These drinks are considered healthy – but they’re not

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Drinking water is too boring for some people. Many turn to supposedly healthy alternatives that hydrate the body and taste more exciting than water. Unfortunately, many drinks are not always as good as their reputation.

Green smoothies
Bottled green juice is often just fruit juice in disguise. These sweet drinks can contribute directly to an increased risk of tooth decay in children and obesity and type 2 diabetes in adults. In general, caution is advised with ready-made smoothies, as many of the vitamins and phytochemicals they contain are volatilized during preservation.

To avoid unnecessary sugar intake, paying attention to the ingredient list is important. Vegetables should be at the top of the list, followed by fruit, but sugar should be avoided. It is also better to choose a smoothie than a juice to get all the pulp, including the fiber it contains.

Coconut water
Coconut water contains a lot of potassium and little sugar, which regulates blood pressure. However, this does not automatically make you a healthier person. The widespread claim that coconut water quenches thirst better than water is false. We only need water to supply the body with sufficient fluids.

Kombucha
In recent years, Kombucha has developed from an insider tip to a supermarket product. The drink promises to improve health by being advertised as a probiotic. Consequently, these drinks contain bacteria that colonize the gastrointestinal tract and thus improve the intestinal flora. However, nutritionists say kombucha, which is usually bottled, contains less live bacteria than tap water.

Water enriched with vitamins
So-called vitamin water is also not recommended. Although the water contains vitamins, it also contains a fair amount of sugar. It is also easier to control the dose and type of a particular vitamin if you take a special dietary supplement. Generally, eating enough fruit, vegetables, and other whole foods is more advisable.

Isotonic sports drinks
Isotonic sports drinks are not recommended if you are not doing endurance sports or an intensive workout in hot temperatures. The electrolytes they contain are unnecessary, and the sugar in many varieties is stored as fat rather than being burned directly as energy. These drinks are, therefore, unsuitable as an energy boost in the afternoon.