What is the healthiest drink for hydration?

November 20, 2025 •

4 min read

According to a study from Scotland's St. Andrews University, beverages with small amounts of sugar, fat, or protein may keep you hydrated for longer than plain water. This sheds light on the complex question of what is the healthiest drink for hydration, suggesting that the answer isn't always as simple as 'water' for every situation.

Quick Summary

This guide examines various beverages to determine the most beneficial options for hydration, considering factors beyond just water content. It provides a comprehensive breakdown of hydrating drinks, including their pros and cons, to help you make informed choices for different needs and activity levels.

Key Points

Plain Water is Primary: For most daily hydration, calorie-free water is the most efficient and recommended option.
Milk for Recovery: After strenuous exercise, milk's combination of protein, carbs, and electrolytes makes it superior to water for rehydration and muscle repair.
Coconut Water for Electrolytes: Rich in potassium and natural electrolytes, coconut water is an excellent choice for replenishing minerals, especially after sweating.
Dietary Hydration Matters: Many fruits and vegetables, such as watermelon and cucumber, contribute significantly to daily fluid intake and provide natural electrolytes.
Homemade Electrolyte Drinks: You can easily create a simple, low-sugar electrolyte drink at home using water, salt, and natural flavorings like lemon juice.
Beware of Sugary Drinks: High-sugar beverages like commercial sports drinks and sodas are often unnecessary for general hydration and can negatively impact health.
Hydration Needs Vary: Your ideal hydration strategy depends on your activity level, climate, and overall health status.

The Gold Standard: Plain Water

For most people in day-to-day life, plain water remains the quintessential choice for staying hydrated. It is calorie-free, readily available from the tap, and essential for regulating body temperature, lubricating joints, and flushing out waste. The body requires water to perform almost every function, from circulating nutrients to cushioning sensitive tissues.

However, water’s effectiveness can be situational. During intense or prolonged exercise, or when dealing with illness causing fluid loss, the body also requires electrolytes like sodium and potassium to maintain balance. This is where other options may offer a more complete rehydration solution.

Beyond H2O: Other Top Hydrating Choices

When considering alternatives to plain water, several beverages offer additional nutritional benefits that can enhance hydration.

Milk: For post-exercise recovery, milk—especially skim or low-fat—can be an incredibly effective hydrating drink. It provides a valuable mix of electrolytes (including calcium, sodium, and potassium), carbohydrates for energy replenishment, and protein to aid muscle repair. The combination of nutrients helps the body retain fluids for longer than plain water.
Coconut Water: Often called nature's sports drink, coconut water is rich in natural electrolytes like potassium, sodium, and manganese. This makes it a great choice for replenishing lost minerals after a workout. Look for 100% pure coconut water to avoid added sugars.
100% Fruit Juice: Juices from fruits like watermelon and oranges have high water content and contain electrolytes and vitamins. Watermelon juice, in particular, is a source of L-citrulline, an amino acid that may help with athletic performance and muscle recovery. The main drawback is the sugar content, so moderate consumption is key.
Herbal Tea: Caffeine-free herbal teas like chamomile or peppermint are primarily water and can be a soothing way to hydrate. Unlike caffeinated beverages, they do not contribute to increased urination, making them an excellent source of daily fluid intake.
Electrolyte-Enhanced Water or Tablets: These options offer a convenient and calorie-conscious way to replenish minerals lost through sweat. Electrolyte tablets, in particular, are portable and customizable, allowing you to control the concentration.

Comparison of Hydrating Beverages


Drink	Best For	Key Nutrients	Sugar Content	Notes
Plain Water	Everyday hydration, general wellness	None (calorically)	None	The baseline for hydration.
Skim Milk	Post-exercise recovery	Protein, carbs, calcium, potassium, sodium	Natural sugars	Highly effective for prolonged hydration due to nutrient content.
Coconut Water	After intense activity or in hot weather	Potassium, sodium, manganese	Natural sugars (typically lower)	A natural electrolyte alternative to commercial sports drinks.
100% Fruit Juice	Electrolyte restoration	Vitamins, potassium, magnesium	Natural sugars	Choose 100% juice and moderate intake due to sugar content.
Herbal Tea	Consistent daily hydration	Antioxidants	None	A great alternative for adding flavor without calories.
Commercial Sports Drink	Endurance athletes (over 1hr exercise)	Sodium, potassium, carbs	High (often added)	Best for specific athletic needs, not everyday hydration.

Optimizing Your Hydration Strategy

Choosing the right hydrating beverage depends heavily on your specific context. For the average person, water is perfectly sufficient for daily needs, keeping your system running smoothly. It is calorie-free and does not carry the health risks associated with high sugar intake.

However, for more specific scenarios, a targeted approach is more effective. Athletes engaged in strenuous, prolonged activity will benefit most from a sports drink that replaces both fluids and electrolytes. For muscle recovery after a workout, the protein and carbohydrates in milk make it a superior choice. And for a simple, natural electrolyte boost on a hot day, coconut water is an excellent option.

The Role of a Balanced Diet

A critical factor often overlooked in hydration is the role of a balanced diet. Many foods, especially fruits and vegetables, have a high water content and provide natural electrolytes. Eating water-rich foods like watermelon, cucumber, and leafy greens contributes significantly to your overall fluid intake and supplies essential minerals. Integrating these foods into your meals can support hydration naturally without relying solely on beverages.

Homemade Electrolyte Solutions

For those who prefer a more controlled or cost-effective approach, a simple homemade electrolyte drink can be made. Combining water with a pinch of sea salt, a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime juice, and a teaspoon of honey offers a replenishing solution. This allows for customization of flavor and ingredients while avoiding the high sugar and artificial additives often found in store-bought versions.

Conclusion: Finding the Right Drink for You

In the final analysis, there is no single "healthiest drink for hydration" that fits every person in every scenario. For daily life, water is the uncontested champion—the purest, most accessible, and calorie-free way to stay hydrated. However, recognizing that other beverages offer unique advantages for specific situations is key to optimizing your health. For intense exercise, drinks with electrolytes like milk or coconut water can be more beneficial. By understanding the properties of different fluids and considering your activity level, environment, and personal health goals, you can develop a balanced and effective hydration strategy tailored to your needs.

It’s also important to remember that beverages like high-sugar sodas, alcohol, and excessive caffeine are counterproductive to hydration and should be limited. The best approach is to prioritize water for general wellness and strategically use other hydrating options when circumstances call for it. The goal is to make mindful choices that support your body's functions and keep you feeling your best. An excellent resource for further reading on dietary fluids is from Harvard's T.H. Chan School of Public Health on The Nutrition Source: https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/water/.

Frequently Asked Questions

While plain water is the gold standard for everyday hydration, studies suggest that skim milk is technically the most hydrating beverage due to its combination of electrolytes, protein, and carbohydrates, which helps the body retain fluid more effectively than water alone.

For most people engaging in moderate exercise for less than an hour, plain water is sufficient. Sports drinks are designed for endurance athletes performing intense activity for over an hour, where they need to replace significant electrolyte and carbohydrate losses.

Yes, coconut water is an excellent source of natural electrolytes, particularly potassium, making it a great alternative for rehydration, especially after sweating.

Moderate consumption of caffeinated beverages can contribute to your daily fluid intake. The diuretic effect is minimal for most people and does not outweigh the fluid gained.

While water-rich foods like fruits and vegetables contribute to your fluid intake, they do not replace the need for drinking water and other fluids. A balanced approach combining both food and drink is best for optimal hydration.

Smoothies made with water-rich fruits, vegetables, and milk or yogurt can be hydrating and nutrient-dense. However, they may be too heavy during intense workouts and are best consumed before or after exercise.

A simple homemade electrolyte drink can be made by combining 2 cups of water, a pinch of sea salt, a splash of lemon or lime juice, and a teaspoon of honey.