There are many energy drinks on the market, but they are not all what they appear to be. They contain ingredients that you might not want to ingest, and there can be side effects from extensive use. However, you can create your own nutrient-packed energy drinks to meet your energy needs.

Energy is the result of food eaten and broken down inside the body. When you eat the right foods that the body can use, you have more energy at your disposal. Therefore, you can regulate how much energy you have by how much food you consume that the body can use.

Here are a few foods to consider for making your own energy drinks:

* Berries – All kinds of berries are beneficial. Darker berries contain resveratrol in their skins, a compound that helps to increase heart health. All berries contain antioxidants, which are known to increase immunity, reduce disease in the body, increase energy and add balance to the body. Berries also contain fiber which lowers cholesterol and keeps the digestive system functioning.

* Green leafy vegetables – This includes spinach and kale. They are filled with protein and vitamins such as E, K and A. They contain carbohydrates that are filled with nutrients, but with few calories, and provide sustainable energy for the body.

* Apples – Apples contain fiber, which is good for filling you up and lowering your cholesterol. One of the best ingredients in apples is quercetin.

* Fruits – Try different varieties that blend well together such as mangoes, peaches, bananas, pineapples and oranges. They are full of vitamin C to boost immunity and energy.

* Seeds – You can use a bit of texture in that energy drink if you wish; in fact, you can grind your seeds into powder. Try some flaxseed and wheat germ to add a bit of fiber to your drink. Seeds also add protein, which is needed to fight sugar cravings.

Smoothie Recipes

We call it an energy drink but it is in reality an energy smoothie. You can put all of your ingredients together at night and pop them in a blender in the morning.

Berry Smoothie

* 1 cup of fat-free plain yogurt
* Generous portions of frozen berries of your choice
* Ice cubes

Use the natural flavor of the berries to sweeten the smoothie. If you need more liquid, try a fourth of a cup of 100 percent apple juice.

Energy Smoothie

* 1 banana
* 1 cup of strawberries
* 1 cup of soy milk or 1 cup of yogurt
* 1 cup of green leafy veggies like spinach or kale

Green Smoothie

* ½ cup of carrots
* Ice cubes
* Plain yogurt
* ½ cup apple juice
* Swiss chard

You can combine fruits and vegetables in whatever combinations taste best to you for that energy-packed punch. Sweeten with fruit juice, cinnamon or nutmeg. Using a good blender will ensure a smooth drink with no large pieces.

Experiment yourself to find what suits your taste buds the best.

When you are talking about Red Bull, 5-hour ENERGY or Amp, people know you are referring to energy drinks. They are all the rage as a way to replenish our bodies quickly when we are rundown. But, before you reach for your next drink, there are some things you should know.

Energy drinks are designed to give you more boost in your day. Mid-afternoon is usually the time when you feel weary. After work you have to worry about taking care of your home, and you can feel tired just thinking about it because you are already spent.

You may then reach for energy drinks and fir the next hour or two you are walking on air with energy to burn.  They help you get through the evening, but can have side effects:

* Crashing and burning – You get more energy for a longer period of time than if you eat a sugary candy bar, but the inevitable happens. You will notice a spike in your blood sugar levels as you go about accomplishing all the chores you were previously too tired to do, but then you will feel so sluggish and your energy is even less than before.

* Weight gain – Many of these energy drinks are mostly sugar and caffeine. Caffeine is known to be an energy booster, but all that sugar will find its way into your bloodstream and if it is not needed, it will be stored in the body as fat. As these drinks can be high in calories, without knowing it, more and more of your daily intake of calories will be empty ones.

* Elevated caffeine levels – Too much caffeine is not advantageous for your body. It can lead to irritability, high blood pressure and even sleeplessness. After all your work is done you want to sleep, but the levels of caffeine can prevent this. If you already suffer from heart problems, diabetes or high blood pressure, consuming energy drinks may not be the best idea for you.

* Withdrawal – Energy drinks are not a substitute for sleep or proper nutrition. Your body will begin to crave caffeine after you have stopped drinking energy drinks. This can lead to headaches, mood swings and even nausea.

There are some energy drinks that promise long energy throughout the day. What they don’t tell you is that there is a downside. The ingredients that give you a boost during the day can have long-lasting side effects.

Today, most people are concerned with eating more healthily. That has extended to the milk we drink and the dairy products that we consume.

What Is Organic?

The U.S. Department of Agriculture has set down guidelines in order for foods to be declared as organic on their labels. When it comes to milk and dairy products, here are the guidelines.

Cows that are considered giving organic milk have to eat from the pasture most of the time. There is no time limit set, but there is debate going on about whether grass-fed cows give better milk than those fed with hay or grain. Normally cows would eat only grass, but times have changed and their diet can now include grain as well.

Cows must not have been injected with growth hormones, which can help cows produce more milk. Many consumers are afraid that these hormones will be transferred to their milk and affect their children.

Cows are not allowed to be given antibiotics. If a cow becomes sick and needs to be given antibiotics, they cannot rejoin the herd for at least a year. Testing is done to ensure that the antibiotic is not in the cow and not in the milk that is shipped from the farm.

Milk has to be tested regularly for certain compounds. Organic milk must have no more than a specified level of pesticides. These pesticides could be found in the grain or in the field where the cows are grazing.

If all of these conditions are met, then the milk is certified by the Government to be organic and can carry that label on the store shelves; however, it also carries a higher price tag.

Benefits of Organic Milk and Dairy Products

Organic milk has lower levels of pesticides and hormones. Growth hormones are found in different animals and are thought to affect the human body through consumption of meat treated with hormones. This is not a concern with organic milk.

Along with organic milk, there are now dairy products made using certified organic milk. That includes cheese, cottage cheese and yogurt. Vitamins are still added to the milk to increase its nutritional value.

While there are no studies concluding that organic is better than regular milk, you can rest easy knowing that you are getting all of the nutrition with none of the potential side effects of other substances in your dairy products.

There are many choices of cow’s milk in the marketplace. Milk provides us with calcium, vitamin D and a healthy amount of fat and protein. Milk can come from other animals as well, but here we will concentrate on the different kinds of cow’s milk and non-animal milk products:

* Whole milk – This milk has a rich texture and contains about 4 percent milk fat and is fortified with vitamins A and D. Children who are weaned off breast milk are given whole milk to meet their nutritional needs.

* Two percent milk – This milk has fewer milk fats. It contains ten grams of protein and is fortified with vitamins A and D like whole milk. This milk has less richness due to its lack of milk fat.

* One percent milk – This is the closest to skim milk, but still with some substance that is thicker than water. It gives you the benefit of the added vitamins, but without the milk fat. If you are eating to lose weight, try this or skim milk.

* Skim milk – Contains no milk fat. This milk provides fewer calories than whole milk. It has a bluish tint and is more the consistency of water. It contains added vitamins, just like whole milk.

* Organic milk – This milk is much like whole milk, but has met the guidelines set down by the U.S. Government for obtaining milk from organic farms. It has fewer pesticides, hormones and antibiotics than can be contained in regular milk.

* Buttermilk – Has a yellowish appearance and smells sour. The reason for that is that it is soured milk. It is made from low-fat milk and contains sweeteners for taste. It can be used to make biscuits, pancakes and waffles.

* Soy milk – For those who are vegetarian or vegan and don’t want to eat animal products. Soy milk comes from soy protein, ground soybeans. It is more like a beverage, but has the consistency of milk and lots of protein.

* Flavored milk – Made from two percent or fat-free milk. Flavoring is added for strawberry milk. Cocoa is added for chocolate milk. Sweetener is also added for taste.

* Powdered milk – This milk is processed and heat-treated to remove bacteria. It is a mixture of whole milk and part skim milk. Water is removed from the liquid to produce the powder. It has a longer shelf life and can be reconstituted with water for cereal and recipes.

* Condensed milk – Used to sweeten recipes. It is milk from which water has been removed and sugars added to make it thick.

There are many other types of milk on the market, including goat’s milk. The type of milk that you choose depends on what you feel is best for your family’s nutrition.

You might want to consider the benefits of green tea to improve your health.  It has been used as a standard drink in Asian countries for years. It has helped to maintain youth and vitality. As it has come to the attention of the Western world, more and more people are discovering that it has enhanced their lives.

Green tea is still grown and processed Asia. It is cultivated, dried, pressed and processed from a variety of different trees. Some companies still do the work by hand. It is shipped around the world so others can enjoy the benefits that Asian peoples have known for years.

The following are ways you may benefit from drinking it:

* Antioxidant protection – Green tea is filled with antioxidant substances called polyphenols. It actually contains a high concentration of them. These substances can retard some of the signs of aging. They also help neutralize free radical action in the body that can lead to cataracts, cancer, heart disease, Alzheimer’s disease, joint problems and wrinkling.

* Weight loss – It has been shown that green tea extract led to increased weight loss in subjects participating in studies. Drinking a cup a day can help increase your metabolism so you burn more calories even at rest.

* Dental health – Drinking green tea might be good for your body beginning with your mouth. It has been suspected that substances in green tea actually neutralize the bacteria in the mouth that can lead to tooth decay and dental plaque. Drink it regularly for the benefit.

* Disease prevention – Studies are being conducted that show promising results for those with Parkinson’s disease. Drinking green tea can help prevent the condition. Green tea can help prevent the breakdown of nerve cells in the brain leading to a depletion of dopamine, a neurotransmitter responsible for movement in the body.

* Infection management – If it can work on the bacteria in the mouth, it can help in other areas of the body as well. Green tea has been shown to help reverse sepsis in laboratory mice. Drinking green tea can boost your immunity to fight off infections so sepsis is not an issue.

* Heart disease – Regularly drinking green tea may help you control your risk of heart disease. It has been shown that substances in green tea help to reduce the levels of bad cholesterol (LDL) in the blood by blocking its oxidation. Not only that, but it also helps to improve levels of good cholesterol (HDL) and keep the arteries pliable and clear.

Are you looking for ways to improve your health? Try drinking some of it in the form of green tea.

Many need the caffeine in a cup of coffee to get going in the morning. When their energy wanes in the mid-morning, it is used as a pick-me-up.

Caffeine is a stimulant. It perks you up and gets your blood flowing faster. Blood vessels are dilated so you get more oxygen flowing. Caffeine is found in coffee, tea, sodas, chocolate and energy drinks. It is also an ingredient in many medications, including headache medications,

Caffeine can open blood vessels so that other medication can reach the site of pain more easily. For someone suffering from a migraine headache, drinking a caffeinated soda can provide quicker relief than a pill. It is not advised to drink a soda as your main remedy, but it can take the edge off while your medication is starting to work.

Energy drinks don’t just keep you awake, they give you more energy. This is desirable for someone who has a lot to do and wants to get it done.

As the blood vessels dilate, more blood can reach the brain and so can more oxygen. You can think more clearly from first thing in the morning.

That extra energy can assist with weight loss. Drinking energy drinks can help you get through a particularly tough workout. As the metabolism ramps up, your body burns more calories to help you lose weight.

With the good also comes a bit of a downside. While caffeine can do all of these things, using it too much can lead to some potential problems.

Caffeine is addictive. Some people must have several cups of coffee. They may have started with one, but end up drinking more as their bodies get used to the effects of one cup. Too much caffeine can lead to jitters that can cause a lack of focus as the day wears on.

When that much caffeine is going through your system, stopping it can make you a bit woozy. Caffeine withdrawal can lead to dizziness, blurry vision and headache. How ironic, since it can also stop a migraine.

High blood pressure is also a factor. Many medications that contain caffeine (such as cold medicine) are being changed to a different formulation for those who have a history of high blood pressure. Caffeine can raise normal blood pressure, which makes it even more dangerous for someone who has a diagnosis of hypertension.

If you are a caffeine drinker, remember that a little can be helpful, but too much can be harmful.

Colder weather outside encourages people to drink warmer drinks to stay warm on the inside. However, perhaps you’re tired of cold-weather drinks like coffee or hot cocoa. You may be looking for hot and healthy winter tea recipes to enjoy instead.

More than warming up a body, research shows hot or warm drinks may also improve your immune system. This is due to the fact that hot drinks such as coffee and tea have large amounts of antioxidants in them.

Chamomile tea with honey and lemon is one warm drink you may want to try, especially when you’ve had a stressful day. As well as having antioxidants, chamomile tea has been shown to calm the nerves. It also provides other health benefits including increased glycine which may be helpful for women during early pregnancy. Another benefit is that it helps lower hippurate in your digestive system due to the antimicrobial properties of the tea.

This tea can be made with pre-made tea bags, or you can use one teaspoon of chamomile flowers. Bring a little more than one cup of water to boil and then add the flowers to it. Put a lid on the pan for about 30 seconds or so. Remove the pan from the heat and let the tea steep for at least one minute. Add lemon juice and honey to taste. Then sit back and enjoy.