What drinks actually hydrate us?

When aiming for better hydration aka better mood and overall health, it’s pretty useful to know what to reach for and what to have a little less of – so let’s dive in! 

Aim for more… 

Water 

No surprises here my friends – the handy H2O is your best bet for rehydrating asap. We are after all made up of around two-thirds water – so get drinking that beautifully pure substance throughout the day and you’ll be glowing from the inside out. A tad bored of standard water? Try adding a slice of citrus fruit, cucumber or mint to spice it up – it’s surprisingly refreshing! Want to know more about the drinks of not having enough – check out our article on dehydration here .

Kombucha 

Here at the gut stuff, we are big fans of kombucha – not only is it going to keep you hydrated research shows may feed your beneficial gut bugs (just make sure it has live cultures). Kombucha is made from something called a SCOBY (a mutually beneficial combination of bacteria and yeast) which results in tangyness and fizz in the drink. Check out our recipes here and brew your own!

Sports Drinks 

Opting for sports drinks, especially after exercising, can help replenish the minerals in our body aka the electrolytes. Hypertonic drinks aka ones with higher amounts of mineral in the blood are a good option. Minerals in the body sit in a fine balance via a process known as homeostasis and support many body processes including maintaining the right blood pressure, keeping the immune system in check and helping nutrients into cells. Careful though – check out the sugar and caffeine content in these drinks when selecting them. 

Try to have less…

Caffeine 

Like anything in life, too much of something can be unbeneficial. Moderate consumption of tea and coffee can contribute to general hydration, but too much of it can lead to dehydration. This is because caffeine is a natural diuretic, which means that it encourages the kidneys to produce more water to extract it in our urine. Not sure of your limit? Check your pee colour and go from there (more on this here).