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Beverages

Monday, March 25, 2024 12:31 PM

Excerpt from the book “Staying Healthy with Nutrition.” 
By Elson M. Haas, MD & Buck Levin, PhD, RD 
Photo by Brooke Lark on unsplash.com 

Beverages are those fluid substances that we drink for the primary reasons of satisfying thirst and maintaining the body’s 65% water content. There are other reasons for consuming different liquids, including body detoxification, energy stimulation, relaxation, and nourishment, as well as merriment and celebration. 

Different people and cultures have their favorite beverages. Many of the substances we drink have the potential for addiction and may produce certain problems when consumed in excess. Alcohol and caffeine, in the United States mainly as coffee, are 2 commonly abused ones. Milk use can create difficulties for many adults and children because of lactose intolerance or allergy, or because of its calorie and fat levels. Sugared soda pops, many of them containing caffeine, have become a common addictive problem, especially in young people. We all need to consume liquids to maintain life. It is best for as much as possible of our liquid intake to be water and for the other beverages to be used only as special treats. In this way, along with a diet containing the essential nutrients, we will more easily provide the body and cells with what they need, rather than make it harder for the digestive and other systems to obtain the replenishment they require.

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