What is the healthiest drink next to water? Your best nutritional choices

November 2, 2025 •

5 min read

According to the CDC, replacing sugary beverages with healthier options like plain tea or low-fat milk can significantly reduce caloric intake. Finding out what is the healthiest drink next to water can help you diversify your fluid intake while still nourishing your body with essential nutrients and maintaining optimal hydration.

Quick Summary

This article explores the best nutritional drink alternatives to water, highlighting the benefits of options like milk, herbal tea, and coconut water. It explains what makes a beverage healthy and provides guidance on making smart choices for optimal hydration and well-being.

Key Points

Herbal Tea is an Antioxidant Powerhouse: Caffeine-free herbal teas like chamomile, ginger, and hibiscus are rich in antioxidants and offer specific health benefits like improved digestion and heart health.
Milk is a Highly Hydrating Post-Workout Drink: Milk contains protein, carbohydrates, and electrolytes, making it a more hydrating option than water for recovery after intense exercise. Fortified plant-based milks are also nutritious alternatives.
Coconut Water Replenishes Electrolytes Naturally: For natural hydration and electrolyte replenishment, particularly potassium, pure coconut water is an excellent, low-calorie choice for hot weather or after moderate activity.
Flavored Water Adds Variety Without Sugar: Adding fruit slices or herbs to plain or sparkling water offers a flavorful, low-calorie alternative to sugary drinks, making daily hydration more enjoyable.
The Healthiest Drinks are Low in Added Sugar: The best non-water beverages are minimally processed and low in added sugars and artificial additives. Always check nutritional labels.
Customize Your Healthy Choices: The 'healthiest' option depends on your specific needs, whether for nutrient intake (milk), relaxation (herbal tea), or electrolyte balance (coconut water).
Read Labels Carefully: Be wary of store-bought versions of supposedly healthy drinks like kombucha or smoothies, as they can contain significant amounts of added sugar.

Understanding What Makes a Drink Healthy

While water is the undisputed champion of hydration, the search for a healthy, satisfying alternative is common. The best choices go beyond simply quenching thirst by providing additional nutritional benefits without excessive calories, sugars, or artificial ingredients. Evaluating a drink's healthiness depends on several factors, including its nutrient profile, sugar content, and potential for rehydration. For instance, drinks rich in electrolytes, vitamins, and minerals can be particularly beneficial, especially after exercise.

A truly healthy beverage should be:

Hydrating: It must effectively replenish fluids lost by the body.
Nutrient-Dense: It should offer valuable vitamins, minerals, or other beneficial compounds.
Low in Added Sugars: Excess sugar intake is a major contributor to health issues like obesity and type 2 diabetes.
Natural and Simple: Drinks with minimal processing, and free from artificial sweeteners, colorings, and additives, are often the best options.

Top Contenders for the Healthiest Drink Next to Water

Several beverages offer an excellent balance of flavor, hydration, and nutrition. Your choice may depend on your specific health goals, dietary needs, or personal taste. Here are some of the leading contenders:

Herbal Tea: An Antioxidant-Rich Choice

Herbal teas, made from various plants and herbs, are a great alternative because they are naturally caffeine-free and rich in antioxidants. Each type of herbal tea offers unique benefits:

Chamomile Tea: Known for its calming properties, chamomile can help promote relaxation and enhance sleep quality. It also contains antioxidants that protect the body from cell damage.
Ginger Tea: Ginger has long been used to aid digestion and help soothe gastrointestinal discomfort. It also has anti-inflammatory properties.
Hibiscus Tea: This tart and flavorful tea is packed with antioxidants and has been shown to potentially help lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.

Unlike black or green tea, which contain caffeine that can have a diuretic effect, herbal teas are generally considered highly hydrating. They can be enjoyed hot or cold, with a squeeze of lemon or a few mint leaves for added flavor without the extra sugar.

Milk: A Hydrating and Nutrient-Dense Powerhouse

Dairy milk is surprisingly one of the most hydrating beverages, even more so than plain water in some cases. This is because it contains a balanced mix of carbohydrates, protein, and electrolytes like sodium and potassium, which help the body retain fluid more effectively.

For Post-Workout Recovery: The combination of protein for muscle repair and carbohydrates for energy replenishment makes milk an ideal post-exercise drink.
Rich in Micronutrients: Milk is an excellent source of essential vitamins and minerals, including calcium, vitamin D, and B vitamins, which are crucial for bone health and overall bodily function.

For those who are lactose intolerant or follow a vegan diet, fortified plant-based milk alternatives like soy or almond milk are excellent choices, providing similar nutrients like calcium and vitamin D.

Coconut Water: The Natural Electrolyte Drink

For intense workouts or hot weather, coconut water is a fantastic natural alternative to sugary sports drinks. It is naturally low in calories and sugar and is loaded with electrolytes, particularly potassium.

Potassium-Rich: Coconut water contains significantly more potassium than most sports drinks, which is vital for regulating fluid balance in the body.
Low-Calorie Hydration: With its low-calorie profile and electrolyte content, it is a healthier way to replenish fluids after moderate activity.

Be sure to choose 100% pure coconut water without any added sugars or flavorings to maximize its health benefits.

Infused or Sparkling Water: For a Flavorful Twist

If you find plain water boring, infusing it with natural ingredients can make it more appealing without adding sugars or artificial flavors.

Infused Water: Add slices of fresh fruits like lemon, lime, cucumber, or berries, or herbs like mint or basil to your water for a refreshing and hydrating beverage.
Sparkling Water: For those who miss the fizz of soda, unsweetened sparkling water is a great option. You can add a splash of 100% fruit juice for a low-calorie mocktail.

Comparison of Healthy Beverage Choices


Feature	Herbal Tea	Low-Fat/Plant-Based Milk	Pure Coconut Water	Infused/Sparkling Water
Primary Benefit	Antioxidants, relaxation	Nutrients (calcium, protein), recovery	Electrolytes, rapid rehydration	Flavor, hydration variety
Best For	Relaxation, digestion	Post-workout, daily nutrition	Hot weather, high-intensity exercise	Enhancing flavor of plain water
Added Sugars?	Minimal to none	Minimal (unsweetened options)	None (100% pure versions)	None (plain versions)
Calories?	Negligible	Varies (check label)	Low	Negligible
Electrolytes?	Varies by herb	High (milk), moderate (some plant milks)	High (especially potassium)	None (unless infused with fruit)

Making the Best Choice for Your Lifestyle

When choosing the healthiest drink next to water, your personal needs and preferences play a significant role. If you are an athlete looking for post-workout recovery, milk provides an excellent combination of protein, carbs, and electrolytes. For a relaxing evening beverage, a cup of chamomile or mint herbal tea is a great option. If you need a refreshing, electrolyte-rich drink on a hot day, coconut water is a standout choice. And for those who simply crave variety in their daily fluid intake, infused or sparkling water is the perfect way to make hydration more enjoyable.

Ultimately, the key is to prioritize drinks that offer nutritional value and low added sugar, rather than empty calories. Staying hydrated is essential for all bodily functions, from cognitive performance to physical endurance, and having healthy alternatives on hand makes it easier to reach your daily fluid goals.

Conclusion

While plain water remains the gold standard for hydration, there are several excellent and nutritious alternatives available. From antioxidant-packed herbal teas to nutrient-dense milk and electrolyte-rich coconut water, each beverage offers a unique profile of health benefits. Infused and sparkling waters provide a simple, low-calorie way to add flavor and variety to your hydration routine. By understanding the nutritional content and choosing drinks low in added sugars, you can make smarter choices to support your overall health and well-being, proving that healthy drinking extends well beyond the tap.

To learn more about healthy dietary choices, visit The Nutrition Source at Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health: https://nutritionsource.hsph.harvard.edu/healthy-drinks/.

Frequently Asked Questions

Yes, moderate consumption of coffee can contribute to your daily fluid intake. While it contains caffeine, which has a diuretic effect, this effect is minimal and does not negate the hydration provided by the water in the beverage.

While 100% fruit juice contains vitamins and antioxidants, it also has a high sugar content and lacks the fiber of whole fruit. It should be consumed in moderation, and water should remain the primary beverage of choice.

Yes, unsweetened sparkling water is a healthy, calorie-free alternative to plain water. You can add flavor by infusing it with fruit or herbs without adding sugar.

Milk is actually very hydrating due to its electrolyte, protein, and lactose content, which helps the body retain fluids. Studies show milk can be more hydrating than plain water for post-exercise recovery.

For most people, water is sufficient for rehydration. However, for intense or prolonged exercise, options with carbohydrates and electrolytes are beneficial. Unflavored cow's milk or pure coconut water are great natural choices.

While diet sodas are low in calories, they contain artificial sweeteners, and their long-term health effects are still debated. It's best to opt for more natural, nutrient-dense alternatives like herbal tea or infused water.

To add flavor to water, try infusing it with slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, or berries. You can also add fresh herbs like mint or basil for a refreshing twist.