Make These DIY Health Drinks For Science-Backed Benefits
Every year, it seems that a new health drink rises in popularity. These recipes may not be miracle cures, but many of them are healthy. Plenty of drinks have research-backed nutritional benefits. And you don't have to waste money; you can make them at home.
According to nutrition studies, certain drinks carry health benefits. The right lemonade can boost your immune system. Drink certain lattes to lower inflammation, relieve joint pain, or improve the liver. Want more? Read these drink recipes for science-backed health benefits.
Green Tea With Lemon Supports Weight Loss
Green tea with lemon not only tastes great. It's also a natural formula for weight loss. According to the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, green tea has fat-burning catechins. After eight weeks of green tea supplements, participants lost 17% more fat than without it.
Lemon can also help. In 2018, researchers discovered that polyphenols in lemons could combat fat. In animal tests, these polyphenols helped animals lose weight. Although it's not a miracle cure, adding green tea with lemon to your diet may prevent you from losing weight.
How To Make A Healthy Mint Lemonade
Many lemonades are unhealthily packed with sugar. But a low-sugar mint lemonade could hydrate you and promote digestion. According to the book Healing Foods, menthol from mint has antibacterial properties that soothe the stomach. Lemon also has a minor laxative effect that speeds up digestion.
To make a healthy lemonade, mix one cup of fresh lemon juice with six cups of water. Add mint leaves and stir in some honey or maple syrup for sweetness; half a cup of honey should do the trick. You'll have a lovely lemonade and feel guilt-free while drinking it.
Strawberry-Cinnamon Water Benefits Cholesterol
For a tasty drink that regulates cholesterol, you only need strawberries, cinnamon sticks, and water. Italian researchers from the Università Politecnica delle Marche (UNIVPM) reported on strawberries and cholesterol. The fruit lowers harmful LDL cholesterol while keeping healthy HDL cholesterol the same.
According to a 2003 study in Diabetes Care, cinnamon has the same effect on cholesterol as strawberries. On top of that, dehydration can harm cholesterol levels, observes Clinical and Investigative Medicine. Place sliced strawberries and cinnamon sticks into water, and leave it in the fridge overnight. You'll have a tasty, hydrating low-cholesterol drink.
Drink Golden Milk To Soothe Joint Pain
Golden milk is an Indian drink that brews turmeric with milk, sometimes adding cinnamon, ginger, or honey for extra flavor. The beverage has several health benefits. Turmeric's main ingredient, curcumin, can reduce inflammation enough to soothe joint pain. A study in Phytotherapy Research found that curcumin is comparable to some pain medications.
Some evidence suggests that turmeric can improve your mood. In 2014, a randomized controlled trial determined that curcumin has antidepressant effects. Drink warm golden milk before bed, and it may help you sleep. Add honey for sweetness or black pepper to absorb more of turmeric's nutrients.
Hot Cocoa With Cayenne And Blood Pressure
Did you think that hot cocoa would be on a healthy drink list? Chocolate can be nutritious if you use raw cocoa powder and sweeten it with maple syrup or honey. According to a 2017 study, cocoa improves nitric oxide levels in the blood, reducing blood pressure.
To improve blood pressure, drink hot cocoa with cayenne. Cayenne contains capsaicin, which reduced blood pressure in animal studies. The research journal Open Heart explains the capsaicin relaxes blood vessels. Plus, it'll add some spice to your hot chocolate.
Orange-Carrot Juice Helps You Feel Fuller
For a filling drink, toss water, a peeled orange, and carrots into the food processor. Carrots and oranges both score highly on the satiety index, meaning that they will help you feel full. The British Journal of Nutrition asserts that blended carrots are more filling than whole carrots.
Both ingredients offer an excellent amount of fiber, too. Researchers from Wageningen University determined that high-fiber fruits and vegetables increase satiety. One large orange supplies 4.4 grams of fiber, and one cup of carrots provides two grams of fiber.
Pineapple Lemonade Can Boost Immunity
By juicing pineapples and lemons, you'll create an immune-boosting drink. Pineapple contains a potent anti-inflammatory called bromelain. In 2017, scientists used bromelain for surgery patients. The enzyme reduced inflammation in wounds after the surgery.
Lemons also have an anti-inflammatory called pectin. According to Cleveland Clinic, lemon water does not have enough pectin to make a difference, but lemonade does. Combine lemonade with pineapple juice, and be careful not to add too much sugar. Pineapple should make the drink sweet enough without sugar.
Infuse Ginger With Honey For Nausea
If your stomach feels upset, steep ginger tea and add honey. Ginger is the main ingredient here. In the British Journal of Anaesthesia, scientists analyzed six studies on ginger. They found that half a gram of ginger is enough to alleviate nausea in participants. Steep an herbal ginger tea for the same effect.
Add honey to complete the tea and help it taste better. Researchers from the University of South Florida discovered that a ginger-honey tonic soothes morning sickness in pregnant women. Perhaps honey's antibacterial properties help to heal nausea.
A Matcha Latte Can Benefit The Liver
When people order a green tea latte at a cafe, they are most likely getting matcha, a traditional Japanese tea. Matcha, which comes in a powder, may benefit the liver. According to the International Journal of Preventive Medicine, green tea removes enzymes from the liver. High enzymes could lead to liver disease.
Most matcha lattes are made with water and steamed milk. Don't let the milk steer you away. In 2015, researchers concluded that dairy could lower inflammation in the liver. Plus, matcha lattes provide plenty of caffeine, which makes them a healthy coffee alternative.
The Apple Cider Vinegar Cleanse Has Some Backing
You may have heard about the apple cider vinegar detox. People combine two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar with one cup of water and some raw honey. Although this drink doesn't replace a meal or weight loss routine, its health benefits have some scientific backing.
In 2012, a study in Life Science Journal reported that apple cider vinegar lowers harmful LDL cholesterol. According to another study in the Journal of Functional Food, the drink contributes to some weight loss. It's no miracle cure, but it is healthy.
Beetroot And Peppermint Support Your Liver
To support your liver, blend fresh peppermint leaves and chopped beets. In 2018, scientists reported that peppermint relieves oxidative stress in the liver. It removes a free radical called carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), which eventually contributes to liver disease.
Beets also clean the liver. A study in Current Research in Nutrition and Food Science analyzed beetroot and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Beets provide antioxidants that decrease liver size and keep it healthy. Combine sweet beets with peppermint for a dessert-like drink that could support your liver in the long run.
Cucumber Water Stabilizes Blood Sugar
If you want to stabilize blood sugar, drink cucumber-infused water. After analyzing several vegetables in The Journal of Ethnopharmacology, researchers found that cucumbers control blood sugar. People with high blood glucose may benefit from eating more cucumbers.
Although cucumbers are hydrating, water is known to stabilize blood sugar. In 2011, French researchers reported that drinking 34 ounces of water makes people more likely to have healthy blood. Achieve both benefits by placing cucumber slices in water. It'll taste better, hydrate you, and improve glucose levels.
Aam Panna Includes Unripe Mangoes
Aam Panna is an Indian drink that cooks unripe mangos with sugar, sometimes adding cumin and mint. Green mangos offer unique health benefits. According to the Indian magazine Deccan Herald, unripe mangos strengthen the heart, nervous system, and immune system. Some people eat them with salt to avoid excessive sweating.
There are many recipes to create Aam Panna at home. You can boil or roast mangos until they become soft, and then remove the skins and pulp the fruit. Blend it with water, some salt, cumin, and mint if desired.
Blend Coconut Water With Bananas For Your Heart
Toss a banana and some coconut water in a blender. Juice them, and you'll have a heart-healthy sweet drink. According to an animal study in Food and Chemical Toxicology, coconut water balanced cholesterol in rats. After 45 days, triglyceride levels rivaled medications in rats.
Potassium significantly impacts the heart, and bananas provide that. In 2014, research in the journal Stroke claimed that potassium could lower people's heart disease chances by 27%. Blend banana with coconut water, and you'll create a heart-healthy dessert drink.
Carrots And Peppers Enhance Your Brain
For brain food, toss carrots, black pepper, and some fruit into a blender. Carrots and pepper can reduce damage in the brain. In 2014, researchers found that beta-carotene (the orange pigment in carrots) lowers oxidative stress in the brain. This could prevent the development of brain diseases, such as dementia.
Black pepper has done the same in animal studies, such as a 2014 study in Cellular and Molecular Neurobiology. Mix these ingredients with some high-nutrient fruits, such as blueberries, prunes, or strawberries. The combination will make a great flavor and feed your brain.
Make Chia Pudding For More Fiber
When people soak chia seeds in water or juice, they create chia pudding. It's a delicious way to eat more chia seeds. Chia seeds are loaded with antioxidants, and ounce provides a whopping 28 grams of fiber. In 2017, scientists concluded that chia seeds increase satiety, helping participants eat less and lose weight.
Some people drink chia seed pudding as any other juice. Others make extra-thick pudding and place it on top of yogurt or oatmeal. Soak the seeds in matcha tea, pomegranate juice, or beet juice for a healthy flavor dose.
The Red Drink That Fights Inflammation
If you want a drink that lowers inflammation, combine pomegranate juice with beetroot. This red drink has all the ingredients you need. In 2014, a 12-week study reported that drinking pomegranate juice reduces inflammation by 30%. Beetroot juice can also soothe inflammation in the kidneys, says research in Mediators of Inflammation.
You can combine beetroot and pomegranate juices, or you can blend fresh beetroot with pomegranate juice. Add some black pepper for a bit of spice. While choosing juices, watch the sugar count, as sugar only worsens inflammation.
Radiant Lemonade: A Nutritional Powerhouse
Fitness enthusiasts have raved over Radiant Lemonade, a drink made from several fruits and vegetables. To make it, blend one apple, one large carrot, two juiced lemons, half a beetroot, and three white radish slices. It's more like a smoothie than a lemonade.
Carrots and beets offer vitamin C, which sharpens your vision. Vitamin C comes from apples and radishes, and it strengthens bones and the immune system. Plus, Radiant Lemonade supplies B vitamins that help the blood, brain function, nervous system, and digestion. You can't go wrong with this drink.
Apple Cinnamon Tea Is Anti-Cancer
If you want a healthy autumn drink, make apple cinnamon tea. Scientists have found evidence that both apples and cinnamon fight against cancer. According to 2016 research in The British Journal of Nutrition, women who eat apples have a lower risk of cancer. Animal studies suggest that cinnamon protects the colon from tumor growth.
For the healthiest results, choose Ceylon cinnamon sticks. Boil them, and let it steep. Mince an apple and cook it on the stove with some sugar or maple syrup and add it to the tea. It's both delicious and healthy.
The Tastiest Green Detox Smoothie
Pineapple and spinach may sound like an odd combination, but they make an excellent green smoothie. Plus, both ingredients have disease-fighting antioxidants. According to a study in Food and Function, spinach may protect the body. It fights oxidative stress, which could delay the onset of disease.
Pineapple also has potent antioxidants called flavonoids. In 2009, researchers discovered that antioxidants in pineapple could relieve free radicals, which are signs of disease. Add frozen pineapple, spinach, and almond milk in a blender to create a sweet, illness-fighting drink.
This Tropical Smoothie Can Delay Diabetes
Despite the sugar levels in tropical fruits, many can delay or decrease symptoms of diabetes. For example, the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology discovered that mangoes could lower blood sugar and insulin resistance. Pineapple has a lot of fiber, which slows the absorption of glucose.
If you want an anti-diabetes smoothie, mix pineapple, mango, and coconut water in a blender. In animal studies, coconut water improved blood sugar levels in diabetic rats. Throw in some turmeric for a bit of spice and anti-inflammation powers.
Ginger Shots Aid Digestion
If you want to improve digestion quickly, make a ginger shot. These pressed juices are made with ginger and lemon, sometimes with carrots or green apple, too. Studies show that ginger can aid chronic indigestion. In 2008, researchers found that one gram of ginger empties the stomach by 50%.
Medical News Today adds that lemon water doesn't cleanse, but it can improve digestion. Combine it with ginger for a spicy, shot-sized drink. If you don't have a juicer, finely chop ginger and put it in a blender with a juiced lemon and water. Blend it and enjoy.
Get Creative With Grapefruit Juice
Several grapefruit juice detox drinks have appeared online to aid people with weight loss. The fruit provides many nutrients with few calories. During a 2006 study, participants who ate half a grapefruit before meals lost more weight than those who didn't. The citric acid helps people feel fuller.
Some people simply mix grapefruit juice with water for a refreshing citrus drink. Others add lemon, strawberries, ginger, apple cider vinegar, or mint for flavor. It depends on what you want to taste and which health benefits you desire the most.
Warm Your Heart With Turmeric Apple Cider Tea
Some people have decided to combine two superfoods: turmeric and apple cider. These two ingredients can support the heart. In 2009, research in The International Journal of Cardiology determined that turmeric can delay the onset of heart disease. Apple cider vinegar has lowered cholesterol and blood pressure in animal studies.
To make the tea, boil water and add half a tablespoon of turmeric plus two tablespoons of apple cider vinegar. Some people steep it in green tea, too. According to Harvard Health Publishing, several studies link green tea to healthy cholesterol levels.
Hydrate With Watermelon Water
Watermelon water is not sliced watermelon placed in water. It is a blended juice made with watermelon flesh, rind, and lemon. Garfield Medical Center says that the drink provides many benefits. One is a high amount of vitamin C, which supports the immune system.
Since watermelon is 92% water, the drink will hydrate you. The natural sugars in watermelon add electrolytes and prevent you from becoming dehydrated. As such, watermelon water may be more hydrating than other juices and lemonades. It's also easy to make if you have a juicer or blender.
