Health effects of Beverages

	Dairy drinks - Flavored drinks and yoghurt drinks are great sources of calcium, needed for strong, healthy teeth and bones, and to help reduce the risk of osteoporosis. Whole milk has high proportion of fat whereas semi-skimmed and skimmed milk are much lower in fat, but still contain the same amount of calcium. These types of milk are advised for the general population over the age of five. For children under five, whole milk should be encouraged.
	Fruit juices - Pure, unsweetened fruit juices are particularly good sources of vitamins and minerals and special phytochemicals and are a great way of replenishing lost fluids in the body. Daily intake of five portions of fruits and vegetables help to protect against variety of diseases. Don't confuse pure fruit juice with fruit/juice drinks, which usually contain only 5 to 25% pure fruit juice. These drinks don't have the same health benefits and tend to contain added sugar which can cause tooth decay.
	Coffee has been linked with a number of risk factors for coronary heart disease, including increased blood pressure and high blood cholesterol levels. Hence, people with high blood pressure and pregnant women are advised to limit their caffeine consumption. Coffee may also be beneficial in some areas of health. Research has found that coffee may reduce the risk of developing gallstones, kidney stones, stomach ulcers and colorectal cancer.
	Tea does contribute slightly to our intakes of minerals, and it certainly helps to replace lost fluids, but the health interest in tea at the moment surrounds its potential role in lowering the risk of coronary heart disease and some cancers. Tea contains antioxidant substances called flavonoids. These have been shown to help slow or inhibit the chemical reactions which take place during the development of coronary heart disease.
	Water is a vital component of our diet and is essential for the growth and maintenance of our body. It plays a key role in the metabolic breakdown of proteins and carbohydrates. It helps to reduce the risk of heart disease as hydration is essential to help prevent clogging of arteries in the heart and brain. Drinking water moisturizes your skin from inside out and thereby results in a healthy skin. Also appropriate water intake lessens the burden on your kidneys and liver by flushing toxins.
	Carbonated drinks - Such drinks are crammed with sugar, carbonic acid and phosphoric acid that attack our teeth and may result in dental decay. This causes calcium loss in the bones thereby making the bones weak and brittle. Not only sugary drinks are detrimental to oral health, they're calorific and provide little in the way of nutrients. Research has also shown that frequent intake of carbonated can also result in esophageal cancer.
	Alcohol has been linked to a wide range of illnesses, such as the increased risk of mouth, pharyngeal and esophageal cancers (this risk being greatly increased if combined with smoking). The list doesn't stop there: high blood pressure, gastrointestinal complications, such as gastritis, ulcers, and liver disease and the depletion of certain vitamins and minerals can all be caused by alcohol consumption.