I want to say strongly that Americans are not drinking healthy beverages. Statistics show that, on average, Americans drink five times as many sodas and nearly twice as much beer as Europeans.
Europeans drink three times as much tea, three times as much wine and four times as much tap water as Americans.
So, what should we drink? More water, of course. It may be tap water-straight or filtered. Bottled or mineral water is another choice — whether still (no carbonation) or sparkling.
When in Venezuela, our family began drinking sparkling water, adding lemon or lime. Now the citrus flavor comes in the water! But I still like the real thing. I like sparkling juices for special occasions or just with Italian food.
All 100% fruit juices are good … in moderation. Tomato juice and fruit and vegetable mixes are great choices. Regular and herbal teas are great for health benefits.
Hey, Southerners, I haven’t forgotten you. Try sweetening your iced tea with stevia, a natural sweetener that is virtually calorie free and is used extensively worldwide; however, be aware that it has not at the time of this book’s printing been approved as a sweetener by the US Food and Drug Administration. If using artificial sweetener or sugar, use them in moderation. If using real sugar, prepare to walk it off – literally! It’s your choice!
Remember!
Drink to your health.
- Next to oxygen, water is the element that is most important to our survival.
- Ideal bottled water is rich in magnesium and calcium and has low sodium content.
- Regular and herbal teas are great for health. A cup of tea has greater than five times the antioxidant power of most fruits and vegetables.
- Avoid drinking empty calories.
- Keep drinking the milk, as well – three servings a day!
As a helpful resource, I have lots of articles on healthy ingredients and recipes that you can implement into your daily life.
If you’d like to dig deeper into my journey of discovering God’s plan for health and wellness, check out my book, Made For Paradise: God’s Original Plan for Healthy Eating, Physical Activity, and Rest.
