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Can increasing your fluid intake mean increasing your waistline? While soft drinks and alcoholic beverages have already been widely discussed in the media, there are other choices which you may want to moderate if you're watching your health:

Flavoured water

Plain water (bottled, filtered or straight from the tap) is still the beverage of choice when it comes to staving off dehydration and heat-related illnesses. However, many people may find this routine a little monotonous and want flavour instead. Regular or carbonated, flavoured waters promise to be a lower calorie alternative to sugary fruit drinks, drink mixes and soft drinks. However, some contain high amounts of sugar and other sweeteners, while others load up on artificial sweeteners, colours and flavours. (The long term effects of these chemicals are still being debated).

Many brands of flavoured water are comparable in price to regular bottled water and soft drinks, but it's easy and less expensive to flavour your own water at home. Favourite citrus juices such as lemon, lime, orange and grapefruit can add a flavourful splash, but try sliced fruits like melon or strawberries for a change. Mint leaves or chlorophyll are refreshing alternatives, or try sliced cucumber.

If you prefer the convenience of bottled water, look for brands that contain natural and organic flavourings. They will often be as low in calories as mainstream brands but avoid artificial sweeteners and additives.

Enhanced water

A step up from the usual flavoured waters is water with added vitamins and electrolytes, such as the many sports drinks and vitamin enhanced waters now on the market. Sports drinks often contain similar amounts of sugar and calories to soft drinks, and unless you are playing sports for hours on end or have a stomach virus you probably don't need the added sugars and salts. In some cases, you may consume more calories than you burn in a workout.

New vitamin enhanced waters are marketed as a drinkable multi-vitamin. In fact, the labels even recommend drinking one or two bottles each day. Vitamin C, calcium, folic acid and magnesium are common ingredients -- but so are sugar and glucose-fructose. Because these products are considered to be health food supplements, producers are not required to list nutritional information. The number of calories is conspicuously missing from some labels.

According to a June 17 report on Global News, these waters may not live up to their healthy promises. The vitamins may not be in the ideal form for absorption, and they're likely ones that most people aren't deficient in. The extra vitamins aren't harmful, but they shouldn't be taken at the same time as medications. In the end, people are still better off getting their vitamins from whole foods, such as fruits and vegetables.

If you like the taste of vitamin enhanced water and feel your diet could use a boost now and then, look for brands that list nutritional information so you can make informed choices.

Fruit drinks versus juice

Fruit drinks have been getting a bad reputation in the media lately as new evidence shows that they can contribute to childhood obesity, likely due to the high amount of sweeteners. Unsweetened 100 per cent juice blends don't have the same effect. However, health experts still recommend limiting the amount of fruit juice intake for children, and adults may want to watch the amount of calories they consume as well.

In most cases, a glass of juice a day should suffice but it isn't necessary to get the nutrients you need if you eat a diet rich with fruits and vegetables. Whole foods have another benefit: fiber in the skins and membranes that gets stripped away during processing.

Frozen coffee and tea beverages

Are frozen coffee or tea drinks displacing your usual hot beverage? A cup of black coffee or plain tea has little or no calories, and one cream and sugar is still only 75. Go for a frozen blended drink instead and the numbers increase dramatically. Consider:

- Hot or cold, a green tea or chai latte from Starbucks has 7 – 9 grams of fat per 16 oz. cup and about 260 calories.

- a Chocolate Chiller at Second Cup has 510 calories for 16 oz. and 15 grams of fat. The "Skinny" version has 390 calories and 1.5 g of fat.

- a small (10 oz) Tim Horton's iced cappuccino made with low-fat milk has at least 150 calories. Consume a cup a day in place of a black coffee and you're looking at 1050 extra calories a week.