It’s summer — the season of cold, sugary drinks. It’s hard to stay health-minded as friends and family indulge in cold beers and cocktails. However, healthy summer drinks can be just as delicious.

Even if you’re not worried about your weight, it’s crucial to stay hydrated in the summer. These healthy drinks will do the job much better than a beer.

To find out what goes into a healthy summer drink, check out the guide below.

Invest in a Juicer or Blender

Too often, commercial juice brands hide unhealthy ingredients in their drinks. Although they usually say “100% juice” on the front, this label can be a trick. Anything that comes from a fruit or vegetable, even if it was created in a lab, can still be added to the drink.

The best way to ensure that your summer drinks are healthy is to make them yourself. Juicers and blenders are not cheap appliances, but they make a great investment.

Pick the Right Base

When making healthy summer drinks, make healthier choices when choosing a base liquid. For example, tonic water typically has added sugar. Instead, choose sparkling mineral water, coconut water, or soda water.

Green tea is another healthy liquid that can be incorporated into a summer drink recipe.

Add Natural Flavors

Commercial drinks often use unhealthy, artificial ingredients to create flavor. If you make your own drinks, you can flavor them with natural ingredients.

Citrus fruits like lemon and lime are a classic choice. Ginger is another healthy choice that adds a spicy, fresh kick to any drink. There are also tons of herbs like mint and lemongrass that add lots of flavor.

Healthy Fruit Juices

If a juicer or blender is too expensive right now, you can make mindful drink purchases at the store. Some of the healthiest fruit juices to choose from are beet juice, pomegranate juice, and cranberry juice.

The key to choosing a healthy fruit drink is to analyze the label. First, make sure it says “100% juice” and not “beverage” or “drink.” If it has a USDA organic label, that’s even better.

Next, choose a juice that’s cloudy. In fact, the cloudier, the better. This sediment is evidence of real pulp from real fruit and it has vitamins and nutrients.

Avoid Alcohol

Alcohol is all empty calories. It makes weight loss difficult and weight gain inevitable. The worst part is that it’s practically devoid of nutrients.

If you must indulge, get a cold coffee drink like a Dunkin frappe. Health-wise, it’s still preferable to alcohol.

Preparing Healthy Summer Drinks

Sticking to healthy summer drinks is a difficult task. The hot summer sun often entices us to indulge in cold beer and sugary drinks. Although they sound great, you’ll find that these healthy options taste just as good.

If you found this guide helpful, take a moment to check out the other health articles on our page.