International Water Day: The only drinks that are as healthy as H2O
A Harvard study has revealed that coffee and tea have properties that, when consumed in moderation, bring benefits to the body as good as those of water.
World Water Day was created by the United Nations to highlight water scarcity issues that affect billions of people worldwide. The organisation reports that half of the world’s population suffer with severe water scarcity at any one point of the year. The theme of World Water Day 2024 is ‘Water for Peace’.
While many people struggle to secure safe drinking water, the recommendation is to drink at least six to eight glasses of water a day. Staying hydrated by drinking water is vital to one’s health, but this is not the only healthy beverage that you can incorporate into your diet. A group of researchers has revealed that it shares the podium with two others.
As healthy as water, but harmful in excess
There are two drinks found in many homes that, in addition to being beneficial to the body, provide antioxidant properties and help reduce cholesterol levels and regulate blood sugar, as demonstrated by a recent Harvard study: one is coffee and the other is tea.
However, to get their full benefits, they must be consumed in the proper manner- they are best taken without adding sweeteners so as not to alter their effects.
Coffee and tea contain healthy elements
According to Harvard Health, research showed that people who drank two to three cups of coffee a day “had a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and early death than those who avoided the beverage”.
Coffee is a source of polyphenols- believed to help reduce oxidative stress and inflammation- such as quinic or chlorogenic acid; and diterpenes, such as cafestol or kahweol. This drink also has magnesium, vitamin B2 and caffeine. However, excessive use of it can cause damage to gastrointestinal health.
Something similar can happens with tea, whose main property is theine. It has polyphenols, just like coffee does, as well as flavonols, such as quercetin, kaempferol or myricetin. All these have health contributions to the body.
However, too much tea consumption could trigger anxiety, stress and lack of rest.
Both coffee and tea can be good additions to your daily routine. However, drinking water is still the best way to quench your thirst and stay hydrated.