What Should You Drink Every Day? The Ultimate Hydration Guide

Water makes up 50-60% of an adult's body weight, highlighting its crucial role in overall health. This makes the question of what should you drink every day a foundation for good health. Beyond plain water, a variety of healthy and hydrating options exist to keep your body functioning at its best, while other drinks should be avoided or limited.

Quick Summary

This guide outlines the best daily drinks for optimal hydration, including water, milk, and teas, while highlighting unhealthy beverages like sugary sodas and energy drinks to limit or avoid.

Key Points

• Prioritize Water: Water is the most hydrating and healthiest option, aiding in numerous bodily functions with zero calories.

• Moderate Caffeine: Unsweetened coffee and tea are acceptable in moderation, offering antioxidants and other benefits.

• Choose Healthy Alternatives: Milk (dairy or fortified plant-based) and fruit-infused water add variety and nutrients without excessive sugar.

• Avoid Sugary Drinks: Sodas, energy drinks, and many juices are high in sugar and calories with limited nutritional value, contributing to health issues.

• Make Mindful Choices: Check labels for added sugars in alternatives like plant-based milks and kombucha to ensure you're making healthy choices.

• Support Digestion: Warm lemon water, ginger tea, or probiotic drinks like kombucha can aid in digestion after meals.

The Undisputed Champion: Water

Water is the single most important drink you can consume daily. It is calorie-free, universally accessible, and essential for virtually every bodily function, from regulating temperature to lubricating joints and protecting tissues. For most healthy adults, hydration needs are effectively met by drinking water whenever thirsty. However, factors like activity level, climate, and overall health can influence individual requirements. Signs of adequate hydration include having urine that is a clear, pale yellow color.

Benefits of daily water intake

Drinking enough water has a wide range of proven health benefits:

• Enhances Physical Performance: Dehydration, even a small amount, can significantly impair physical performance and increase fatigue during exercise.
• Supports Brain Function: Studies show that mild dehydration can negatively impact concentration, memory, and mood.
• Aids Digestion: Water helps break down food, supports nutrient absorption, and prevents constipation by keeping bowel movements soft.
• Weight Management: Replacing high-calorie beverages with water can reduce overall calorie intake. Drinking a glass of water before a meal can also help you feel full faster.
• Prevents Kidney Stones and UTIs: A higher fluid intake increases urine volume, which helps flush out bacteria and prevents minerals from crystallizing into stones.

Healthier Alternatives to Water

For variety, or for specific nutritional boosts, several other healthy beverages can be part of your daily routine.

Tea and Coffee

Unsweetened tea and coffee are generally considered healthy drink options in moderation.

• Tea: Green and black teas are rich in antioxidants, which may protect against some cancers, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Herbal teas like peppermint or ginger can also aid digestion.
• Coffee: Moderate coffee consumption (3–5 cups per day) has been linked to a lower risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. Opt for black coffee and avoid high-sugar, specialty coffee drinks.

Milk and Plant-Based Alternatives

Dairy and fortified plant-based milks offer a good source of protein, calcium, and vitamin D, essential for bone health.

• Dairy Milk: Low-fat or fat-free options are recommended for adults.
• Plant-Based Milks: Fortified soy, almond, and oat milks can be good alternatives, especially for those who are lactose intolerant or following a vegan diet. Be sure to check labels for added sugars.

Fruit-Infused Water and Kombucha

• Fruit-Infused Water: Adding slices of lemon, lime, cucumber, or berries to plain water adds flavor without extra calories or sugar.
• Kombucha: This fermented tea is a source of probiotics, which are beneficial for gut health. Choose brands with low or no added sugar.

Beverages to Avoid or Limit

Many popular drinks are high in sugar and calories, offering little to no nutritional value and contributing to weight gain and other health issues.

Sugary and Caffeinated Drinks

• Soft Drinks and Juices: Both soft drinks and fruit juice are often loaded with sugar, which can contribute to weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease. While 100% juice contains vitamins, it lacks the fiber of whole fruit and should be limited to a small amount daily.
• Energy and Sports Drinks: These beverages are high in both sugar and caffeine. Energy drinks, in particular, can cause heart rhythm problems, anxiety, and sleep issues due to their high stimulant content. For most workouts, water is sufficient for rehydration.
• Diet Sodas: Despite being low in calories, diet drinks are often acidic and may damage tooth enamel. Some experts also question their long-term health effects.

Alcoholic beverages

Alcohol should be consumed sparingly, as it can cause dehydration and has several other negative health impacts. The less alcohol you drink, the lower your health risks.

How to Build a Healthy Drinking Habit

Making conscious choices about what you drink can significantly improve your health. The goal is to make healthy options convenient and appealing.

Tips for increasing water intake

• Carry a Reusable Water Bottle: Keeping a water bottle with you throughout the day serves as a constant reminder to drink.
• Set Reminders: Use your phone or a hydration app to prompt you to drink water regularly.
• Drink on a Schedule: Try drinking a glass of water when you wake up, before each meal, and before bed.
• Add Flavor Naturally: If you dislike the taste of plain water, add natural flavor with slices of fruit or herbs like cucumber and mint.
• Replenish After Exercise: Remember to drink extra water to replace lost fluids from sweat.

Comparison of Healthy vs. Unhealthy Drinks

Drink Type	Hydration Value	Calorie/Sugar Content	Key Benefits / Drawbacks
Healthy Beverages
Water	Excellent	Zero calories, no sugar	Best for hydration; aids digestion, brain function, and weight management.
Herbal Tea	Excellent	Low to zero calories, no sugar	Antioxidant properties, aids digestion, variety of calming and medicinal effects.
Plain Black Coffee	Good (mild diuretic effect)	Low to zero calories, no sugar	Rich in antioxidants, can lower risk of certain diseases, boosts concentration.
Low-Fat Milk	Excellent	Moderate calories, natural sugar (lactose)	Source of calcium, protein, and Vitamin D; supports bone health.
Unhealthy/Limited Beverages
Sugary Soda	Poor	High calories, extremely high sugar	No nutritional value, linked to weight gain, diabetes, and other health issues.
Energy Drinks	Poor	High calories, high sugar, high caffeine	Excess caffeine can cause heart problems, anxiety, and sleep issues.
100% Fruit Juice	Good	High calories, high natural sugar	Contains vitamins but lacks fiber; better to eat whole fruit, limit intake.
Store-Bought Smoothie	Varies	Can be very high in calories and added sugar	Can be nutrient-dense but often includes unnecessary sugar and ingredients.

Conclusion

While water is the cornerstone of healthy hydration, a variety of other drinks can supplement your fluid intake and provide additional health benefits. The key is to prioritize water and choose low-sugar, nutrient-rich beverages like unsweetened teas, coffee, and fortified milk alternatives. By understanding the content of your drinks and making mindful choices, you can effectively manage your hydration, support your health goals, and avoid the negative effects associated with sugary and high-calorie beverages. To learn more about healthier drinks, consult the CDC guidelines on healthier drinks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much water should a person drink daily?

For healthy adults, the U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine suggests an adequate daily fluid intake of about 15.5 cups (3.7 liters) for men and 11.5 cups (2.7 liters) for women, but individual needs vary by activity level, climate, and health.

Are coffee and tea dehydrating?

The idea that caffeinated drinks like coffee and tea are strongly dehydrating is a myth. While they have a mild diuretic effect, the water consumed in these beverages still contributes to your overall daily fluid intake.

What are some flavorful alternatives to plain water?

Flavorful alternatives to plain water include fruit-infused water with lemon or cucumber, unsweetened herbal teas, coconut water, or sparkling water with no added sugar.

Why should I avoid sugary drinks like soda?

Sugary drinks are linked to weight gain, type 2 diabetes, and other health issues due to their high calorie and sugar content. They provide no nutritional value and should be limited.

Are diet sodas a healthy alternative?

Diet sodas are not the best alternative. While low in calories, they are acidic and can damage tooth enamel. Some research also links them to negative health outcomes.

What can I drink to help with digestion after a meal?

Drinks like warm water, herbal teas (ginger, peppermint), and probiotic drinks such as kefir or kombucha can aid digestion by soothing the digestive tract and improving gut health.

Can drinking water improve my skin?

Yes, proper hydration is crucial for skin health. Drinking enough water can help flush out toxins, improve skin elasticity, and maintain moisture, which can help achieve a healthier, more radiant complexion.