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The Healthiest Drinks For Your Diet

Leta Shy — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:29:33 PST

When eating healthfully, a large focus may be on what not to drink: no sugary juices, sodas, or high-calorie cocktails. But many drinks can actually help you live a healthier lifestyle. We all know that drinking enough water is essential, but find out what other drinks should also be on your OK list below, and remember to enter our healthy living giveaway for a chance to win a $500 Under Armour gift card!

Coffee: The hot drink is the perfect accompaniment to a cold morning or a drowsy afternoon, but offering you a warm pick-me-up isn't its only advantage. Coffee has been proven to help improve memory, increase endurance, and ease muscle pain. The list doesn't stop there; read more about the health benefits of coffee here.

Watch for: The benefits of coffee don't always outweigh the risks, especially if you drink too much. Drinking too much java can cause you to become anxious or jittery, disrupt your sleep patterns, develop high blood pressure, or endure regular headaches. Stay attuned to caffeine's affect on your body and, in general, don't drink more than 300 milligrams a day (the average cup of coffee contains 100 milligrams of caffeine).

Red wine: All those studies about the health benefits of red wine makes me feel that much better about relaxing with a glass of Cab after work. Red wine contains a compound called resveratrol, which has been proven in studies to be beneficial to your health - everything from fighting cancer to antiaging, along with other disease-preventing benefits.

Watch for: The benefits of wine stop at one glass a day, so don't go overboard. You may be doing yourself more harm than good, especially since one glass of red wine usually runs around 127 calories. And while scientists have researched resveratrol in many lab studies, there have been few studies in humans - and let's not forget the recent news that a leading red wine researcher actually falsified data in dozens of studies on heart health and resveratrol.

Two more good-for-you drinks after the break!

Red Wine Lovers, Vote For Your Favorite Wine!

YumSugar — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 14:32:16 PST

Red wine is romantic, complex, at times intense, relaxing, and delicious - all qualities every great lover should have. We know this question may be a little bit hard to answer, given that each type of wine is quite different from one another, but we're still going to ask. If you had to choose one type of red wine as your favorite, which would it be? Vote for your choice below!

Happy Hour: Strawberry Peach Sangria

Katie Sweeney — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 15:35:54 PDT

There's no better way to celebrate the weekend than with a cocktail and some good company. Kick things into gear with this easy and delicious recipe for sangria. The red wine liqueur mixture is infused with peaches and strawberries, and it's topped with a little bit of sparkling water to provide a nice effervescence. The lemon wedge garnish is essential: it adds an tart balance to the concoction. Make this today!

The Basics: Red Wine Sangria

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 12:17:21 PDT

When it comes to Summer entertaining, there's no drink we love more than sangria! While we enjoy many variations, such as berry Rosé or green grape, there's nothing like the classic red wine version. Want to learn how to make it? Watch the video now and see how basic sangria is done.

5 Reasons You Should Be Drinking Wine From Rioja

Katie Sweeney — Thu, 05 May 2011 12:55:25 PDT

When it comes to European wine regions, France and Italy hog all of the spotlight. However, Spain has been producing quality wine for the past 700 years, too. The Iberian peninsula's most popular wine making appellation is the Rioja. Situated just below the Pais Vasco in the central Northeast of Spain, Rioja is known for one grape in particular, Tempranillo. Over 90 percent of the wine produced in Rioja is red and 85 percent of this is Tempranillo. Don't be intimidated if you're not a huge red wine drinker, Rioja also produces plenty of rose and white Tempranillo. To find out why you should be asking for Rioja at your local wine shop, read on.

Beyond Sparklers: 3 Still Wines From Chandon to Try

Katie Sweeney — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 14:52:34 PDT

If you're a fan of Californian sparkling wines, you've probably enjoyed a glass or two of Chandon. With over 200,000 bottles produced a year, an affordable price tag, and a tasting room that sees 2,000 people on a Saturday, it's one of Napa Valley's most well-known bubbly producers. What you may not know, however, is that the winery also makes some well-rounded and interesting still wines. I recently had the chance to sample its offerings, so to learn more about Chandon's Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, and Pinot Meunier, keep reading.

Happy Hour: Francis Ford Coppola Votre Sante Pinot Noir 2009

Katie Sweeney — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 01:00:31 PDT

It's always exciting when a friend shows up to dinner with a surprisingly wonderful wine in tow. When I opened this bottle of 2009 Pinot Noir by Francis Ford Coppola, I was instantly in awe of the luscious liquid. It was smooth and drinkable, but not lacking in complexity. It's made in the style of classic French Pinots with grapes sourced from several different appellations. With red berry flavors and Fall-spices aroma, it's a lighter, well-balanced red. It paired well with the roasted salmon I was serving but would be exceptional with chicken dishes or pizza.

Do you drink Coppola's wines? What's your preferred varietal?

Santa Rita Hills: A New Wine Region to Try

Katie Sweeney — Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:28:23 PDT

One of my favorite things about wine is that there's so much to learn about it! There's always a new varietal to taste or an exciting region to try. Recently I went to a tasting that featured wines from the Santa Rita Hills. This small, relatively young wine region is located in Central California and was named an official appellation in 2001. Thanks to its close proximity to the Pacific Ocean, this foggy district is perfect for growing Pinot Noir grapes. A cool coastal breeze and naturally rocky terrain only enhances its grape-growing qualities. Other varietals the area is known for are Chardonnay and Syrah. To see which wines from the province, which were featured in the film Sideways, I recommend, keep reading.

The Pros and Cons of Red, White, and Bubbly

Leta Shy — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 13:05:25 PST

Afer a long day, a glass of wine may just be what's in order, especially since so many studies have proven it to be so good for us. In fact, alcohol in general has certain health benefits, like reducing the risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes, as well as decreasing the risk of developing gallstones. However, all these happy benefits come with a huge caveat: they are only seen in moderate drinkers (which for women means one glass a day). Drinking too much alcohol can increase your risk of breast cancer as well as a host of other well-known alcohol-related problems.

Wine is one of the best ways to celebrate the benefits from one-a-day drinking. But not all wine is equal, and there are definite cons to go along with all those antioxidant pros in your glass.

Are you a fan of red, white, or bubbly? Read on to find out what the pros and cons of your drink of choice are.

Yum's February Must Haves

YumSugar — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 13:11:05 PST

Phew, hard to believe that Wintery January is already behind us! We don't know about you, but we're excited for February. With the Super Bowl, Valentine's Day, and the Oscars, there are plenty of reasons to cook good food and celebrate with loved ones. At the start of each month, we like to highlight the products we are currently obsessed with. Here are our must haves for the next 28 days.