Health Benefits of Beverages
Beverages like milk, red wine, hot cocoa and tea are considered functional foods and shouldn’t be overlooked as a source of vital nutrients and antioxidants.
Milk and hot cocoa contain calcium and protein. Red wine and tea contains important antioxidants resveratrol and catechins. These are examples of beverages that offer health benefits.
It is easy to overlook the additional calories beverages can add to the diet, so it's important to consider the nutritional value of a beverage and select nutrient-rich options.
Beverages are a functional food because, in addition to the basic health benefits of certain beverages, they help maintain optimum health due to the health promoting phytochemicals they contain – many of which are still being identified.