Beverages

Beverages contribute significantly to daily fluid intake and, depending on choice, can add meaningful energy, sugar or caffeine too. Water remains the best everyday choice for hydration, carrying no energy at all. HealthHub's Nutri-Grade system now grades many packaged drinks A–D based on their sugar and saturated fat content, to help shoppers compare at a glance.

Common beverages

Water, tea and coffee sit at one end of the spectrum; soft drinks, sweetened fruit juice, sports and energy drinks, and alcohol sit at the other.

Health influence

Benefit: moderate tea and coffee intake is generally considered neutral or even modestly beneficial for most healthy adults due to their antioxidant content.

Watch for: regular sugar-sweetened beverage intake is strongly associated with weight gain, type 2 diabetes and dental decay, since liquid sugar is easy to over-consume without triggering fullness. Excessive alcohol intake raises the risk of liver disease, several cancers and cardiovascular problems.

Practical choices

1. Make water your default drink throughout the day.
2. Check the Nutri-Grade label on packaged drinks and favour A or B where possible.
3. Keep alcohol intake within your local health guidelines.
4. Moderate caffeine intake, particularly later in the day, to protect sleep quality.