Are These 'Healthy' Drinks Really That Good For You? (PICTURES)

With an obesity crisis looming in the UK, the negative health effects of fizzy drinks have been well documented.

Earlier this week it was revealed that sugary soft drinks could be causing almost 200,000 deaths a year worldwide and the Harvard School of Public Health claim that one can of fizzy drink per day increases the risk of heart disease by nearly a quarter.

Don't worry, all is not lost. To counter the big bad fizzy drinks, there are a selection of healthy alternatives praised for being full of goodness and replenishing our minds and bodies.

Green tea alone has been linked to preventing Alzheimer's disease, aiding weight loss and treating prostate cancer.

But according to HuffPost Canada there are still many misconceptions when it comes to 'healthy' drinks. They spoke to registered dietitian Patricia Chuey to find out the truth.

HuffPost UK Lifestyle were surprised by the results. Take a look.

Are These 'Healthy' Drinks Unhealthy?

Store-Bought Smoothies (01 of08)

If you're looking for a nutritious smoothie, you're better off making your own. "Homemade is way better because you can reduce the sugar and boost the protein with yogurt, tofu, nut butters, protein powder or others," says Patricia Chuey, a registered dietitian based in Vancouver. Chuey adds commercial smoothies (like the ones from juice bars or the Tim Hortons mixed fruit smoothie with 30 grams of sugar) often tastes sweeter and have added carbs from sugar. (credit:Alamy)

Red Wine (02 of08)

We've all heard about health benefits of red wine including reducing the risk of breast cancer and promoting a healthy heart. "Red wine is cardio-protective due to the presence of resveratrol — a naturally occurring substance in grapes," Chuey says. But other studies have shown that if you're already healthy, red wine isn't always needed to boost life expectancy, according to The Daily Mail. Chuey says you says you can skip the alcohol and get healthy heart benefits from eating fresh grapes or unsweetened grape juice instead. (credit:Alamy)

Green Tea And Black Tea (03 of08)

On their own, both green tea and black tea actually quite good for you. "They are rich in various antioxidant nutrients that offer heart protecting and cancer preventing properties," she says. But don't ruin the benefits by adding sugar. (credit:Alamy)

Milk: Is Soy Milk Or Almond Milk Better?(04 of08)

"Whether you drink dairy milk, soy milk, almond milk, rice milk or potato milk, ensure it naturally contains or is fortified with calcium and vitamin D," Chuey says. She notes that people don't need to drink more than two glasses of a milk per day. (credit:Alamy)

Coconut Water(05 of08)

If you're comparing this to pop, go for it. "It's far more natural than pop, but you should still read labels and check sugar levels," she says. However, other reports have shown that coconut water or juice isn't always hydrating and shouldn't be replaced for water if you're active. (credit:Alamy)

Diet Pop(06 of08)

Just because you don't see any sugar or calories, it doesn't mean diet pop will help your health. Even though artificial sweeteners are safe for most people, don't rely on diet pop to help you lose weight or have a healthier lifestyle, according to The Mayo Clinic. In fact, research has also shown that artificial sweeteners can confuse our brains to thinking were drinking calories, making our body release unwanted insulin, according to The Doctor Oz Show. (credit:Shutterstock)

Iced Tea: Safe?(07 of08)

"Well it depends. Many commercial iced teas are lousy. They are too high in sugar with little or no real tea," she says. Instead, try making your own iced tea with brewed tea, lemon and honey. (credit:Alamy)

Hot Chocolate (08 of08)

Hot chocolate made from a tin can? You might want to skip it. "Hot chocolate made from lower fat milk (dairy or otherwise) with real cocoa and a bit of sweetening is fine," Chuey says. "Made with water from a pseudo-cocoa chemical concoction? Not good." (credit:Alamy)

Do these findings surprise you? Let us know in the comments below.

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