What are the healthiest drinks in the store? And what you need to drink to maintain health and beauty

Dear reader, we present to you our beauty columnist Inessa Tsarkova.

Inessa is an active nutritionist, gastroenterologist, therapist, naturopath and aromatherapist, health coach, integrative medicine doctor with a holistic approach. And now he will share with us his knowledge in the field of both physical and mental health, nutrition and much more.

Nature has given humans, like all living things on the planet, the best drink to quench their thirst: clean water. Pure water is the best solvent that fills our cells and ensures metabolism.

Inessa Tsarkova

Another wonderful natural liquid is the juice of fresh fruits, berries and vegetables. It is full of healing vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, as well as natural sugars that energize our cells and protect them from damage. Moreover, the amount of vitamins is maximum only when you directly chew succulent plants and fruits or in freshly prepared juice. However, during storage, vitamins (especially vitamin C) are quickly destroyed.

Unfortunately, modern people are increasingly replacing water and the internal moisture of plants with artificial drinks that contain many chemicals that are extremely harmful to our cells.

Sugary sodas and industrial fruit juices are perhaps the most dangerous of them. Such drinks contain sugar or its substitutes (no less harmful to health: fructose, sucralose, sodium cyclamate, acesulfame, asparkam) and other synthetic chemical additives (orthophosphoric acid, acidity regulators, sweeteners, dyes, caffeine, carbon) ” Contains an explosive mixture. dioxide) is in a very fast-acting (dissolved and carbonated) form. It turns out that the dosage of sugar in such drinks is extremely high: one glass contains about 6-7 teaspoons of sugar. And harmful chemical additives (often not listed on the packaging) further increase its toxic effect.

The harmful effects of all these components begin in the oral cavity. Sugar feeds pathogenic microflora (primarily fungi), leading to its rapid and increased reproduction and the development of dysbacteriosis. Sugar itself, waste products of pathogenic microflora and chemical additives in these drinks cause inflammation of the mucous membrane and destroy tooth enamel, leading to caries.

Sweet carbonated drinks have the same destructive effect on the mucosa of the stomach and intestines as they move along the gastrointestinal tract, causing heartburn, belching, the development of inflammatory diseases and causing dysbiosis, feeding parasites, fungi and pathogenic microbes.

Since these drinks contain simple sugars that are quickly absorbed into the bloodstream, a sharp jump in blood sugar levels and the release of large amounts of insulin occur. With regular consumption of such drinks, the sensitivity of cell receptors to insulin decreases, the pancreas “wears out” and the risk of developing type 2 diabetes increases.

With constant consumption of sweet soda (especially in large quantities), excess sugars turn into fat cells, which leads to an increase in the waist and overall weight.

Due to excessive intake of fructose and chemical additives, the liver is damaged and the development of fatty hepatosis begins. Uric acid, a byproduct of metabolism, causes kidney stone formation and inflammation in the joints. As well as triglycerides, which are responsible for the development of atherosclerosis.

Another harmful effect of excess sugar is glycation, which causes the protein molecules in our cells to “turn into sugar” and lose their function, leading to diseases and rapid aging.

Excess sugar strongly acidifies the blood, which leads to adhesion of red blood cells (which are less likely to carry oxygen) and depletion of alkaline minerals (primarily calcium), leading to osteoporosis. Long-term chronic acidification of blood and lymph also increases the risk of depression and cancer.

If a person drinks such drinks instead of pure water, the deficiency will be noticed very quickly. In dehydrated cells of the body, metabolism is disrupted, toxic substances accumulate and their elimination and accelerated aging processes are initiated.

The effects of packaged fruit juices on the body do not differ much. To prepare them, even well-known Russian manufacturers most often use not fresh berries, but concentrated pastes and powders produced abroad. These are the same juices that have the word “reconstituted” on the packages. To produce such concentrates, squeezed juice is subjected to aggressive high-temperature processing, which evaporates the juice and destroys enzymes and almost all vitamins (primarily vitamin C). In this case, the aroma, natural color and taste of the product are lost. This forces manufacturers to add not only water but also artificial flavors, dyes, sugar and citric acid when recreating juice from concentrate. Such juice can be stored for a long time, but it will not benefit the body. On the contrary, added chemicals and sugar, lack of live enzymes and vitamins (often synthetic vitamins are added to such juices, which the cells cannot absorb) lead to the same diseases as drinking sweet sodas.

The second option for purchased juices is fresh juices (or directly squeezed juices). As a rule, they are prepared in harvest areas. But unfortunately, even such juices lose most of their beneficial substances during pasteurization and storage. After all, specific enzymes appear that destroy vitamins immediately after the cell membrane is damaged. Therefore, it is better to drink freshly squeezed juices immediately after preparation.

There is another very important point you need to know. Fruit juices that do not contain fiber (especially fruit juices and those with added sugar) have an extremely high glycemic index and cause a sharp increase in blood sugar and insulin release, leading to insulin resistance and increasing the likelihood of developing type 2 diabetes. Therefore, it is better to drink even freshly squeezed juices as rarely as possible and preserve the pulp in it as much as possible. However, freshly squeezed vegetable juices that are low in sugar can be drunk every day. It is best to make smoothies to preserve the valuable fibers found in cell membranes. Juices and smoothies made from green vegetables (cabbage, celery, cucumber, broccoli, juicy lettuce, spinach) are especially useful. To make vegetable juices more delicious, you can add a little lemon or orange juice, berries (currants, cherries, cranberries, sea buckthorn) or natural honey.

My dear readers, to preserve your health, strengthen it and prolong youth, do not buy industrial sweet drinks for yourself and your children, drink clean (preferably hot) water or make aromatic homemade fruit drinks from berries, citrus fruits and fresh herbs. This will enrich your health with valuable vitamins and antioxidants and fill them with vital energy. Here are some simple recipes for preparing them (they may be especially useful in the hot season).

Lemonade with mint

Drink 2 liters of water (preferably spring water or melt water): Cut 4-5 lemons into slices, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of honey, 3-4 sprigs of fresh mint.

Adding ground Ceylon cinnamon or turmeric to the tip of a teaspoon will further improve metabolism and protect cells from damage. Or 1-2 drops of natural citrus essential oil (lemon, grapefruit or wild orange) therapeutic grade with food certification, which will increase the antioxidant activity of the drink.

cucumber lemonade

For 200 ml of degassed mineral water: 60 ml of freshly squeezed cucumber juice, 40 ml of freshly squeezed lemon juice, 20 g of fresh basil. If desired, you can add 1 teaspoon of natural honey.

Lemonade “Water Sassi” for delicacy

For 2 liters of degassed mineral water (you can also use plain water): Cut 1 medium cucumber and 1 medium lemon into slices, add a bunch of fresh mint and about 10-15 g of fresh ginger (peel and crush or finely chop beforehand) . to cut). If desired, you can grind all the ingredients in a blender, mix everything and put it in the refrigerator (can be overnight).

My dear readers, take care of your health and prepare only healthy drinks!