4 Healthy Drinks That Aren't Boring for men

Quench your thirst without sipping extra sugar

In a recent 

study from the University of Glasgow, researchers found that some juices may be just as bad for your health as drinking sugary sodas. How come? Most juice has added sugar, the researchers say, which means the average glass is less healthy than you think, and can also heighten your risk for obesity and heart disease.

“In addition to the issue of added sugar, when you drink your calories, you don’t typically compensate by eating less somewhere else," says Dawn Jackson Blatner, RDN. "Liquid calories are just added to what we are already eating." And while "light" juices might boast fewer calories, they also contain more artificial sweeteners to boost taste, Blatner says. 

Of course, real fruit juice contains important vitamins and minerals—but that nutrition doesn't count as much when there are added sugars in the mix. Blatner's recommendation: "If it isn't 100 percent juice, it's best avoided—just like soda." 

If you want to quench your thirst, water, unsurprisingly, is always your best choice. But when you don't feel like plain-old H2O, skip the sugary sips and opt for these healthy drinks instead: 

1. Pure Leaf Unsweetened Iced Tea

At zero calories, it's mostly water—but it's brewed with fresh, real tea leaves. Plus, it contains healthy compounds to boost concentration and fight diseases, Blatner says. Just remember to seek out the unsweetened version.  

2. Naked Green Machine

It may be green, but the mix of apples, kiwi, and mango keep this juice from tasting like straight kale. Just watch how much you down, since one bottle is two servings. Blatner recommends diluting a quarter of the bottle with water.

3. Coconut Water

This is one trend we approve of: Not only is coconut water already naturally sweetened, but it also offers electrolytes to help you rehydrate. Our favorite: Vita Coca 100% Pure Coconut Water, which packs just 90 calories per bottle. 

4. Low-Sodium V8

The reason this gets Blatner’s vote: With no sugar added and eight vegetables inside, just one bottle counts toward your five recommended daily serings.