while green tea can boost brain function; enjoy them without adding sugar.
Consume coffee in moderation: Black coffee is a healthy, low-calorie option, but watch the sugar and cream. Limit specialty coffee drinks.
Choose nutritious milk options: Opt for low-fat dairy milk or unsweetened, fortified plant-based milks for calcium and protein.
Limit fruit juice intake: While 100% juice has vitamins, its high sugar content means it should be consumed in small, moderated portions.

The Foundation of Healthy Hydration: Water

Water is, without a doubt, the healthiest drink available. It is calorie-free and sugar-free, playing a critical role in almost every bodily function, from regulating body temperature and protecting sensitive tissues to flushing out waste and lubricating joints. Drinking sufficient water is also key to preventing dehydration, which can cause symptoms like headaches, fatigue, and poor concentration.

For those who find plain water unappealing, there are excellent, healthy alternatives:

Sparkling water: Unsweetened sparkling water provides the fizz of soda without the calories or sugar.
Infused water: Add natural flavor by infusing your water with slices of fresh fruits like lemon, lime, or cucumber, or herbs such as mint or basil.

Nutrient-Rich and Flavorful Choices

While water is the cornerstone of healthy hydration, other beverages offer unique nutritional benefits and can be part of a balanced diet when chosen wisely.

Milk and Fortified Plant-Based Alternatives

Unflavoured dairy milk is a good source of calcium, potassium, and vitamin D, but it's best for adults and older children to opt for lower-fat versions like semi-skimmed or skimmed milk. For those who avoid dairy, unsweetened and fortified plant-based milk alternatives, such as soy or almond milk, are excellent choices for supplementing calcium intake.

Herbal Tea and Green Tea

Herbal teas are a calming, calorie-free option that can aid in digestion and boost antioxidants, depending on the variety. Green tea, rich in polyphenols and L-theanine, has been linked to improved brain function and mood. While many teas contain caffeine, consuming them in moderation does not significantly impact hydration levels for most people.

Unsweetened Coffee

Black coffee is calorie-free and full of antioxidants, and moderate consumption (around 3–4 cups per day) has been associated with health benefits. However, specialty coffee drinks often contain high amounts of sugar and fat. Opting for black coffee or adding a splash of low-fat milk is a much healthier choice.

100% Fruit or Vegetable Juice (in moderation)

Juices, particularly vegetable juices, provide vitamins and minerals. However, even 100% fruit juice contains natural sugars and lacks the fiber of whole fruit, so intake should be limited to one small glass (150ml or about ½ cup) per day. Diluting juice with water or sparkling water can also be a good strategy.

A Comparison of Popular Drinks

Here is a quick look at the nutritional differences between some common beverage choices:


Drink	Key Feature	Added Sugar	Typical Calories (per 12oz)	Notes
Plain Water	Essential hydration	No	0	The healthiest and most fundamental choice.
Herbal Tea	Antioxidants, calming	No (if unsweetened)	~0	Look for caffeine-free varieties; avoid added sugars.
Green Tea	Antioxidants, L-theanine	No (if unsweetened)	~0	Contains caffeine; good for focus and metabolism.
Black Coffee	Antioxidants, mood boost	No (if unsweetened)	~0	Moderate consumption recommended due to caffeine.
100% Fruit Juice	Vitamins, minerals	No, but high natural sugar	150+	Limit portion size; lacks fiber of whole fruit.
Sugary Soda	Flavor, carbonation	Yes (high)	150+	Provides empty calories and is linked to weight gain and diabetes.

Making Healthier Drink Swaps

Transitioning from sugary drinks to healthier alternatives can significantly improve your overall health. If you're used to soda, try sparkling water with a splash of fruit juice or a squeeze of fresh lime. Instead of energy drinks packed with sugar and stimulants, opt for a glass of green tea or coconut water. At coffee shops, skip the flavored syrups and whipped cream, and ask for a simple coffee with low-fat or plant-based milk. Small changes add up over time.

Conclusion

Choosing what to drink is as important as choosing what to eat when it comes to maintaining a healthy lifestyle. While water remains the ideal beverage for daily hydration, a wide variety of low-calorie, nutrient-dense drinks can be incorporated into your routine for flavor and added health benefits. By prioritizing options like water, herbal tea, unsweetened coffee, and moderated portions of juice, and by avoiding sugary sodas, you can significantly improve your hydration and nutrition.

For more resources on making healthy food and drink choices, consult the Dietary Guidelines for Americans.

Frequently Asked Questions

No, consuming moderate amounts of coffee or tea does not appear to affect your overall hydration level. While caffeine has a mild diuretic effect, the fluid in the beverage outweighs this effect. It is important to stay hydrated with water throughout the day as well.

While diet sodas are calorie-free, the long-term health effects of artificial sweeteners are still debated. The acidity of carbonated drinks can also harm your teeth. Water remains the best and most natural alternative.

Even 100% fruit juice contains natural sugar and lacks the fiber of whole fruit. For this reason, it is recommended to limit your intake to no more than one small glass (150ml or about ½ cup) per day.

For most people, water is sufficient for hydration during exercise. Sports drinks contain electrolytes and carbohydrates, which are only typically needed by endurance athletes who engage in high-intensity exercise for over an hour and sweat heavily.

Kombucha is a fermented tea that contains probiotics, which can support gut health and digestion. It is important to check the sugar content of store-bought versions, as some can be quite high..

While rare, it is possible to drink an excessive amount of water, which can dilute sodium levels in the blood, leading to a condition called hyponatremia. For most people, this is not a concern, but it can occur with rapid, excessive fluid intake, particularly during endurance exercise.

You can make water more enticing by adding natural flavors. Try adding slices of lemon, lime, or cucumber, or sprigs of fresh mint. You can also experiment with different temperatures, such as chilled, iced, or warm.