5 popular summer drinks that are best avoided

With the weather getting hotter every day, you may be craving some cool and hydrating drinks to refresh your energy. But not every beverage is created the same. While there are some great drinks to soothe a parched throat like coconut water and buttermilk, there are many other not so great ones.

Here are five beverages that may taste delicious but are actually pretty harmful to your body in the long run.

PACKAGED FRUIT JUICE

You might think fruit juices are full of vitamins and minerals but the packaged juice bottles are also loaded with sugar. Most packaged juices rely on a watered-down concentrate mixed with nearly as much sweetener as a can of soda.

DIET SODA

The so-called healthy alternative to coke, diet sodas are really not that great either. Experts say that just like their sugary cousins, diet soda also has the potential to cause obesity and may present a variety of unstudied health issues.

ENERGY DRINKS

The go-to drink for those who want a quick recharge, energy drinks combine sugar and stimulants in a concoction that can prove to be quite dangerous over time. These drinks have been linked to a higher risk of heart disease and blood pressure spikes.

PREMIXED COCKTAILS

Premixed alcoholic drinks sound pretty handy but are quite troublesome. Apart from the pesky preservatives, the added sugar and flavourings expedite the dehydration process that is already being brought upon by the alcohol.

SWEETENED ICED TEA

If it has been sweetened already, it's best avoided. Sweetened iced tea powders offer so much convenience that we forget about the side effects of all the artificial sweeteners that are often used to make them. You’d be much better off brewing your own tea and controlling the amount of sugar you want to add.