As the mercury rises, effective hydration – though important at all times of year – becomes critical for keeping your body firing on all cylinders.
Now, nothing hydrates quite like good old H20 (if you need some convincing, check out our article on effective hydration), but sometimes a little more flavour is called for.
That’s no excuse to reach for a can of sugary fizz, though, because these days there are just as many soft drinks geared towards healthy lifestyles.
MF BEST BUY:
The Naked Collective Mude
BUY IT NOW:
£25 (pack of 12), thenakedcollective.com
A so-called ‘SuperLiquid’, the Naked Collective’s range of subtly satisfying and near-instantly effective Mude drinks are created from grains of barley bursting with polyphenols, vitamins, and minerals.
Immune-boosting beta glucane is then added to the mix, along with organic mood-enhancing botanicals.
Each drink in the five-product range – including Mude Work and Mude Sleep – contains different additional ingredients based on the intended outcome.
Mude Work, for instance, contains ashwagandha, an ancient medicinal herb thought to calm the brain, lower blood pressure and reduce inflammation.
Taste: 4.5/5
Health: 5/5
OVERALL: 5/5
MF RECOMMENDED:
The GUTsy Captain Kombucha
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£19.99 (pack of 12), gutsycaptain.shop
You’re probably aware of the benefits of kombucha: the fermented green tea drink that’s a potent source of gut-friendly probiotics and cell-strengthening antioxidants.
The trouble is, in its simplest form it’s not always to everyone’s taste.
The GUTsy Captain has found a way to take kombucha to the masses, with eight tasty flavours – from Watermelon & Mint to Cayenne Pepper – made from 100 per cent natural ingredients.
Taste: 4/5
Health: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5
Actiph Water
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£19.99 (12 x 1L), actiph.shop
Actiph is ionised water, brought to the UK by seven-time Guinness World Record holder Jamie Douglas-Hamilton.
His crew drank diluted sea water when rowing across the Indian Ocean and discovered it gave them greater power and sustained energy (you can read our interview with Douglas-Hamilton here).
Produced by adding essential electrolytes, then supercharging it through ionisation to pH 9 or higher, studies suggest ionised water hydrates quicker and faster than the stuff out your tap.
Taste: 3.5/5
Health: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5
Virtue Clean Energy
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£11.97 (pack of 12), amazon.co.uk
Launched in 2016, Virtue’s all-natural energy drinks are zero sugar and zero calories, providing a noticeable boost straight away.
Each can provides the equivalent natural caffeine to one cup of coffee (80mg), with two flavours on offer: Berries, or our favourite, Strawberry & Lime.
Taste: 4/5
Health: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5
WOW Hydrate Electrolyte Water
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£17.99 (pack of 12), wowhydrate.com
Endorsed by a roster of high-profile athletes, WOW Hydrate has established itself as a big brand in sports hydration.
Its Electrolyte Water comes in bottles equipped with Push Cap technology, which delivers fresh vitamins – including energising vitamin B6 and immune-boosting vitamin C – and powerful flavour as soon as the cap is pressed.
Taste: 5/5
Health: 4/5
OVERALL: 4/5
