From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The word drink is primarily a verb, meaning to ingest liquids. As a noun, it refers to the liquid that is ingested. It is often used in a narrower sense to refer to alcoholic beverages (as both a verb and a noun). To drink in is also used metaphorically, as in to drink in the scenery; to appreciate.

In the United Kingdom, drink is used as a general term for an alcoholic beverage; "Are you going for a drink?"

A beverage is a drink specifically prepared for human consumption, except water. Beverages almost always largely consist of water. Water is essential for living, significantly more so than food. Death will usually occur after one week without any liquids but humans have been known to survive some months without food.

Contents 1 Types of drinks 1.1 Water 1.2 Non-alcoholic drinks 1.3 Hot beverages 1.4 Other 2 See also 3 External links 4 Notes and references

Main article: Drinking water

Essential to the survival of all organisms,^[1] water has historically been an important and life-sustaining drink to humans. Excluding fat, water composes approximately 70% of the human body by mass. It is a crucial component of metabolic processes and serves as a solvent for many bodily solutes. Health authorities have historically suggested at least eight glasses, eight fluid ounces each, of water per day (64 fluid ounces, or 1.89 litres),^[2][3] and the British Dietetic Association recommends 1.8 litres.^[1] The United States Environmental Protection Agency has determined that the average adult actually ingests 2.0 litres per day.^[3] Water is available in several forms. Nearly all other drinks, including juice, soft drinks, and carbonated drinks, have some form of water in them. Distilled (pure) water is rarely found in nature.^[4] Spring water, a natural resource from which much bottled water comes, is generally imbued with minerals. Tap water, delivered by domestic water systems in developed nations, refers to water piped to homes through a tap. All of these forms of water are commonly drunk, often purified through filtration.^[5]

• Alcoholic beverages (which see for classification).
  • Non-alcoholic variants:
    • Low alcohol beer
    • Non-alcoholic wine
    • Sparkling cider

• Fruit juice
• Iced tea
• Iced coffee
• Soft drinks
  • Cola
  • Ginger beer
  • Tonic water
• Squash
• Root beer
• Lemonade
• Milk and milk-based drinks
  • e.g. milkshake

• Hot beverages, including infusions. Sometimes drank chilled.
  • Coffee-based beverages
    • Cappuccino
    • Coffee
    • Espresso
    • Frappé
    • Flavored coffees (mocha etc.)
    • Latte
  • Hot chocolate
  • Hot cider
    • Mulled cider
  • Glühwein
  • Tea-based beverages
    • Flavored teas (chai etc.)
    • Green tea
    • Pearl milk tea
    • Tea
  • Herbal teas
  • Roasted grain beverages (Postum etc.)

• The word "Drink!" is one of the 4 main catchphrases of Father Jack Hackett, the elderly, alcoholic priest from the Channel 4 comedy series Father Ted, the others being "Feck!", "Girls!" and "Arse!". It refers to his alcoholic predisposition for any type of alcoholic drink (and other chemical, but non alcoholic, liquids) during his waking hours.

Some substances may either be called food or drink, and accordingly be eaten with a spoon or drunk, depending on solid ingredients in it and on how thick it is, and on preference:

• Soup
• Yogurt

• Drinking
• Soft drinks
• Food
• Nutrition
• List of cocktails
• Soda

• Tea healthier drink than water
• Healthy Drinks Guide
• Drink Recipes

1. ^ ^{a b} Greenhalgh, Alison (March 2001). Healthy living - Water. BBC Health. Retrieved on 2007-02-19.
2. ^ The Benefits of Water. Cleveland Clinic. Retrieved on 2007-02-19.
3. ^ ^{a b} Chapter 3, Exposure Scenario Selection (PDF) p. 8. EPA (May 2000). Retrieved on 2007-02-19.
4. ^ Water Links. Center for Science in the Public Interest. Retrieved on 2007-02-19.
5. ^ Brief History of Drinking Water. American Water Works Association (2007). Retrieved on 2007-02-19.