Beverages | NCES HealthBeat Blog

Water is your best bet. Not only is it the most refreshing of all the beverages you can drink, it’s just plain great for the body in every case. Drink from either the tap or the bottle, it’s available nearly everywhere!
Milk does your body good. Instead of having a high-sugar, energy drink, try some milk. You get magnesium, calcium, potassium and vitamin D in a glass, which makes it a good choice. Try to stay healthy by avoiding saturated fats in 2% or whole milk. Opt for 1% or skim milk in its place.
Juice up your body. Avoid caffeinated drinks and make your way to the glass of 100% fruit juice. Many of the vitamins and minerals in 100% fruit juice can’t be found anywhere in your everyday caffeinated beverages. Careful though, due to the natural sugars, a serving of juice is only 4 ounces.
Make time for your tea time. Because of the increased antioxidants contained in tea, it can help your body ward off certain diseases. Watch out for teas that come in bottles and cans; the added sugars and flavors can make the calorie count skyrocket.
Sports drinks, only for the sports-inclined. Keep in mind that sports drinks are ideal for exercise sessions or activities that last more than 90 minutes. They replace a lot of electrolytes and sugars that are lost in physical activity, but are much less helpful for you when no activity is taking place.
Watch out for the happy hour. Alcoholic beverages are often loaded with sneaky amounts calories. A serving of beer is 12 ounces, wine is 3.5 ounces, and liquor is 1.5 ounces. Keep that in mind when you’re counting up calories at the bar.

For more tips like these, check out a few of our products listed below! Or, just search “Drink” at www.ncescatalog.com.

Beverages 101 Poster or Tearpad: 4645 & 4642

10 Ways to Drink Water Poster or Tearpad: 4314 &4638

Since the month of July is National Community Health Awareness Month, we decided to offer some healthy advice that the whole community can use. And the topic this week is: a course in Beverages 101.
Most of the time, we give less thought to what we drink than what we eat, but beverages are an important element of your health and nutrition, just as food is. And, there are definitely beverages that are better for you than others.
Plain coffee has zero calories. Zero. As soon as you start adding things like creamer and sugar, the calories quickly increase. Try skipping these additions and limiting yourself to 3-5 cups a day. If you get your coffee at a coffee shop, get your favorite drink in its fat-free, no-whip version to cut it down to only half the fat.
With sports drinks, it’s actually only helpful to you if you’re participating in a vigorous activity for 90 minutes or more in a day. Otherwise, all of the sugar and other additions add to your waistline instead of your energy levels.
Juice is good for you, as long as it’s 100% juice. And the best part is, you only need ½ cup a day to get the most out of all of the vitamins and minerals that juices have to offer.
As always, water is the body’s best friend. It fully quenches your thirst, and keeps you better hydrated than any other beverage. Drinking 8 to 16 cups a day, depending on your exercise levels, will give you the right amount of hydration and continued health throughout the day.
There’s more tips and advice in our “Beverages 101” handout and poster, which can be found in the Teaching Aids section of our catalog, or online at http://www.ncescatalog.com