In the health-conscious modern era, numerous products are marketed as nutritional saviours. However, some of them have hidden ingredients that aren't as healthy as they seem. That's why it's important to read the labels on products before you buy them to make sure they're truly good for your health. Nutrient-packed functional beverages have been the popular pick lately for a hydrating beverage.
A functional beverage is a type of drink that has specific ingredients or health benefits. These beverages can include things like dairy drinks, sports and energy drinks, teas, fortified fruit juices, and more. They're often promoted as offering various health advantages, like improving heart health or boosting energy. These beverages are called functional due to their high nutritional composition. They can assist in meeting your daily nutritional requirements in a convenient manner.
Functional beverages are non-alcoholic drinks that pack a lot of nutrients and contain benefits to health that many of the common beverages don't. These beverages don't have traditional ingredients like fruits, vegetables, or herbs in them, but rather they have vitamins, minerals, probiotics, added fruit flavours, sweeteners, and/or dietary fibres. The main focus is the nutritional composition, not the flavour of the drink.
Although the flavour of these drinks isn't necessarily bad, it is still quite enjoyable. These drinks are growing massively in popularity due to the convenience they provide, with many athletes and people opting for functional drinks to meet their daily nutrient requirements. With so many people choosing functional beverages, no wonder it has become a trend lately.
With the growing trend of consuming functional beverages, especially among athletes and people who engage in rigorous training, many brands have set their eyes on functional drinks, resulting in a wide variety of options and types in the market. Keep reading to learn more.
Why Should You Drink Functional Beverages?
Just like how protein shakes are a convenient way to get your daily protein requirement in a convenient fashion, these drinks work in a similar manner by providing you with the essential nutrients on the go. It is greatly helpful to people with tight schedules. With so many varieties available on the market, many of these drinks are very purpose-driven, meaning they are designed for a specific use. While some drinks may boost energy, like sports drinks, others prioritise digestive health, such as probiotic drinks.
Functional beverages are also not just for athletes but also essential for those who want to switch to something healthier than sugar-rich fruit juices or cola with basically zero nutrients. Not only that, Glanbia Nutritionals states that these drinks could also prove to be useful for working professionals in between their breaks to replenish their energy and work more motivated. Overall, these drinks are a great way to supplement your body with additional wellness.
8 Types Of Functional Beverages
Electrolyte Sports Drinks:
Electrolytes are basically minerals like potassium, calcium, and sodium that are vital for the smooth functioning of our bodies. The purpose of these drinks is to provide a quick burst of energy. These usually contain carbs in the form of sugar, low-calorie sweeteners, and even vitamin B at times to provide energy. The goal of these drinks is to fuel the body with the required electrolytes, glucose, sodium, and hydration.
Usually, these drinks are mainly designed for athletes who engage in heavier training than common people and are designed with ingredients keeping in mind their needs. Consuming a lot of these drinks could cause a blood sugar spike in people who don't train and burn calories as much as athletes do.
Energy Drinks:
Just like sports drinks, energy drinks also provide energy, as the name suggests. These are also typically consumed during or after exercise. According to Orbit Fitness, energy drinks may help boost motivation, help you train longer, and increase focus. Energy drinks contain stimulating ingredients such as caffeine, taurine, B vitamins, sugar, and ginseng to help you keep going.
Probiotic and Prebiotic Drinks:
Kombucha, yoghurt-based drinks, enhanced waters, and other fermented beverages will frequently contain prebiotics or probiotics to aid gut health and digestive health. These are very specific drinks that will not help you boost energy or be consumed during training, like sports and energy drinks. Probiotic drinks' main purpose is to help digestive health and are recommended to people who suffer from those problems.
Protein Shakes and Drinks:
Protein is widely recognised as crucial for muscle development. Numerous drinks highlight their protein content to underline its significance. Electrolytes and energy drinks aren't sufficient protein sources, so dedicated protein powders and drinks are available to meet your daily needs.
They promote muscle growth, aid recovery, and provide a feeling of fullness. Therefore, there are specific protein powders or already-made protein drinks to fulfil your daily protein requirement. These are essential for muscle growth and recovery while also making you feel full and satisfied.
Enhanced Water:
Many people find plain water unappealing due to its lack of flavour. Enhanced waters are solutions containing added sugar or low-calorie sweeteners to enhance taste. They also provide extra nutrients like minerals, vitamins, electrolytes, herbs, and amino acids, making hydration more enjoyable and nutritious.
Coffee Or Tea:
In many ways, you can say these two beverages—coffee and tea—were the original functional beverages with their stimulating properties. These drinks can also be made with milk, making them more filling. Even today, many people consume coffee before a workout to charge themselves up.
Coconut Water:
A natural plant-based functional beverage, coconut water has been often hailed as the 'smart' drink due to its high electrolyte content. Coconut water is an excellent hydrator, especially after exercise.
Fortified Juices:
These juices are basically your regular fruit juices, but with added nutrients that were not originally present in the fruits from which the juice was derived. For example, there are many fruit juices, especially orange juice, that are fortified with vitamin C to increase their immunity-boosting properties.
Although these drinks are a convenient way to get your nutrients, it is advisable to consume them in moderation, as many of them do have small amounts of sugar. Consuming in excess can lead to blood sugar spikes and extra-calorie consumption.