CHEERS TO YOUR Good Health

Water is top of the pops if it's your thirst you want to slake, but there are healthy alternatives

- LORRAINE KEARNEY

If you were searching for a healthy drink, something that will do your body good, what would you quaff? The first answer is water, of course, says dietitian Yolandé van der Riet. Kilojoule-free, sugar-free, fat-free, salt-free, guilt-free; you can't go wrong with water.

It is available to most people and is generally reasonably priced. It keeps us hydrated, prevents constipation, regulates temperature, lubricates joints and helps us excrete waste. It may also 'boost our physical performance in sport, affect our energy levels and brain activity, prevent kidney stones, and alleviate or prevent headaches', Yolandé stresses.

And for rehydration in cases of dehydration, diarrhoea, vomiting or excessive training (heat exposure or duration), add electrolytes, she says.

As a second prize, Yolandé suggests drinking unsweetened rooibos tea, which is free of caffeine, very low in energy, easily available to many people, antioxidant-rich and tasty warm or cold.

'Other beneficial beverages ...are low-fat milk (cow's or plant), small portion home-made smoothies and freshly prepared fruit or vegetable juices,' she says.

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