Smurf Latte, Golden Milk, green smoothies: drinks not only have to taste good, they also have to be healthy and hip. In addition, drinks are now not only intended to appeal to the sense of taste or provide a health bonus. Beverage trends should be sustainable, exotic and extravagant. But what should we make of such drinkable status symbols? Do they work – whether physiologically or psychologically, or are they simply high-priced lifestyle products?

Higher, further, faster

According to the consumer organization CSIP, sugary drinks are the biggest sugar trap in the diet. They increase the risk of diabetes, tooth decay and obesity. For example, drinking 0.3 liters of sugared lemonade every day increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 22 percent. One more glass and the risk doubles – regardless of other factors such as obesity. So an alternative had to be found – water became the hype. More varieties, exotic origins, energized by the moon or sun, easy to take along in plastic, then preferably healthy again in a jar. For the practical ones from the tap and self-infused. Apart from any marketing strategy, this is a sensible trend.

The human body consists mainly of water. While a newborn child still has a water content of 70 – 80 percent, this is only 45 – 50 percent in an 85-year-old. Water contains essential minerals and trace elements. Iron promotes blood formation and energy metabolism, while calcium    Chemisches Element Ca mit der Ordnungszahl 20, Mineralstoff, der zu den Mengenelementen zählt. Unter den Mineralstoffen ha... is important for bones and teeth. Potassium is particularly important for the heart and muscles, and without chloride and sodium, the water and acid-base balance would be out of balance. Drinking 1.5 – 2 liters of (mineral) water a day covers part of the mineral requirement and provides the body with sufficient fluids. And all this without adding sugar, colorants or the like. However, it doesn’t have to be glacier water from Canada, volcanic-artesian water from Iceland or rainwater from Tasmania when we have 500 types of local mineral water at our disposal or even food-grade water from the tap.

Smoothies and co.: Drunk health

Smoothies as a “superfood”

For some time, smoothies were a refreshing drink with a high vitamin content for the summer, but people now believe they have found the philosopher’s stone with the green variety. The Institute of Medical Research in Miami came to the conclusion that drinking green smoothies daily from an early age over a lifetime could increase life expectancy from 78 years for men and 82 years for women to 117 years.

But is the finely pureed, antioxidant-rich liquid food really such a miracle weapon against ageing? Although smoothies are green due to the vegetables they contain and their leaf pigment chlorophyll, the fruit content predominates in the pureed porridge. This makes them a useful alternative when fresh fruit is not available. However, smoothies are not suitable as a permanent substitute. Important vitamins, fiber, minerals and secondary plant substances are lost during processing.

The liquid consistency also has its disadvantages: Drinking too many smoothies can overload the digestive tract, while the teeth lack something to do. Teeth and gums only stay healthy if they are regularly given something hard to bite on, such as apples or carrots. The undisputed advantage of smoothies, however, is their hydration. While those who don’t like drinking plain water may find it difficult, it’s easier to sip the colorful variety. However, caution is advised with store-bought smoothies. These contain a lot of sugar, on average 13 grams of sugar per 100 milliliters of the drink. In comparison, 100 milliliters of cola contain 10.6 grams of sugar. So if you opt for the homemade version without added juice, you can be sure that it only contains what you want to drink.

A bony affair

Whereas it used to be hip to travel with coffee in a paper cup, now it’s the broth to go that you sip if you want to be hip. Bone broth is usually made from beef, veal or chicken bones. It gets its delicate flavor from crushed ginger, organic coconut milk or a hint of lemongrass and lime – there are no limits to your imagination. One thing is certain: it warms you up and gives you a boost of energy – just like grandma’s soup has done for ages.

Whether minerals such as magnesium and calcium, proteins such as collagen and their smaller components, the amino acids, can really survive the long cooking process and be utilized by our body is questionable. Collagen, for example, cannot be absorbed by our body in the form in which it is present in the broth. Enzymes break down collagen in the intestine into amino acids, which the body uses where they are needed. It makes no difference whether you drink broth or eat meat. In addition, our body produces collagen itself and is not at all dependent on its supply from food. However, soup is a good alternative to coffee, especially on cooler days, as a refreshment between meals without expecting miracles.

More than cold coffee

You used to put powder in the filter and turn on the coffee machine, at some point it became an espresso machine with an incredible noise level, for gentler minds it was the quiet Danish version to press down. Now it’s getting cold. Cold brew and cold drip. The coffee is prepared cold here. What they both have in common is that they have a long infusion time of at least eight hours to really extract the last bit of aroma from the coffee beans. In cold brew preparation, filtered water is poured over the coffee powder in one go – with cold drip, this is done drop by drop and over a longer period of time. The result is the same for both trends: a mild coffee with a variety of flavors – just like hot-brewed coffee.

The health bonus here is said to be the very low acidity – an advantage if your morning hot drink would otherwise upset your stomach. However, a glass of water before the first cup of coffee is also helpful here. The coffee is diluted by the water in the stomach, so there is no irritation of the stomach walls. The cold coffee is usually prepared overnight so that it can be enjoyed in the morning. If you like it even more varied, you can refine it with fruit puree, vanilla and nut flavors or even gin and tonic. If you want to be a hobby barista, it’s a creative pastime, but cold preparation is too time-consuming for a quick coffee in between.

To the point

You can follow food trends – or not. There is usually nothing behind the advertised health benefits that wasn’t already there. Trendy drinks are often too sweet, too expensive and not suitable for on the go. What the smoothie is today, the milkshake used to be, and there will always be variations on coffee. For optimal drinking, it’s best to opt for the timeless classic, water. This provides the body with healthy fluids without being loaded with sugar, colorants or the like.