Check out The 5 Drinks That Quietly Boost Inflammation In Your Body: Inflammation has been discussed extensively in recent years. The consequences of this health condition have been warned about for anyone wishing to avoid pain and long-term health problems, as elevated inflammation can result in cancer, heart disease, and other health difficulties if ignored.
Even though inflammation can lead to a variety of problems, learning how to prevent it can have a significant impact. Knowing which beverages can worsen inflammation is a good place to start.
The Cleveland Clinic claims that items like fried food, sugary desserts, preserved meats, and other refined carbohydrates might worsen the symptoms of chronic inflammation. It is true that beverages can cause inflammation, despite the fact that foods typically receive a poor rap for doing so. For instance, regularly consuming sugary drinks like sodas, fruit drinks, and sugar-sweetened coffees may have inflammatory effects on your body because diets higher in added sugar have been related to increased levels of inflammation.
Make sure to minimize or only occasionally drink the following beverages if you need to lower inflammation in your body.
The 5 Drinks That Quietly Boost Inflammation In Your Body
1. Sweet tea
A wonderfully cool glass of sweet tea is certainly something you’re accustomed to if you’re from the South. Unfortunately, these drinks are loaded with sugar because their name pretty much says it all.
Drinks with added sugar, such as sweet tea, should be avoided whenever feasible, according to Goodson.
Chronic inflammation can be exacerbated over time by consuming too much added sugar, and many beverages with added sugar have very little nutritional value, serving just to increase your consumption of calories and sugar.
A study that was published in Nutrition Research found that persons who consumed fewer sugary beverages had lower blood levels of inflammatory markers.
So, as a suitable low- to no-sugar hydration source, try substituting water, lightly flavored waters, or even water flavored with fresh fruit if you’re watching your inflammation.
2. Store-bought smoothies
While smoothies might be a fantastic alternative for meal replacement or post-workout recovery, many of them that you purchase at smoothie shops actually have added sugar in the form of turbinado, which you might not be familiar with, according to Goodson. “Turbinado and fruit juices together can significantly raise a smoothie’s sugar level. When drank over time, this extra sugar may possibly cause inflammation, especially if you also drink other beverages that are loaded with sugar.”
However, there are differences among smoothies in terms of their nutritional content. Some have only nutritious nutrients and no added sugar. You should be on the lookout for these. You can also attempt preparing a smoothie at home if you have the time and resources to do so.
If you want to buy a smoothie from the store, read the ingredient list and nutrition facts label first, advises Goodson. You may create a smoothie at home with fresh fruit, milk, and yogurt. “Depending on how the store labels it, cutting the added sugar can mean choosing a slim, lean, or light smoothie. Naturally, you should also check your smoothie’s carbohydrate-to-protein ratio to prevent a blood sugar surge.”
3. Sugary lattes
The plant components and polyphenols in coffee may have anti-inflammatory properties, according to a study, but what you put in your coffee may outweigh these advantages, warns Amy Goodson, MS, RD, CSSD, LD, author of The Sports Nutrition Playbook and a member of our Medical Expert Board.
“There is a lot of sugar in many coffee and mock coffee drinks in the form of syrups, sauces, whips, and drizzles. You can be consuming more sugar than you realize if you gulp down a big one of these every day! Do you suffer from a fun-flavored latte once a week? No, however regular consumption of beverages with added sugar can.”
There is a connection between diets high in refined sugar and inflammation, particularly if the sugar comes from sweetened beverages, according to a 2018 review article published in Nutrients. More precisely, it was discovered that people with higher added sugar intake had higher blood levels of inflammatory markers.
Therefore, Goodson advises striving to be “content with less sweetness and maybe just getting one pump of flavor, foregoing the whip, and drizzle, and just utilizing milk foam” rather than reaching for a super-sweet coffee beverage.
You’ll cut back on extra sugar, calories, and perhaps money as well,” she continues.
Check out the Best Coffee Habits for Inflammation if you’re serious about using caffeine to reduce inflammation, and use your morning coffee to your advantage.
4. Flavored oat milk
You might believe that choosing non-dairy milk is always going to be better for you, but this isn’t always the case. In fact, it’s possible that some individuals are unaware of how certain beverages can exacerbate inflammatory conditions.
Not all kinds and varieties of non-dairy milk are made equal, according to Trista Best, RD at Balance One Supplements. “When flavorings and more sugar are used to make oat milk, it becomes inflammatory. Even bland choices can have about 7 grams of sugar per serving. This may exacerbate the inflammatory response in people who are allergic or intolerant to gluten. Oats are inherently gluten-free, but some of them are processed in factories that also produce components that contain gluten, raising the risk of cross-contamination.”
5. Soda
The sugar in a soda might cause inflammation if the sugar in your smoothie doesn’t.
According to Lisa Young, Ph.D., RDN, author of Finally Full, Finally Slim and a member of our Medical Expert Board, sugary drink causes inflammation. “Repeatedly consuming beverages with a lot of added sugar, and soda is a prominent source of added sugar in the diet, can cause chronic inflammation over time.”
Young continues, “I advocate drinking water or sparkling water instead because eating a diet high in added sugar might raise inflammation that can cause disease. “Mint and lemon, or simply a dash of juice, are acceptable additions for flavor.”
Do not feel that you must completely give up soda. If sparkling water doesn’t sound attractive to you, you can discover other sweet drinks with less sugar or try cutting back on your soda intake to just sometimes. By doing this, you can continue to enjoy a favorite beverage while consuming less added sugar on a regular basis.
