Water, Coffee, Milks, Juices & More: What Research Shows & What to Check.
What you drink counts. Explore each drink: what is in it (measured by USDA), how much caffeine and sugar a cup has, what research in people has and has not found, and what to check before you drink it: caffeine, added sugar, alcohol, pregnancy, children, medicines and very hot drinks.
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Drinking water
Normal serving (USDA): 1 serving, 8 fl oz (237 g)
Plain tap and bottled water: USDA values, what the National Academies say about daily fluid, fluoride, lead, low blood sodium, and findings on weight and kidney stones.
Carbonated and mineral waters
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup, 8 fl oz (237 g)
Mineral and sparkling water as drinks: what the labels mean, USDA values, teeth and acidity, small trials on bowels and bones, sodium in club soda, and what is not proven.
Cocos nucifera
Vitamin CManganese
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (245 g)
Coconut water as a drink: USDA sugar, potassium and sodium per cup, small rehydration trials versus sports drinks, claims checked, and a kidney and potassium caution.
Carbohydrate-electrolyte beverages
Vitamin B12Niacin (B3)Vitamin B6
Normal serving (USDA): 8 fl oz (244 g)
Sports and electrolyte drinks: USDA sugar, sodium and potassium, when research and the ACSM say they help, what the AAP says for children, teeth, and over-drinking.
Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora
Riboflavin (B2)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (8 fl oz, 237 g) brewed coffee
What umbrella reviews and cohort studies found about coffee and health, why most of it is observational, and what to know about caffeine, pregnancy and fracture risk.
Coffea arabica (decaffeinated), Coffea canephora (decaffeinated)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (8 fl oz, 237 g) brewed decaf coffee
Decaf coffee as a drink: how much caffeine is left, USDA values, what cohort studies found, the decaffeination solvent question, pregnancy and who should still check labels.
Caffeinated beverages
Vitamin B12Vitamin B6Niacin (B3)Riboflavin (B2)Magnesium
Normal serving (USDA): 1 can (8.4 fl oz, 258 g)
Energy drinks: caffeine, sugar and added B vitamins from USDA data, what trials found on blood pressure and performance, and cautions for teens, pregnancy and alcohol.
Theobroma cacao
Copper
Normal serving (USDA): 1 tablespoon (5.4 g) unsweetened cocoa powder; or 1 envelope (15 g) cocoa mix
Cocoa and hot chocolate as drinks: USDA values, what trials found on blood pressure and cholesterol, caffeine, sugar, cadmium and lead, milk allergy and how mixes differ.
Bos taurus (dairy cattle milk)
Vitamin B12Riboflavin (B2)CalciumProteinPhosphorus
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (244 g), whole milk with added vitamin D
Cow's milk as a drink: USDA nutrients per cup, what studies found on heart disease, blood pressure and bones, plus allergy, lactose, raw milk and medicine cautions.
Glycine max (beverage)
Vitamin B12Riboflavin (B2)Thiamin (B1)CalciumCopper
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (243 g), unsweetened calcium-fortified soy milk
Soy milk as a drink: USDA nutrients for fortified and unfortified types, what trials found on cholesterol and hot flashes, plus allergy, thyroid medicine and baby cautions.
Avena sativa (beverage)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (240 mL), average of 12 labels
Oat milk as a drink: label nutrient data, what trials of oat beta-glucan drinks found on LDL cholesterol, gluten and celiac cautions, and why babies should not have it.
Oryza sativa (beverage)
Vitamin B12ManganeseRiboflavin (B2)CalciumVitamin A
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (8 fl oz, 240 g), unsweetened rice milk
Rice milk as a drink: USDA nutrients per cup, low protein, and why official bodies advise against it for young children because of inorganic arsenic.
Cocos nucifera (carton beverage)
Vitamin B12CalciumVitamin A
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (240 g), sweetened and fortified coconut milk beverage
Coconut milk beverage from the carton: USDA nutrients per cup, saturated fat and sugar, what coconut oil trials show, coconut allergy labeling and baby cautions.
Citrus sinensis (juice)
Vitamin CFolateCopperVitamin B6Thiamin (B1)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (249 g), about 8 fl oz
Orange juice as a drink: USDA vitamin C, sugar and potassium per cup, trial results on cholesterol, and cautions on sugar, kidney disease, medicines and raw juice.
Malus domestica (juice)
Vitamin C
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (248 g), about 8 fl oz
Apple juice as a drink: USDA sugar and calories per cup, FDA limits on arsenic and lead, patulin, a trial in children with stomach flu, and cautions on medicines.
Solanum lycopersicum (juice)
Vitamin CThiamin (B1)Riboflavin (B2)FolatePotassium
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (243 g), about 8 fl oz
Tomato juice as a drink: USDA vitamin C, potassium and sodium per cup (salted or not), small trials on cholesterol, and cautions on sodium, kidney disease and reflux.
Beta vulgaris (juice)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (about 240 ml); no USDA household portion is available in our data
Beet juice as a drink: composition from one study, pooled trials on blood pressure and exercise, red urine, oxalate and kidney cautions, and why USDA values are missing.
Punica granatum (juice)
Vitamin KFolatePotassiumManganese
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (249 g), about 8 fl oz
Pomegranate juice as a drink: USDA sugar and vitamin K per cup, trials on blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, prostate trials, and warfarin and drug cautions.
Vaccinium macrocarpon (juice)
Vitamin CVitamin EVitamin K
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (253 g)
Cranberry juice as a drink: USDA sugar and vitamin values, what Cochrane and juice trials found on urinary infections, and the warfarin, kidney stone and sugar cautions.
Prunus domestica (juice)
Vitamin B6IronManganesePotassiumRiboflavin (B2)
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (256 g)
Prune juice as a drink: USDA sugar, potassium and vitamin values, the trial on constipation, how it differs from whole prunes, plus sorbitol, potassium and child cautions.
Mixed vegetable juices
Normal serving (USDA): 150 ml (NHS limit for juice and smoothies together as one 5 A DAY portion; no USDA portion for green juice)
Green and vegetable juices: raw ingredient values, trials on blood pressure, and oxalate, vitamin K with warfarin, potassium and food safety cautions.
Blended fruit and vegetable drinks
ManganeseVitamin B6Vitamin CCopperFiber
Normal serving (USDA): 12 fl oz (347 g), fast-food strawberry-banana smoothie with low-fat yogurt
Smoothies as a drink: USDA values for two store-style smoothies, sugar and calories, blended-vs-whole-fruit studies, and food safety with juice, frozen berries and pregnancy.
Simmered bone stock
Niacin (B3)Riboflavin (B2)CopperProtein
Normal serving (USDA): 1 cup (240 g), home-prepared chicken stock
Bone broth claims about gut lining, collagen, joints and bones checked against laboratory analyses, animal studies and small contamination tests, with sodium and label notes.
Sugar-sweetened and diet soft drinks
Normal serving (USDA): 1 can or bottle, 12 fl oz (368 g, regular item; 355 g, diet item)
Sugar-sweetened soda and diet soda compared: USDA calories and caffeine, what pooled studies found on weight, diabetes, teeth and bones, sweetener reviews, and pregnancy.
De-alcoholised beer and wine
Normal serving (USDA): No USDA household portion; use the serving size on the label
Alcohol-free beer and wine: label meanings, trace alcohol, small trials on blood pressure and hydration, purines, pregnancy and recovery, and what is unproven.
Citrus limon (juice in water)
Vitamin C
Normal serving (USDA): Juice of 1 lemon (48 g) stirred into a glass of water
Lemon water and infused water: USDA values for lemon juice and vitamin C, small studies on kidney stones and gout, teeth and acidity, and the claims that lack proof.
Prunus dulcis, Anacardium occidentale, other nuts
Almond, cashew and other nut milks: how little nut they contain, what fortification and added sugar add, USDA values, and cautions for allergy and for babies and toddlers.
Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze
Leaf
Green tea as a drink: caffeine, what Cochrane reviews found, and the cautions (caffeine in pregnancy, iron, warfarin, very hot cups), kept apart from extract capsules.
Camellia sinensis (L.) Kuntze
Leaf
Matcha, the powdered whole-leaf green tea: its caffeine, what small trials found, and the cautions (caffeine in pregnancy, iron, medicines), apart from extract capsules.
Camellia sinensis
Leaf
Black tea as a drink: caffeine, brewing, what studies of the tea found, and cautions on iron absorption, kidney stones with very large amounts, pregnancy and very hot cups.
Ilex paraguariensis
Leaf
Yerba mate is a caffeinated South American infusion of holly leaves. What IARC found about very hot drinks, what reviews of maté show, and the cautions that matter.
Camellia sinensis, fermented with a SCOBY
Leaf
Kombucha is fermented sweet tea. What the few human trials show, and the cautions: home-brew contamination, lead from ceramic pots, alcohol, caffeine, pregnancy and weak immunity.
Fermented milk drink (kefir grains)
What a 2023 review of 16 human trials found for fermented-milk kefir, why the evidence is limited and often low quality, and cautions for pregnancy and weakened immunity.
No beverage matches all of these filters. Try removing one. Some topics (for example most herbs) are not beverages and live elsewhere on the site.
A link between a beverage and a topic means the body needs the beverage for that job, or that low intake is linked to it. It does not mean extra supplements help if your intake is already adequate. See each page’s evidence label.
Plain, mineral, sparkling and coconut water, and sports drinks.
Coffee, decaf, cocoa and energy drinks: where most caffeine comes from. Tea has its own section.
Cow's milk, soy, oat, rice and coconut drinks.
Orange, apple, tomato, beet and other juices, and smoothies. Whole fruit is a different food from juice.
Bone broth, soda and diet soda, alcohol-free beer and wine, and lemon water.
Beverages work alongside other nutrients. Here is what our sources link to them.
Vitamin A: The body can convert beta-carotene to vitamin A.
Vitamin A: Vitamin E and beta-carotene were tested together in the Finnish smoker trial.
Vitamin D: Vitamin D increases calcium absorption; both matter for bones, and treatment of rickets and osteomalacia includes both.
Vitamin D: NHS says vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate.
Vitamin E: MedlinePlus says vitamin E helps the body use vitamin K; both affect blood clotting, which matters for people on blood thinners.
Vitamin E: Vitamin E and selenium were tested together and apart in the SELECT prostate cancer trial.
Vitamin E: Vitamin C and vitamin E were pooled with other antioxidants in the Cochrane mortality review.
Vitamin K: Vitamin D with K2 products exist; the site page does not claim an added benefit.
Vitamin B1 (thiamin): The NHS page covers B vitamins together; MedlinePlus says doctors may recommend other vitamins alongside thiamin for beriberi.
Vitamin B2: MedlinePlus says riboflavin works with the other B vitamins.
Vitamin B3 (niacin): Pellagra comes from too little niacin or tryptophan in the diet, so both matter for avoiding deficiency.
Vitamin B5: MedlinePlus covers pantothenic acid and biotin together; both are needed for growth and metabolism and for making fatty acids.
Herbal TeasOmega fatty acidsAntioxidantsSupplement formulasCompare supplementsNatural Remedy Safety
Plain tap and bottled water: USDA values, what the National Academies say about daily fluid, fluoride, lead, low blood sodium, and findings on weight and kidney stones.
Mineral and sparkling water as drinks: what the labels mean, USDA values, teeth and acidity, small trials on bowels and bones, sodium in club soda, and what is not prove…
Coconut water as a drink: USDA sugar, potassium and sodium per cup, small rehydration trials versus sports drinks, claims checked, and a kidney and potassium caution.
Sports and electrolyte drinks: USDA sugar, sodium and potassium, when research and the ACSM say they help, what the AAP says for children, teeth, and over-drinking.
Decaf coffee as a drink: how much caffeine is left, USDA values, what cohort studies found, the decaffeination solvent question, pregnancy and who should still check lab…
Energy drinks: caffeine, sugar and added B vitamins from USDA data, what trials found on blood pressure and performance, and cautions for teens, pregnancy and alcohol.
Cocoa and hot chocolate as drinks: USDA values, what trials found on blood pressure and cholesterol, caffeine, sugar, cadmium and lead, milk allergy and how mixes differ.
Cow's milk as a drink: USDA nutrients per cup, what studies found on heart disease, blood pressure and bones, plus allergy, lactose, raw milk and medicine cautions.
Soy milk as a drink: USDA nutrients for fortified and unfortified types, what trials found on cholesterol and hot flashes, plus allergy, thyroid medicine and baby cautio…
Oat milk as a drink: label nutrient data, what trials of oat beta-glucan drinks found on LDL cholesterol, gluten and celiac cautions, and why babies should not have it.
Rice milk as a drink: USDA nutrients per cup, low protein, and why official bodies advise against it for young children because of inorganic arsenic.
Coconut milk beverage from the carton: USDA nutrients per cup, saturated fat and sugar, what coconut oil trials show, coconut allergy labeling and baby cautions.
Orange juice as a drink: USDA vitamin C, sugar and potassium per cup, trial results on cholesterol, and cautions on sugar, kidney disease, medicines and raw juice.
Apple juice as a drink: USDA sugar and calories per cup, FDA limits on arsenic and lead, patulin, a trial in children with stomach flu, and cautions on medicines.
Tomato juice as a drink: USDA vitamin C, potassium and sodium per cup (salted or not), small trials on cholesterol, and cautions on sodium, kidney disease and reflux.
Beet juice as a drink: composition from one study, pooled trials on blood pressure and exercise, red urine, oxalate and kidney cautions, and why USDA values are missing.
Pomegranate juice as a drink: USDA sugar and vitamin K per cup, trials on blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol, prostate trials, and warfarin and drug cautions.
Cranberry juice as a drink: USDA sugar and vitamin values, what Cochrane and juice trials found on urinary infections, and the warfarin, kidney stone and sugar cautions.
Prune juice as a drink: USDA sugar, potassium and vitamin values, the trial on constipation, how it differs from whole prunes, plus sorbitol, potassium and child caution…
Green and vegetable juices: raw ingredient values, trials on blood pressure, and oxalate, vitamin K with warfarin, potassium and food safety cautions.
Smoothies as a drink: USDA values for two store-style smoothies, sugar and calories, blended-vs-whole-fruit studies, and food safety with juice, frozen berries and pregn…
Sugar-sweetened soda and diet soda compared: USDA calories and caffeine, what pooled studies found on weight, diabetes, teeth and bones, sweetener reviews, and pregnancy.
Alcohol-free beer and wine: label meanings, trace alcohol, small trials on blood pressure and hydration, purines, pregnancy and recovery, and what is unproven.
Lemon water and infused water: USDA values for lemon juice and vitamin C, small studies on kidney stones and gout, teeth and acidity, and the claims that lack proof.
Side-by-side USDA numbers for calories, sugar and caffeine in coffee, energy drinks, soda, sports drinks, juice and milk, plus what FDA, WHO and the NHS say about limits.
What the National Academies, the NHS and research say about daily fluid needs, the 8-glasses rule, coffee and hydration, thirst, too little water and too much water.
What the Dietary Guidelines, WHO, NCI and large studies say about alcohol, cancer, heart health, pregnancy and medicines, and where the evidence disagrees.
These beverages have the most human research summarized in our guides (counted from the evidence ratings on each profile). More research does not mean the beverage works or is safe for you: open the guide to see what was found, including negative and mixed results.
Every published beverage guide (26), with its names and what it is made of. Each name opens one guide that brings together identity, traditional use, research, safety, forms and sources.
Search by beverage, benefit, body system, goal, symptom or lab test. Each result explains why it matches and how strong the evidence is.
Filters: drink group, evidence, body system, body part, goal, root cause, habit, biomarker, condition
Pick a way to look, then pick a choice. Every list links to the full guide.
The ways each beverage is used, from its guide: tea, tincture, capsule, powder, extract, topical or the whole beverage.
Beverages whose guide documents a point to check for this concern. Being listed does not mean the beverage is unsafe for everyone. Open the guide to read the details.
The best level of evidence in each beverage guide for any listed benefit. A stronger label for one use says nothing about its other uses or its safety.
Beverages have been used for health in many cultures for centuries. A traditional use tells you what people have done, not that it works. Here every beverage is listed under the goals, body systems and actions its guide connects it to, and each link carries the strength of the evidence behind it.
Strongest
7 beverages
Clinical trials support a benefit
Promising
17 beverages
Early or mixed human evidence
Early science
1 beverages
Lab or animal research only
Unknown
1 beverages
Too little evidence to say
Each beverage is counted once, at the strongest level its guide documents for any use. A strong label for one use says nothing about its other uses or its safety. "Traditional use" alone is not one of these labels: where a guide only reports history, the link is rated "Too little evidence to say". Read the guide on traditional use and research evidence.
Each card shows how many beverages are linked to a goal and how strong the evidence is. Green means clinical trials support a benefit; grey means too little evidence. These are links the guides document, not recommendations. For the wider picture, see the Wellness Goals section.
2 strongest8 promising
Best-studied
Clinical trials support a benefit (2)
Early or mixed human evidence (8)
Goal pages: Healthy Circulation · Heart Health · Blood Pressure Support · Cholesterol Balance
10 promising
Best-studied
Early or mixed human evidence (10)
Goal pages: Blood Sugar Balance · Metabolic Health · Weight Management
3 promising
Best-studied
Early or mixed human evidence (3)
Goal pages: Physical Stamina · Endurance Support
2 promising1 early science
Best-studied
Early or mixed human evidence (2)
Lab or animal research only (1)
Goal pages: Digestive Support · Gut Health
2 promising1 early science
Best-studied
Early or mixed human evidence (2)
Lab or animal research only (1)
Goal pages: Bone Health
Early or mixed human evidence (1)
Goal pages: Immune Support
Clinical trials support a benefit (1)
Goal pages: Women’s Wellness
The same links, organized the way anatomy and physiology textbooks do. "Action" describes what a beverage is said to do (for example calming or digestive support); it names the claim, not the proof.
Early or mixed human evidence (7)
Clinical trials support a benefit (1)
Early or mixed human evidence (6)
Early or mixed human evidence (5)
Clinical trials support a benefit (1)
Early or mixed human evidence (3)
Early or mixed human evidence (3)
Clinical trials support a benefit (1)
Early or mixed human evidence (4)
Side-by-side guides for beverages that people confuse or choose between. They explain differences; they do not rank the beverages.
Each guide below looks at one concern, from sleep to skin, and separates beverages that were tested in people from beverages that are only traditional or lab-tested.
People have used beverages for health for many centuries. A traditional use tells you what people have done, not that it works. For what research found, see the Health Benefits and Scientific Evidence tabs.
Ayurveda, Traditional Chinese Medicine and other traditions each use natural remedies in their own systems. The beverages below are the ones whose guide mentions the tradition in its own text. That a tradition uses a beverage is history, not clinical evidence. Each guide says separately what trials found.
Read more: Therapies & Traditions.
Beverages are active substances. Some interact with prescription medicines, some are unsafe in pregnancy or with certain conditions, and some have been linked to serious harm. This tab brings together what the individual beverage guides document, plus the general rules. Medicine interactions have their own tab.
Have the product bottle with you when you call. Poisoning: What to Do First · Poison Help by Country · Emergency Quick Reference: Whom to Call (911, 988, Poison Help)
Each line comes from a beverage's own guide, where it is backed by cited sources: 112 documented risks across 26 of the 26 beverages. A beverage missing from a list is not proven safe: it may simply not have been studied. Open the beverage's guide for the full wording and sources.
| Beverage | What its guide documents |
|---|---|
| Smoothies | Frozen berries and hepatitis A. The FDA and CDC investigated 10 hepatitis A cases (4 hospitalizations) linked to recalled frozen strawberries in 2023; advice was… |
| Beverage | What its guide documents |
|---|---|
| Beet Juice | Oxalate and kidney stones. Beet juice contains oxalic acid (0.3 to 0.5 g per liter in a composition study). NIDDK advises people with calcium oxalate stones… |
| Coconut Water | Potassium load: kidney disease and medicines. MedlinePlus says people with chronic kidney disease may not clear extra potassium and that some medicines raise potassium. A 2012… |
| Cow's Milk | Dairy phosphorus and chronic kidney disease. NIDDK says dairy is a natural source of phosphorus and that people with kidney disease may be told to limit dairy; work with a di… |
| Cranberry Juice | Cranberry juice and kidney stones. Two small studies point in different directions: 1 liter a day for a week raised urinary oxalate and calcium and increased a calc… |
| Green & Vegetable Juices | Oxalate-rich green juice and kidney injury. Case reports describe acute oxalate nephropathy after a green juice and smoothie cleanse in a woman with gastric bypass and recen… |
| Green & Vegetable Juices | Potassium and kidney disease. Raw spinach has 558 mg of potassium per 100 g and kale 348 mg (USDA). The National Kidney Foundation says people with kidney dise… |
| Orange Juice | Potassium in orange juice and kidney disease. NIDDK names orange juice as a fruit juice higher in potassium than apple, grape or cranberry juice, for people with kidney diseas… |
| Prune Juice | Potassium and kidney disease. One cup of USDA's canned prune juice has about 707 mg of potassium (15% of the Daily Value). The National Kidney Foundation lists… |
| Tomato Juice | Potassium and kidney disease. One cup has about 527 mg of potassium (11% of the Daily Value) by USDA data. NIDDK says damaged kidneys can struggle to clear pot… |
| Beverage | What its guide documents |
|---|---|
| Beet Juice | Beet juice and medicines for blood pressure. The beet-juice blood pressure analyses we read measure how much pressure falls but do not report medicine interactions. Because j… |
| Coconut Water | Potassium load: kidney disease and medicines. MedlinePlus says people with chronic kidney disease may not clear extra potassium and that some medicines raise potassium. A 2012… |
| Energy Drinks | Caffeine and other stimulants in energy drinks. USDA lists 29 mg of caffeine per 100 g in one energy drink entry (about 75 mg in an 8.4 fl oz can) and 33 mg per 100 g in another… |
| Energy Drinks | Energy drinks and blood pressure. A 2024 meta-analysis of 17 randomized trials in healthy adults found energy drinks raised systolic blood pressure by about 4.7 mm… |
| Energy Drinks | Energy drinks and heart rhythm (QT interval). A 2025 systematic review of 37 studies (mean age 22.6) found increased heart rate, blood pressure and QTc prolongation in many st… |
| Green & Vegetable Juices | Potassium and kidney disease. Raw spinach has 558 mg of potassium per 100 g and kale 348 mg (USDA). The National Kidney Foundation says people with kidney dise… |
| Orange Juice | Potassium in orange juice and kidney disease. NIDDK names orange juice as a fruit juice higher in potassium than apple, grape or cranberry juice, for people with kidney diseas… |
| Prune Juice | Potassium and kidney disease. One cup of USDA's canned prune juice has about 707 mg of potassium (15% of the Daily Value). The National Kidney Foundation lists… |
| Tomato Juice | Potassium and kidney disease. One cup has about 527 mg of potassium (11% of the Daily Value) by USDA data. NIDDK says damaged kidneys can struggle to clear pot… |
| Tomato Juice | Tomato juice and heartburn. NIDDK lists acidic foods such as citrus and tomatoes among foods some people with GERD say trigger symptoms, and advises talking … |
| Beverage | What its guide documents |
|---|---|
| Alcohol-Free Beer & Wine | Trace alcohol in "non-alcoholic" drinks. In US rules, "non-alcoholic" malt beverages may contain under 0.5% alcohol by volume, while "alcohol free" is for products with n… |
| Alcohol-Free Beer & Wine | Non-alcoholic beer and recovery from alcohol dependence. In a one-year follow-up of 198 Japanese men treated for alcohol dependence, abstinence was 51.2% in non-users of non-alcoholic be… |
| Alcohol-Free Beer & Wine | Purines in non-alcoholic beer and gout. A 2026 lab analysis of 43 beverages found non-alcoholic beers made by membrane dealcoholization kept purines comparable to full-s… |
| Apple Juice | Apple juice, sugar and free sugars. One cup of unsweetened apple juice has about 24 g of sugars and about 114 kcal by USDA data, and almost no fiber. WHO counts suga… |
| Apple Juice | Patulin from moldy apples. WHO names apples and apple juice made from moldy fruit as the main source of patulin, a mold toxin. In humans it can cause nausea… |
| Apple Juice | Unpasteurized apple juice and cider. FDA says untreated juice and cider have been linked to outbreaks, and children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weak… |
| Beet Juice | Red urine and stools (beeturia). Beeturia, pink or red urine after beets, is said to occur in about 10-14% of people and is more common with iron deficiency and m… |
| Beet Juice | Sugar in beet juice. Sugars average about 7.7% in fresh juice (Austrian varieties). Official guidance (WHO) counts sugars in fruit juices and similar … |
| Beet Juice | Beet supplements are not the same as juice. A 2024 study of 37 beetroot supplements found five with significant cadmium contamination (4% to 134% of the provisional tolerabl… |
| Beet Juice | Fresh-pressed beet juice and food safety. FDA says untreated juice can carry harmful bacteria and that children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immu… |
| Bone Broth | Sodium in broth. Home-prepared chicken stock has 143 mg sodium per 100 g (about 343 mg, 15% of the Daily Value, in a cup); canned condensed broth … |
| Cocoa & Hot Chocolate | Caffeine in cocoa and hot chocolate. USDA lists 230 mg of caffeine per 100 g in unsweetened cocoa powder (about 12 mg per tablespoon) and 19 mg per 100 g in a cocoa m… |
| Cocoa & Hot Chocolate | Sugar and calories in hot chocolate. Unsweetened cocoa powder has about 1.75 g sugars per 100 g, but a ready cocoa mix has 37.65 g per 100 g (about 5.7 g in a 15 g en… |
| Coconut Milk Beverage | Saturated fat limit and coconut drinks. A cup has about 5 g saturated fat (25% of the Daily Value); the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines say saturated fat should not exceed … |
| Coconut Milk Beverage | Added sugar in sweetened coconut drinks. The USDA record is sweetened and lists 6 g sugars per cup; the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines say no amount of added sugars is reco… |
| Coconut Milk Beverage | Plant drinks in early life and growth. A 2026 review links partly replacing cow's milk with plant drinks in early life with slightly lower height and BMI in 5-year-olds… |
| Coconut Water | Sugar and calories. The unsweetened ready-to-drink item has 3.92 g sugars per 100 g, about 9.6 g and 44 kcal in 1 cup. WHO advises keeping free sugar… |
| Coffee | Coffee, caffeine and sleep. A systematic review found caffeine usually lengthened the time to fall asleep, shortened total sleep and worsened perceived sleep… |
| Coffee | Caffeine in coffee: the FDA 400 mg figure. FDA cites 400 mg of caffeine a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults, and lists 113 to … |
| Coffee | Very hot drinks and esophageal cancer. IARC (2016) classified coffee as not classifiable as to cancer risk (Group 3) and drinking very hot beverages as probably carcino… |
| Coffee | Coffee and fracture risk in women. The BMJ umbrella review found an association between coffee drinking and fracture in women but not in men, and suggested women at… |
| Cow's Milk | Lactose intolerance. Some people cannot digest lactose, the milk sugar, and get belly pain, bloating, gas or diarrhea. Eating less lactose or using la… |
| Cow's Milk | Raw (unpasteurized) milk and infection risk. CDC says raw milk can carry germs such as Listeria, Salmonella and E. coli; children under 5, adults over 65, pregnant women and … |
| Cranberry Juice | Sugar and calories in cranberry juice. One cup of USDA's unsweetened cranberry juice has about 30.6 g of sugars and 116 kcal, and the NHS warns that cranberry products … |
| Cranberry Juice | Unpasteurized cranberry juice. The FDA says untreated juice must carry a warning label and that children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened … |
| Decaf Coffee | Caffeine left in decaf coffee. USDA lists 1 mg of caffeine per 100 g of brewed decaf (about 2.4 mg per 237 g cup), versus 40 mg per 100 g for regular brewed cof… |
| Decaf Coffee | Decaf coffee, bladder cancer in men and decaffeination solvents. The 2025 cohort found higher bladder cancer risk in male never-smokers who drank decaf, a result the authors say warrants further… |
| Energy Drinks | Sugar and calories in energy drinks. USDA lists about 10.2 g sugars per 100 g, which is 26.4 g (about 6.6 teaspoons) and 111 kcal in an 8.4 fl oz can. WHO advises les… |
| Energy Drinks | Energy drinks mixed with alcohol. A 2016 meta-analysis found people who mix alcohol with energy drinks drink more alcohol on a typical occasion than people who dri… |
| Energy Drinks | Caffeine and sleep. A systematic review found caffeine typically lengthened the time to fall asleep and reduced total sleep time and quality, with do… |
| Green & Vegetable Juices | Sodium in canned and bottled vegetable juice. A commercial vegetable juice used in a trial listed 480 mg of sodium per 8 fl oz; USDA's canned tomato juice lists 253 mg per 100… |
| Green & Vegetable Juices | Unpasteurized green juice. The FDA says untreated juice must carry a warning label and that children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened … |
| Lemon Water & Infused Water | Lemon juice acidity and tooth enamel. Lab tests on extracted human teeth found lime juice softened enamel over 10 days of immersion; a 2026 study found tooth-surface p… |
| Mineral & Sparkling Water | Flavored sparkling waters and enamel. Flavored sparkling waters had pH 2.74 to 3.34 and erosive potential similar to or greater than orange juice in a 2007 lab study; … |
| Mineral & Sparkling Water | Sweeteners in flavored sparkling drinks. WHO (2023) conditionally recommends against using non-sugar sweeteners to control body weight; flavored sparkling waters may cont… |
| Mineral & Sparkling Water | Sodium and fluoride limits in bottled water. US rules require 'low mineral content' or 'high mineral content' on mineral waters below 500 or above 1,500 ppm, and cap fluoride… |
| Oat Milk | Oat milk, gluten and celiac disease. Oats do not contain gluten but can pick it up from wheat, barley or rye during growing or processing, and a small number of peopl… |
| Oat Milk | Salt and added sugar in plant drinks. Salt was the most common added ingredient in a review of plant drinks; sodium varied widely. The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines say… |
| Orange Juice | Juice versus whole fruit, sugar and free sugars. One cup has about 21 g of sugars by USDA data. WHO counts sugars in fruit juice as free sugars and says most juices, even unsweet… |
| Orange Juice | Fresh-squeezed and unpasteurized juice safety. FDA says untreated juice can carry harmful bacteria, and children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immune s… |
| Pomegranate Juice | Pomegranate juice, sugar and juice versus fruit. One cup has about 134 kcal, 31 g of sugars and almost no fiber by USDA data. WHO counts sugars in fruit juices as free sugars; NH… |
| Pomegranate Juice | Unpasteurized pomegranate juice. FDA says untreated juice can carry harmful bacteria and that children, older adults, pregnant women and people with weakened immu… |
| Prune Juice | Sorbitol, gas and loose stools. Prune juice contains sorbitol. The authors of the juice trial note prunes can cause diarrhea and flatulence, though loose stools … |
| Prune Juice | Sugar and calories in prune juice. One cup has about 42 g of sugars and 182 kcal. WHO counts sugars in fruit juices as free sugars to be kept under 10% of daily ene… |
| Rice Milk | Plant drinks in early life and growth. A 2026 review links partly replacing cow's milk with plant drinks in early life with slightly lower height and BMI in 5-year-olds… |
| Smoothies | Sugar and calories in smoothies. USDA lists about 12.5 g of sugars per 100 g for a bottled mango smoothie (30 g in 8 fl oz) and a fast-food strawberry-banana smoo… |
| Smoothies | Blended fruit sugars and teeth. The NHS says crushing fruit releases its sugars, which can damage teeth, that even unsweetened juice and smoothies are sugary, an… |
| Smoothies | Smoothies made with unpasteurized juice. The FDA says outbreaks have been linked to smoothies made with unpasteurized juice, that pasteurized juice is safe, and that preg… |
| Soda & Diet Soda | Sugar-sweetened soda and weight gain. A pooled analysis of cohort studies and trials linked sugar-sweetened drinks to weight gain in adults and children. A can of the … |
| Soda & Diet Soda | Added sugar limits and sugary drinks. WHO recommends free sugars under 10% of daily energy and says under 5% may give extra benefit. One regular can has about 38 g of … |
| Soda & Diet Soda | Phenylalanine in aspartame and phenylketonuria. People with PKU, a rare inherited condition, should avoid or restrict aspartame; labels must state that the product contains phen… |
| Soda & Diet Soda | Carbonated drinks and tooth erosion. A 2026 meta-analysis of 24 studies in adolescents found carbonated drinks went with about twice the odds of dental erosion. The C… |
| Soda & Diet Soda | Caffeine in soda. USDA lists about 37 mg of caffeine in a 12 fl oz regular can and 39 mg in the diet can. The FDA says about 400 mg a day is not ge… |
| Soy Milk | Added sugar in sweetened or flavored soy milk. USDA lists 1 g sugars per cup for the unsweetened record and 9.7 g for original and vanilla; the 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines say… |
| Sports & Electrolyte Drinks | Sugar and calories. The USDA lemon-lime item lists about 78 kcal and 14.9 g sugars in 8 fl oz; another item lists 12.8 g in 8 fl oz and 31.9 g in a 6… |
| Sports & Electrolyte Drinks | Drinking too much and low blood sodium. Large volumes drunk quickly can exceed the kidneys' excretion rate; low blood sodium can be life-threatening. MedlinePlus lists c… |
| Tomato Juice | Sodium in canned tomato juice. USDA lists 10 mg sodium per 100 g in juice without salt added and 253 mg per 100 g with salt added. One cup of the salted juice h… |
| Water (Tap & Bottled) | Too much water and low blood sodium. Large volumes drunk quickly can exceed the kidneys' excretion rate of about 0.7 to 1.0 liter an hour. Low blood sodium can be lif… |
Some beverages change how a medicine works, or add to its effect. This matters most for narrow-margin medicines such as blood thinners, antidepressants, immunosuppressants, and diabetes and blood pressure medicines. Always tell your pharmacist and clinician about every beverage you take. Ask before starting, stopping or combining anything.
Each line comes from a beverage's own guide and its cited sources. A beverage missing from a list is not proven free of interactions: it may simply not have been studied. Open the beverage's guide for the full wording.
| Beverage | What its guide documents |
|---|---|
| Apple Juice | Apple juice and some medicines. FDA says fexofenadine may work less well with orange or apple juice. A small study found apple juice cut blood levels of the HIV … |
| Beet Juice | Beet juice and medicines for blood pressure. The beet-juice blood pressure analyses we read measure how much pressure falls but do not report medicine interactions. Because j… |
| Coconut Water | Potassium load: kidney disease and medicines. MedlinePlus says people with chronic kidney disease may not clear extra potassium and that some medicines raise potassium. A 2012… |
| Cranberry Juice | Cranberry juice and warfarin. The NHS says people taking warfarin should avoid cranberry products; NCCIH says the evidence is conflicting. A case report links … |
| Green & Vegetable Juices | Vitamin K from leafy green juice and warfarin. Kale, spinach, collards, chard and romaine are rich in vitamin K; USDA lists 389.6 mcg per 100 g of raw kale and 482.9 mcg per 10… |
| Orange Juice | Orange juice and some medicines. FDA says the allergy medicine fexofenadine may work less well with orange or apple juice and its label says not to take it with f… |
| Pomegranate Juice | Pomegranate juice and warfarin or other medicines. A case report described a possible interaction between pomegranate juice and warfarin; the authors say it does not definitively p… |
| Smoothies | Leafy greens in smoothies and warfarin. Leafy greens such as kale and spinach are rich in vitamin K, and MedlinePlus says sudden changes in vitamin K intake can change t… |
| Soy Milk | Soy and levothyroxine (thyroid medicine) absorption. MedlinePlus says foods with soybeans, walnuts and fiber may affect how levothyroxine works. A narrative review found mostly case … |
For most beverages, good human evidence is limited. Every outcome in our beverage guides is rated for how strong the evidence is, and the rating is shown next to it. Across the 26 guides, 19 beverages have no outcome rated "clinical trials support a benefit".
These are the outcomes our guides rate "clinical trials support a benefit", each with the sources the guide cites. Even here, the effect is usually for one preparation, one group of people and one outcome.
How many outcomes each guide rates in each evidence group. Open a guide for the individual outcomes, what was found (including negative results) and the sources.
| Beverage | Trials support | Early / mixed | Lab / animal | Not enough | Risks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol-Free Beer & Wine | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Apple Juice | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Beet Juice | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 6 |
| Bone Broth | 0 | 0 | 3 | 2 | 3 |
| Cocoa & Hot Chocolate | 2 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 4 |
| Coconut Milk Beverage | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Coconut Water | 0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Coffee | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Cow's Milk | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Cranberry Juice | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Decaf Coffee | 0 | 3 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Energy Drinks | 0 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 9 |
| Green & Vegetable Juices | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
| Lemon Water & Infused Water | 1 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Mineral & Sparkling Water | 0 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| Oat Milk | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
| Orange Juice | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Pomegranate Juice | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
| Prune Juice | 0 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 4 |
| Rice Milk | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
| Smoothies | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 5 |
| Soda & Diet Soda | 0 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Soy Milk | 1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| Sports & Electrolyte Drinks | 0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| Tomato Juice | 0 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
| Water (Tap & Bottled) | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
The guides cite 278 distinct sources. These are the ones cited most often, and the main places to check any beverage claim yourself.
The same material can be sold as a powder, capsule, liquid or concentrated extract, and these are not interchangeable. A study of one preparation does not tell you what another does. This tab shows which forms each guide describes, and how to judge product quality.
Different parts can contain different compounds, so the part named on the label matters.
For each kind of preparation, the beverages whose guides describe it. The guides say which form was actually studied. Detailed preparation instructions are in Herbal Teas & Extracts, so they are not repeated here.
Read:
Read:
Read:
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A whole beverage (fresh, dried or powdered) contains everything in the raw material, in amounts that vary. A standardized extract is made to contain a stated amount of one or more marker compounds, which makes batches more consistent but is not the same as the whole beverage.
An extraction ratio such as 4:1 says how much raw material was used per unit of extract. It does not by itself say how much active compound a capsule holds or whether the product works. A marker compound is something measured for quality control; it is not always the compound that causes any effect.
Amounts and duration. We do not give universal dose recommendations. Where a source reports the amount and length of use tested for a named preparation, the beverage's guide gives it in that context; an amount studied in one product does not carry over to another, or to food-level use.
Absorption. Some active constituents are poorly absorbed, which is why concentrated or specially formulated products exist (curcumin is the best-known case). Better absorption can also raise the risk of side effects.
A good label names the species by its scientific name, says which part is used, and states the amount and form. Third-party testing can check identity, strength and contamination, but a seal is not a guarantee of safety or benefit.
Forms & preparations: the full guide · Herbal Teas & Extracts
There is no single exact number. EFSA considers 2.0 litres a day adequate for women and 2.5 litres for men. [1] The NHS says 6 to 8 glasses a day, in addition to fluid from food, and counts water, lower-fat milk and lower-sugar drinks including tea and coffee. [2] The CDC says needs vary with age, sex, pregnancy, activity and breastfeeding. [5] See how much water you need.
The FDA cites 400 mg a day as an amount not generally associated with negative effects for most adults, roughly two to three 12-ounce cups of coffee, and says people differ widely in sensitivity. [3] In pregnancy the NHS advises no more than 200 mg a day. [4] See caffeine in foods and drinks.
The sources we read do not compare them directly. The CDC says limited amounts of 100 percent fruit juice contain important nutrients, [5] Harvard advises limiting juice to about one small glass a day, [9] and the NHS caps juice, vegetable juice and smoothies together at 150 ml a day. [2] The WHO counts free sugars in juice toward its limit of under 10 percent of energy. [10] See orange juice and smoothies.
The WHO advises against using non-sugar sweeteners to control weight, a conditional recommendation, because the review found no long-term fat-loss benefit and possible links to type 2 diabetes and heart disease that may be confounded. [6] IARC classed aspartame as "possibly carcinogenic to humans" (Group 2B) on limited evidence, while the joint FAO/WHO expert committee JECFA kept its acceptable daily intake at 40 mg per kg of body weight. [7] See soda and diet soda.
The sources we read do not address alcohol-free beer, so we cannot say. The WHO says there is no form of alcohol consumption that is risk-free, and the NHS advises no more than 14 units a week and avoiding alcohol in pregnancy. [8][11][4] Check labels for the stated alcohol percentage. See alcohol-free beer and wine and alcohol and health.
Complete See every drink with filters
Content last updated . The tabs from Health Benefits onward are compiled automatically from the evidence ratings and sources in each beverage's guide (last data update November 14, 2026). This section has not been medically reviewed.
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