Best and Worst Drinks for Your Health

Best Choice: Water

It's essential for your body. It prevents dehydration, constipation, and kidney stones. Plus, with no calories, it’s the best beverage for your waistline. If you add 1 to 3 cups of water a day to your diet, you could end up taking in less fat, salt, sugar, and up to 200 fewer calories per day. Add a squeeze of citrus, a few berries, or your favorite herbs, like mint.

Best Choice: Filtered Coffee

Coffee has gotten a bad rap before, but studies show it may protect against type 2 diabetes, liver disease, and lower your odds of heart disease. Three to five cups a day seems to be healthy, as long as you go easy on the cream and sugar. But if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, ask your doctor how much to sip. If you have high cholesterol, brew yours with a paper filter. It gets rid of a substance called cafestol that can raise LDL cholesterol.

Best Choice: Tea

Green, black, and other kinds are full of antioxidants, which may protect you against some types of cancer, stroke, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Whether you like it hot or iced, the healthiest kinds are the ones you brew at home -- without the added sugars that bottled tea can have.

Good Choice: Milk

It’s a powerhouse of nutrients like calcium, vitamin D, and potassium, which keep your muscles, teeth, and bones healthy. And a cup of it has more protein than a large egg. And some non-dairy milks - soy, almond, and others - have some of the same nutrients as cow’s milk. 

Worst: Soft Drinks

They have no nutrients, and they're loaded with sugar. People who drink one or two a day take in more calories. You’re also more likely to have type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other health problems.