Drink Healthy? - Various Daily Drinks and their Effects on Your Health

When a college student wakes up in the morning they may want some help, because they stayed up till 2 last night finishing their algebra homework. Going to Starbucks, or grabbing some other caffeinated drink seems logical. Many times, there is no time for breakfast. However, is skipping breakfast, and drinking coffee high in sugar healthy? Are all caffeinated drinks bad? Fruit drinks are thought of as healthy, but they are not as healthy as most people think.

According to the New York Times, water is at the top of preferred healthy drinks. It does not contain any calories, or hazards. On the other hand, there has been research, as reported by BBC News, that tea is just as healthy as water. Tea has always been thought of as an unhealthy drink that dehydrates. That's because caffeine is known to dehydrate; but according to the article, drinking tea hydrates. It even contains fluoride that is healthy for teeth. However, canned sweetened tea harms teeth; especially when drank with no food. It harms the teeth enamel. The New York Times cited conflicting evidence saying that the health benefits of tea are mixed and sometimes conflicting.

Coffee can be healthy under certain conditions. Going to Starbucks and getting a drink loaded with sugar is not healthy. Coffee fresh from the coffee maker, with maybe a little sugar, is healthy. Many studies have even linked drinking coffee to a reduced risk of developing Type 2 diabetes and colorectal cancer. However, coffee does raise blood pressure.

Even though milk is a healthy drink, in the New York Times article, it says that milk is not necessary for a healthy diet; but it does help bone density because of vitamin D. However, that benefit comes from drinking milk continually.

Everyone knows soda, energy drinks, and fruit drinks containing no fruit, but lots of sugar, are bad for you. Even Snapple, which is "made form the best stuff on earth" is unhealthy. Unhealthy drinks provides an average of 21 percent of calories consumed. With free refills, and 32 ounce cups, the lure and availability of unhealthy drinks is contributing to a nation with many obese people.