Body boost: try these five great healthy drinks
In the fast-paced lives we lead, we’re always looking for a way to boost our nutrient intake quickly and efficiently.
Whether you’re a fitness fanatic, or desperately need to add a healthy element to your diet, give one of these energising elixirs a go.
Kombucha tea
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Price: Up to $11 for 750ml bottle, to about $1 per litre home made.
Why it’s so good: Kombucha is championing the cause for health internationally. It’s brewed with a live, expanding bacterial culture and originates from Asia. Kombucha has a slight effervescence and sweet-tart flavour, and contains sugar, B vitamins and antioxidants, as well as some alcohol that results from the fermentation process. Labelled a ‘magic elixir’ it can prevent everything from digestion problems to arthritis and cancer.
Where to buy: You can purchase both pasteurised and unpasteurised in various flavours everywhere from health food stores to supermarkets and online. Some cafes and eateries have it on tap. Or if you’re brave enough, learn out how to brew your own batch.
Energy-packed green smoothie
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Price: Up to $12 for ingredients.
Why it’s so good: According to health experts any raw green fruit, vegetable or herb is beneficial to your health. Leafy greens are packed with nutrition and are a great source of non-dairy calcium, magnesium and vitamin C. Getting greens into your diet can be a bit of a challenge sometimes and when you think greens you think bitter and not that tasty. But in a juice combo you’ll be pleasantly surprised. Try this recipe at health website Lola Berry.
Where to buy: Fruit and vegetable stores, local food markets, supermarkets or from your very own veggie patch.
Good old fashioned lemon and warm water
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Price: $2, if that.
Why it’s so good: This remedy has been circulating the globe for centuries. Research shows having warm lemon juice early in the morning helps flush out toxins, it aids in digestion and is also a great source citric acid, potassium, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. You can use any leftover lemon in a salad for lunch or squeezed over vegetables for dinner. So versatile!
Where to buy: Fruit and vegetable stores, local food markets, supermarkets, or plant a tree in your backyard.
Acai berry smoothie
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Price: A 750ml bottle of puree acai berries can cost up to $50, a 50g pouch of powder is about $19.
Why it’s so good: The acai berry is a reddish-purple fruit that comes from the acai palm tree, which is native to central and South America. Some studies show that acai fruit pulp is even richer in antioxidants than cranberries, raspberries, blackberries, strawberries, or blueberries. It can also help with heart health.
Where to buy: From health food stores or online. You can buy it in freeze-dried powder form to mix with water from stores like Priceline.
Coconut water
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Price: You can pick up a 330ml carton for about $2.50.
Why it’s so good: Simple yet satisfying, it’s water from the humble coconut. Coconut water has been a favourite drink in some parts of the world for thousands of years, but recent celebrity endorsements and marketing campaigns have seen it elevated to the status of ‘superfood’. Dubbed ‘nature’s Gatorade’, coconut water includes the electrolytes; calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and potassium.
Where to buy: You don’t have to find an actual coconut to smash open; pick up cartons or bottles from most supermarkets, health food stores, cafes and eateries.