6 Healthier Beverages to Try This Spring

Whether it’s an iced coffee, a fizzy water with a slice of lemon, or a favorite cocktail to kick off the weekend, beverages are their own category of indulgence. But they can be a worthy source of nutrition, too. Although juices and smoothies aren’t always healthy by default, the refreshment you reach for throughout the day can have a real impact on your overall wellness. Bearing that in mind, here are six healthier beverages we’re seriously excited about incorporating into our routines this summer.

1. Health-Ade Kombucha

A fizzy, flavorful style of fermented tea, kombucha is full of good-for-you probiotics that help support gut health, which is integral to overall health and wellness. Adding kombucha to your beverage rotation is an easy — and delicious, if you ask us — way to diversify your microbiome and stay balanced. 

Kombucha is naturally vegan and gluten-free, and Health-Ade’s offerings are also totally organic. We love the antioxidants and healthy acids like acetic, lactic, glucuronic, and gluconic that help promote the body’s innate ability to detoxify while sipping on a drink that’s bubbly and crisp. 

With refreshing, spring-inspired flavors like watermelon, pineapple creamsicle, and berry lemonade, there’s a Health-Ade Kombucha to ease even the most fermentation-wary into this awesomely healthy beverage.

2. OLIPOP

Yep, we were skeptical about this one at first glance, too — after all, root beer and cola aren’t exactly synonymous with “healthy” in our experience.

But while OLIPOP drinks are reminiscent of the soda flavors we grew up on, these aren’t sugary wastelands of weird chemicals. OLIPOP sparkling tonics are made with natural ingredients that actually encourage gut health with prebiotics, botanicals, and plant fiber. OLIPOP’s claims to support digestive health have even been vetted by some of the world’s top microbiome researchers — these are beneficial beverages for real.

So, no, OLIPOP isn’t a traditional soda. It’s a refreshing drink that can help keep your wellness on track this spring, and we’ll be over here stocking up on the orange cream and ginger lemon flavors!

3. JuneShine Hard Kombucha

For many of us, alcoholic beverages are a regular springtime treat. Though we’re probably not thinking about the health benefits of moderate alcohol intake as we reach for a cold beer or pour a crisp glass of wine, our favorite drinks to sip in the sun can actually do more for us than just act as a social lubricant. 

JuneShine brews an alcoholic drink that we can all feel better about — their hard kombucha is made with organic ingredients and the probiotics we expect, and it’s never too sweet. At 6% alcohol, JuneShine’s Hard Kombucha is on par with craft beer. And we’re giving bonus points for JuneShine’s commitment to sustainability: they’re fully carbon-neutral and donate a portion of their sales to environmental nonprofits. 

4. Bulletproof Keto Friendly Cold Brew

As far as we’re concerned, coffee — be it hot or iced — is welcome any time of the year. But cold brew always seems to make a resurgence with springtime, so the timing of Bulletproof’s Cold Brew Coffee is spot-on indeed. 

This coffee beverage isn’t just any old can of brew, though — it’s packed with brain-nourishing B vitamins, 200mg of caffeine to keep you perked up, and Bulletproof Cold Brew is free from sugar. The lightly sweetened version uses stevia, which means either option is keto-friendly and easy to reach for on the go. We’re keeping a few stashed in the office fridge for a mid-afternoon pick-me-up.

5. JOI Plant Milk Concentrates

By now, you’re definitely familiar with dairy milk alternatives. From oat to almond to soy and beyond, there’s plant-based milk to suit just about any taste or nutrition preference — and now JOI has just upped the versatility once more.

These milks are actually base concentrates made of 100% plants. JOI Oat Milk Powder is made of organic, fiber-filled oats that you can mix with water to create just the right quantity of oat milk every single time. It’s shelf-stable and free from additives, which means it helps reduce waste and is therefore more healthy for both you and the environment.

JOI’s almond and cashew milk bases are paste concentrates, so you get ultra-creamy goodness customized to your tastes, without any sweeteners or preservatives. 

6. TUSOL Plant Based Protein + Superfood Smoothie

Smoothies are delicious and convenient, and when you’re reaching for a TUSOL smoothie, you can be sure that it’s actually healthy and not just a fun color. Available in five flavors, TUSOL smoothies use natural ingredients to help boost everything from focus to immunity to gut health. Plant protein is the star of the show here, and each smoothie flavor is organic, vegan, gluten-free, and contains both pre- and probiotics. 

The berry sorbet flavor, for example, uses memory-supporting maqui and polyphenol-rich baobab to help support energy and boost collagen for healthy, shiny hair. We can totally see ourselves whipping up a TUSOL smoothie on a warm, sunny morning as a tasty way to start the day with a healthy boost. 

Read next: 6 Delicious Ways to Supercharge Your Morning Coffee for Increased Health, According to Nutritionists