Water is important for your health, but do other beverages count toward meeting your daily fluid needs?

You’ve probably heard the old expression, “you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make it drink”.  Well, I’ve got plenty of clients who are just like that horse.  They know water is important to their health and they’ve heard the common advice that they should drink about 8 glasses of water a day. But, as one client said to me recently, “this is going to sound strange, but I just hate water – there’s no way I can choke down 8 glasses of plain water a day”.  Which leads to the question: does it have to be plain water?  Do any other beverages count?

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What you drink could affect what foods you choose to eat.

We tend to pay a lot more attention to what we eat than what we drink – we usually decide on a beverage after we’ve decided what we’re going to eat.

But there are times when the beverage calls the shots.  Pour yourself a glass of cold milk, and you’re suddenly craving a chocolate chip cookie.  A steaming mug of coffee brings on the urge for a sugary donut on the side.  And is there anyone who hasn’t noticed that beer pairs really well with salty, fatty foods – like pizza, hot dogs and peanuts?  Okay – so if certain beverages can steer you to eat the wrong foods, is it possible that other beverages could help you make better choices?  Researchers at the University of Oregon and Michigan State University think so. Read more »