Water Isn't The Most Hydrating Beverage After All! Here's What You Should Drink Instead

A new study conducted by Scottish scientists reached this stunning conclusion: although water has a very quick hydration effect on the body, the most hydrating beverage out there is actually... milk!

To prove this, researchers at St Andrews University investigated the rehydration effects of 13 widely consumed beverages. They measured their effects on urine, in order to establish the hydration index of each beverage. The results are conclusive: drinks that contain small amounts of sugar, fat and protein are the ones that hydrate the most. Sounds like water isn't the most hydrating drink after all.

Water or coffee, same difference

As it turns out, milk is actually the most effective beverage according to the researchers. Thanks to its composition, it keeps the body hydrated longer than water does. "This study tells us much of what we already knew," dietitian Melissa Majumdar told CNN. "Electrolytes, like sodium and potassium, contribute to better hydration, while calories in beverages result in slower gastric emptying and therefore slower release of urination."

Over the course of this study, scientists reached another equally astonishing conclusion: a strong coffee is as hydrating as water is... But that doesn't mean you should be chugging espressos after a workout, or when you're dehydrated: the health effects of coffee are still controversial.