Your day is often only as good as your morning. Start your day off kicking butt, and you’ll likely stay in that groove for the rest of the day. Of course, your morning also is only as good as your morning routine. And one of the most essential parts of the morning for many people is the “morning drink.” You know what this is—it’s the beverage you always reach for after stumbling your way out of bed. It’s the drink that’s going to help wake you up and give you the energy to get going.
But what drinks are best for giving you energy? What drinks are the healthiest? Are there any potential health dangers lurking in your choice of morning potage? We’ll review some of the most popular choices of morning drinks and provide all the basics.
Water
This list is intended to be alphabetical, but we’re going to break that pattern for an emergency broadcast reminder about water. In short, it’s incredibly important to stay hydrated throughout the day. Water is perhaps your best weapon in the battle to remain constantly hydrated. And it’s never a bad idea to start your day by drinking plenty of water. By remaining well hydrated, you’ll keep your energy levels up, stave off illnesses and even better manage your weight.
Flavored water
Water too plain for you? Then it’s good to note that flavored waters are increasingly popular as morning drinks. You might not think that just adding fruit or spice to water can do much to change their nutrition profile. However, you can get a nice little morning boost, depending on what you add.
For example, lemon juice is excellent for helping manage your weight and blood sugar levels. Other popular flavor additions for water include mint, cucumber, and spices, such as ginger (more on some of those later.) These all help you stay hydrated, while adding some crucial nutrients to your diet. There’s not too much more to add here—we’re never going to recommend you stop drinking plenty of water!
Apple cider vinegar
You can’t get more classic than water. So let’s hop next to something a little off the beaten path. Apple cider vinegar has become an increasingly popular beverage due to being high in plenty of healthful substances, such as proteins, enzymes, and good bacteria.
Most people get apple cider vinegar in their diet by incorporating it into their cooking and dishes. There are some, however, who have even started drinking the stuff straight in the morning to aid them in weight-loss goals, reduction of cholesterol, or getting control of their blood sugar levels.
So is this a good morning drink? Sure, but only in moderation. Really, apple cider vinegar is more of an accompaniment to your morning routine, rather than what you should base that entire routine around. While it’s excellent for fighting things like inflammation, it’s still vinegar. If you go chugging a bottle a day, you’ll likely end up with intestinal distress. Keep it moderate or, better yet, incorporate it into recipes.
Coconut water
Delicious, nutritious, and hydrating in the extreme. What’s not to love about coconut water? It has fiber for your gut, potassium to fight inflammation, calcium for your bones, and electrolytes to help it work as nature’s very own Gatorade.
Of course, most coconut water will have some calories and sugar in it, so it’s not a one-to-one replacement for water. But a glass of coconut water can make an excellent morning drink. On an empty stomach, its immune-boosting properties can get working right away, leaving you ready for the worst the day can throw at you.
Coffee
Ahh, coffee. For many Americans, there’s absolutely no way they could get the day started without their morning brew. But just because it’s traditional for many, is coffee really the best choice out there? Is coffee good for detox and otherwise boosting your health?
Well, there are some coffee benefits. Plenty of people do get a significant energy boost from caffeine, after all. Coffee beans contain antioxidants, and caffeine has been linked to boosting morning workouts.
But there are plenty of other things to watch out for when it comes to coffee. As you’ve probably noticed, keeping hydrated is one of the most essential parts of a morning routine. Coffee tends to dehydrate rather than rehydrate, which is especially bad considering you’re often dehydrated when you wake up in the morning.
Coffee energy isn’t sustainable either, and you’re likely to end up with crashes throughout the day. And as for the question “is coffee good for detox,” could it really make the cut when coffee beans are some of the most pesticide-sprayed crops on the planet?
Energy drinks
Take all the energy-regulation issues with coffee, and add on a ton of extra sugar, and that’s pretty much where you end up with most energy drinks. We don’t want to tar the entire industry with the same brush, but we also don’t want to spend too much time on the topic. You might get really hopped up in the morning, but you’ll be crashing by noon.
Fruit juice
There’s a wide world of fruit and vegetable juices out there, but we’re definitely getting closer to some of the better options for morning drinks here. Something fresh and full of vitamin C is going to help give you the immunity boost to get you started. If you need help deciding what the healthiest juice to detox and energize with, we’ve touched on the topic before.
Tea
Sometimes on those colder days, you really just want something to warm up with. Tea is an excellent way to start those chilly mornings. As with fruit juice, how good tea works as a morning drink really depends on what is going into it. Anything with ginger or lemon is going to be a real winner, plus green and black teas. If you’re interested in juice to detox, you should check out our information on detox teas as well.
Green drink
Whether you want a new morning drink, or are looking for a 3 day cleanse weight loss program (or more) Chef V has you covered. Our green drink has all the vitamins and minerals and energy boosters you need to have an amazing day, start to finish. If you’re dependent on caffeine and want to break away from the iced coffees in the morning, then we have the perfect option for you!