2 min read
If you’ve been seeking your morning hit of caffeine from any major coffee chain, you’ve likely either seen or succumbed to the refresher. What is a refresher, you ask? Well, that depends on the type you get and where you get it. Typically, though, a refresher is a fruity, iced beverage that may also contain caffeine. They’re easily customizable: You can nix the caffeine altogether, add more, or mix in lemonade, milk and other add-ins like fruit pieces or boba.
While places like Starbucks and Dunkin’ position these drinks as the ultimate refreshment, the question remains—are refreshers actually refreshing?
What Makes A Drink “Refreshing”?
According to nutritionist Jessica Clancy-Strawn, M.A., R.D.N., “When we talk about a drink being refreshing, we’re referring to more than just flavor. A refreshing beverage should reduce thirst, support hydration status, and help maintain fluid balance.”
Lauren Manaker, M.S., R.D.N., adds that “The ‘refreshing’ feeling is often more about the cold temperature, the fruity flavor, and the sensory experience than any real physiological refreshment.”
That may be part of why these drinks become especially appealing during the hot summer months. “A sweet, chilled drink genuinely feels good, but that’s not the same as your body being better hydrated or energized in a meaningful way,” Manaker continues.
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Are Refreshers Actually Hydrating?
Refreshers still contribute fluid to your overall intake, but if the goal is hydration, Manaker says plain water remains the gold standard.
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Clancy-Strawn similarly cautions against relying on refreshers specifically for hydration, pointing to the added sugar and fruit-juice concentrates found in many of them.
“Refreshers taste cool and fruity, but they don’t reliably reduce thirst. Because they contain added sugar and fruit‑juice concentrates, they can actually stimulate thirst rather than relieve it,” Clancy-Strawn explains.
As a result, drinking a refresher can leave you feeling thirsty shortly afterward.
That doesn’t mean drinking a refresher provides no hydration. Rather, experts say it’s better to think of these drinks as sweet beverages first instead of relying on them as your primary source of hydration.
“Through a dietitian’s hydration lens, refreshers are best understood as sweet, flavored beverages rather than hydration tools, and should be enjoyed the same way you’d enjoy any other sugary drink: Occasionally, and not as a replacement for water,” Clancy-Strawn says.
If you’re specifically looking to rehydrate, Manaker recommends water, fruit-infused water, or unsweetened tea as alternatives without the added sugar.