Plenty of beverages besides water can keep you hydrated while delivering vitamins, minerals, and other compounds your body can use. The best options are low in added sugar, naturally rich in nutrients, and easy to work into your daily routine. Here’s a practical guide to the healthiest choices and what each one offers.
Tea: Black, Green, and Herbal
Unsweetened tea is one of the simplest upgrades from plain water. Black and green tea contain antioxidants called polyphenols that support heart health and may reduce inflammation. Despite the caffeine, tea still contributes to your daily fluid intake. A typical cup of green tea has around 30 to 50 milligrams of caffeine, well within the FDA’s guideline of 400 milligrams per day for most adults.
Herbal teas offer their own benefits without any caffeine at all. Hibiscus tea stands out for its effect on blood pressure. In a trial published through the American Heart Association, people who drank hibiscus tea daily saw their systolic blood pressure drop by an average of 7.2 mmHg compared to a placebo. Those who started with higher blood pressure saw even larger reductions, around 13 mmHg systolic. Chamomile and peppermint teas are milder options that can help with relaxation and digestion, respectively. The key with any tea is to skip the added sugar and sweetened mixes.
Milk and Plant-Based Alternatives
Cow’s milk is surprisingly effective at keeping you hydrated. Research measuring a “beverage hydration index” found that skim milk actually hydrates better than water itself, scoring 1.58 compared to water’s baseline of 1.0. The combination of protein, fat, and naturally occurring electrolytes slows fluid absorption in your gut, which means your body retains more of the liquid over time.
If you avoid dairy, plant-based milks vary significantly in nutrition. Soy milk is the closest match to cow’s milk, delivering about 7 grams of protein per cup and 30% of your daily calcium (when fortified). Oat milk provides 3 grams of protein and 25% of your daily calcium. Almond milk falls behind on protein, with just about 1 gram per cup, though many brands are fortified with 48% of your daily calcium and 25% of your daily vitamin D. When choosing any plant-based milk, check the label for added sugars and pick versions that say “unsweetened.”
100% Fruit and Vegetable Juices
Orange juice scores 1.39 on the beverage hydration index, meaning it also hydrates more effectively than water thanks to its natural sugars and potassium. The catch is that fruit juice is calorie-dense and easy to overconsume. Sticking to about four to six ounces a day gives you the vitamin C and hydration benefits without the blood sugar spike of a full glass.
Vegetable juices, especially those made from leafy greens like spinach, arugula, and beets, contain high levels of dietary nitrate. Your body converts this nitrate into nitric oxide, a molecule that relaxes blood vessels and supports healthy blood flow. A study in The Journal of Nutrition found that roughly 250 to 300 grams of nitrate-rich vegetables per day (providing about 350 to 400 milligrams of nitrate) lowered blood pressure in middle-aged and older adults over 12 weeks. Fresh-pressed green juices can deliver similar compounds in a concentrated form. Watch out for store-bought vegetable juice blends, though. Many are loaded with sodium or blended with fruit juice that pushes the sugar content higher than you’d expect.
Coconut Water
Coconut water contains potassium, sodium, and manganese, making it a natural source of electrolytes. It’s often marketed as a superior sports drink, and some evidence does suggest it performs comparably to commercial sports drinks for rehydration after exercise. That said, the Mayo Clinic notes it is no more hydrating than plain water for everyday purposes. Where coconut water shines is as a lower-sugar, more natural alternative to brightly colored sports drinks. A typical serving has about 45 calories, compared to 80 or more in most sports beverages. If you’re doing moderate exercise or just want something with flavor and a bit of electrolyte support, it’s a solid option.
Sparkling Water
Plain sparkling water hydrates you just as well as still water. The carbonation makes it slightly more acidic, which has raised concerns about tooth enamel, but research reviewed by the American Dental Association found that sparkling water and regular water had about the same effect on enamel. As the ADA put it, “it’s all just water to your teeth.”
Two caveats worth knowing: citrus-flavored sparkling waters have higher acid levels that do increase the risk of enamel damage over time, and any sparkling water with added sugar is really a sugar-sweetened beverage that can contribute to cavities. Stick with unflavored or naturally flavored varieties that have no added sugar or citric acid, and you’re fine drinking it throughout the day.
Kombucha
Kombucha is a fermented tea that contains organic acids, B vitamins, and live bacteria that may support gut health. The fermentation process naturally produces probiotics, though the specific strains and amounts vary widely between brands. That variability makes it hard to guarantee specific health benefits from any single bottle.
Sugar is the main thing to watch. Kombucha needs sugar for fermentation, and most commercial brands contain at least two grams per eight-ounce serving, with some containing far more. Treat it like a flavored beverage rather than a health supplement: check the nutrition label, aim for options with the least added sugar, and enjoy it in moderation rather than replacing your water intake entirely.
Coffee in Moderation
Black coffee is calorie-free, rich in antioxidants, and associated with lower risks of type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s disease, and liver conditions in large population studies. Despite its reputation as a diuretic, moderate coffee consumption (two to three cups a day) does not cause dehydration. Your body adjusts to the mild diuretic effect, and the fluid in the coffee more than compensates.
The FDA considers up to 400 milligrams of caffeine per day safe for most adults, which works out to roughly two to three 12-ounce cups of brewed coffee. The problems start when you add flavored syrups, whipped cream, or large amounts of sugar. A plain black coffee or one with a splash of milk stays in the “healthy drink” category. A blended coffee drink with 50 grams of sugar does not.
How to Build a Healthier Drink Routine
The simplest approach is to keep water as your baseline and rotate in one or two of these options based on what you enjoy. Morning coffee or tea, a small glass of juice with breakfast, sparkling water in the afternoon, and an herbal tea in the evening gives you variety, hydration, and a range of nutrients without any single beverage dominating your intake. The common thread across every option on this list is the same: the healthiest versions are the ones with little or no added sugar.