Drink Mix: How to Increase Nutrition in a Simple and Easy Way.

The experts tell us to eat breakfast even if we are not hungry. Doing so sets us up for higher metabolism and higher calorie and fat burn for the entire day, which is a big bonus. But realistically, how can trying to force yourself to eat when you really do not want to set you up for anything but misery for the entire day? Mornings are too hurried, harried and stressed as it is without adding an entire forced meal into the mix. 

But breakfast is more than just a suggestion: Not only has eating breakfast been found to make you less likely to be overweight, it has also been shown to lead to less painful periods and less symptoms from PMS, according to a 2008 research study.

Breakfast may be important for other reasons as well: It may present the day's best chance of getting calcium which is typically found in a number of breakfast foods including yogurt, milk, some cereals and even fortified orange juice.

Using a Drink Mix to Manage Breakfast and the Morning Madness

On the mornings when you cannot manage to even find the right color shoes, expecting to find the time to make a healthy breakfast may be beyond the range of reality. Even a simple bowl of cereal can be the wrong choice. Sugar cereals may lead to sugar spikes and will leave you hungrier than ever and tired feeling within a few hours of eating them. Shredded wheat cereals are a better choice and help you toward a recommended 25 grams of fiber a day, but they do not travel well and if you don't have the time to sit down and eat it, it is of no use.

A drink mix, especially one that is mixed with non-fat or low fat milk can be a perfect take-with-you breakfast, giving you calcium and other nutrients, as well as protein. Gather the packet of drink mix, the travel cup and a spoon on the counter so that all you have to do is mix it in the morning, toss on the lid and sip on the way to work, school or errands.

Using a Drink Mix to Make Water Better

The experts tell us to drink eight eight-ounce glasses of water every day, but even the most health minded can get to the point of not being able to face yet another boring, plain glass of water. Those who have been drinking a steady diet of juices and sodas may find it nearly impossible to stomach that next glass of water. A drink mix, especially those from certain brands, can give the water a little boost of flavor without calories (according to FDA ruling, 5 calories or less per serving can be called calorie free) Some brands of drink mix also boost vitamins, fiber or other nutrients as well. There are several brands of drink mix that are high in protein as well, which can be helpful not only to get the right amount of water every day but to also boost protein intake as well.

There are a number of ways to use these kinds of drink mixes, including in single serving packets that are just mixed with a bottle of water for healthier drinking on the go. These packets are sold individually at local gas stations and convenience stores but are small enough to just stash in a purse or a pocket and mix when you are ready for them.

It is important to make sure that the drink mix that you are choosing has the right number of calories plus the right flavors.

If you can drink plain water part of the time and use a drink mix the rest of the day, you will get the right amount of hydration which can also help you to keep from overeating, especially after a workout. Research done at the Harvard School of Public Health showed that children who exercise the most also ate the most calories afterward, typically eating back every calorie that they had just burned off. Exercise works to suppress hunger but that is only a short term effect. After a few hours the hunger hormones may surge and you are struck by nearly ravenous hunger. Further research shows that this phenomena of surging hunger and decreasing satiety after exercise strikes women much harder than men. Theories for why includes the fact that women are hardwired to save their energy for reproduction as well as the difference in female hormones.

Being dehydrated can leave you overeating because many people mistake the feelings of thirst for feelings of hunger. Even if you have to use a drink mix to do it, always end a workout with a large glass of water and wait a while before eating.

Using a Drink Mix to Get the Right Nutrition

There are drink mix options that add Vitamin C or those that increase fiber or protein or other important nutrients. No matter what flavor you want there are a few things to consider. First, if it is a drink that says it has X nutrient, it should have at least a good percentage of that nutrient. You should also understand what each of the nutrients that are listed could mean to your good health.

Some drinks and drink mixes also have herbs that could be problematic in some cases. Always consider how these nutrients might interact with other medications that you are taking before starting them. Some herbs can be dangerous when mixed with other medications or can destroy the other med's efficiency.

Source:ezinearticles.com