Your Three Beverages of Choice

Two recent studies on the health dangers of soda and energy drinks highlight the importance of beverage choices. A study in the peer-reviewed journal Pediatrics has been widely covered in the media. Up to half of children, teens, and young adults regularly consume energy drinks, which the Food and Drug Administration only loosely regulates.

These significant caffeine amounts in these products pose a hazard, as 5,448 caffeine overdoses were reported in 2007. Almost half of these occurred in children younger than 19. The numerous other ingredients in energy drinks interact with the caffeine and with drugs in unknown ways. Clinicians in Germany, Australia, and New Zealand have observed numerous dangerous outcomes from energy drinks. Liver damage, kidney failure, agitation, seizures, nausea, vomiting, heart failure, and more are reported.

Another headline-grabbing story centers on potentially deadly outcomes from long-term, regular consumption of diet soda. Researchers following over 5,000 people for nine years observed that those who drank diet soda every day had a 61% higher risk of stroke, heart attack, or another health incident related to blood vessel dysfunction. Other studies indicate an association between drinking diet soda and developing metabolic syndrome or diabetes.

So, you may be thinking, what should I drink? You have three excellent options. The first is coffee, which can be healthy in moderation. Again, watch out for the caffeine. But you are likely okay to drink a cup or two a day. Be sure to lighten your coffee with dairy-free milk. Powdered "nondairy" creamers almost always have casein (a milk protein) and numerous chemicals; read labels carefully.

Teas of all kinds - white, green, black, and herbal - are generally a superb choice. Be sure you are not drinking presweetened ice tea products, though, without checking out the ingredients. Some are more like tea-flavored sodas than true tea.

Finally, you can't go wrong with water. If you are used to intensely flavored drinks, you might at first find water boring. However, once you get used to its refreshing effect on your body, you will be glad you stuck to the drink that your ancestors enjoyed throughout human history.

Janice Stanger, Ph.D., is a plant-based nutrition author, educator, and speaker. You can read chapter excerpts, find recipe resources, and learn about permanent, hunger-free weight loss on the site for her whole-foods book The Perfect Formula Diet.