Morning drinks to improve your health
When it comes to your first drink of the day, you want to start as you mean to go on. If you’re looking for an easy way to get in more vitamins, minerals, and other health-boosting benefits, then a delicious beverage is the best approach.
11. Hot cacao
You might not expect to see chocolate on this list, but cacao has a huge list of health benefits. Recently, a study revealed that the flavonoids and antioxidants in cacao powder can stimulate tissue regeneration and stem cell production. It can even protect cells from degradation (think sun damage and ageing!). The only caveat is you need to consume high-ratio dark chocolate – 70% or more.
If you’re not a fan of drinking dark chocolate, you can also eat it! Try making a dark chocolate breakfast bar with chopped fruits, nuts, and cereals. The important thing is to check the quality of your cacao to ensure you’re getting the benefits.
12. Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented tea drink that has soared in popularity over the last decade. Fermented foods like sauerkraut, kefir, and kimchi help to improve your gut biome by introducing healthy bacteria that act as pre and pro-biotics. It’s been used as an energy drink and digestion aid in China and Japan for thousands of years, but there aren’t many studies to prove the potential benefits yet.
Studies into kombucha have found that the profile of drinks available wildly varies from brand to brand, most likely because every manufacturer uses slightly different base teas, sugars, and fermentation processes. Therefore, it’s difficult to assess how effective they are.
13. Tumeric latte
Also known as a golden latte, this drink is traditionally made by mixing turmeric, warm milk, and other spices like ginger and cinnamon to create a cosy, immunity-boosting remedy.
Like ginger, turmeric has a compound called curcumin, which is a powerful antioxidant and anti-inflammatory. A great source of phytonutrients, turmeric can shield cells from damage and ease a variety of health conditions like arthritis, mood disorders, and dental health.
14. Bone broth
Exactly what it sounds like, bone broth is made from simmering bones, skin, and connective tissue to make a broth – similar to how you would make stock. The idea is that bones, marrow, and cartilage are rich sources of key minerals and vitamins like calcium, iron, vitamins A and K, and collagen, so it’s an easy and tasty way to boost your daily intake. Studies have found that supplemental collagen made from animal bones may help with joint health, soothe osteoarthritis, and improve skin elasticity. Many people enjoy this in the morning as a savoury option for hydration that’s easy on the stomach.
Additionally, glycine was found to have sleep-promoting effects, helping people to fall asleep quicker, get more restorative deep sleep, and feel more awake during the day. So, you may find that a cup of warm bone broth is just the thing to have before bed!
15. Chia seed drink
You may have heard of eating chia seeds but welcome to drinking them instead. Chia seeds are tiny black seeds that swell up and create a gelatinous coating when soaked in water. They’re a small but powerful superfood that studies show offers antioxidant, anti-depressant, anti-ageing, and immunity-boosting benefits. So, if you’re looking for a way to hydrate and get in tons of micronutrients, adding chia seeds to water or juice is an easy way to start the day.
Chia seed drinks are actually quite common around the world as people enjoy the texture they add. In ancient Mexico, they had iskiate or chia fresca, a mix of water, chia seeds, and lemon that was given to warriors and long-distance runners to keep them energised and hydrated.
