Did you know that the average American drinks one out of every five of their daily calories? This can come from drinks such as milk, juice, soda, and alcohol.
So while you need to be mindful of the calories you put into your body when you drink beverages so you are not inadvertently adding more calories than you realize, the inverse is true: drinks can help you to lose weight as well.
There are a variety of drinks that can aid in curbing your appetite and adding a powerhouse of nutrition to your daily life, and we discuss some of these drinks below.
It’s okay to add calories to your day with drinks, but just make sure you are drinking the right kinds of drinks!
#1. Juice
Most people think of fruit juice when they think of juice. The most common types of fruit juice sold in stores are orange juice, grapefruit juice, mixed fruit juice, apple juice, grape juice, and cranberry juice.
Often these fruit juices are mixed together, such as cranberry and peach juice. But many of these juices may contain added sugar, and even without added sugar, fruit juice can add a lot of calories so while natural fruit juice is healthy, you have to be careful with how much you consume.
If possible, it is always best to juice fruit yourself at home, fresh from the fruit. However, the healthiest juice is vegetable juice, as vegetable contains about half the calories of fruit juice. The best of both worlds is to combine the two by making juice that mixes vegetables and fruit.
#2. Smoothies
Much like juice, some smoothies (especially if they are from places like Jamba Juice) can be loaded with lots of added sugar and calories and may not be healthy for you.
Smoothies are quick and easy to make at home with a blender, and you can customize to your heart’s content.
Again, much like juice, it’s best to do a combination of fruits and vegetables, but if you do an all fruit smoothie with no added sugar and are careful to balance your sugar intake for the rest of the day, this can still be healthy.
Greens are easy and wonderful to add to smoothies as they typically don’t have a flavor on their own and are easily overpowered by fruit, but you get the added benefit of the nutrients from the greens!
Start out trying romaine lettuce or spinach with fruits. If you enjoy that, you can try kale (this can be a little on the bitter side in raw form) and other greens as well.
Smoothies can be great for breakfast if you added a little Greek yogurt or avocado! Or try a peanut butter, banana, oatmeal smoothie!
#3. Tea
Teas are also great for weight loss. There are different varieties of weight loss teas, so you can always find one that suits your taste or meets your need.
Green tea and Oolong are known to boost metabolism and help you burn fat.
Mint tea helps to curb food cravings, which is good news for those who cannot control their cravings.
White tea is ideal for those who can’t resist fatty foods as it acts as a fat blocker – helping to prevent your body from absorbing fat.
Rooibos tea is a great appetite suppressant that helps to reduce stress hormones, which trigger hunger. It also regulates fat storage hormones.
[Also Read: EvoTea Teatox Slimming Tea Review]
#4. Coffee
Yes, believe it or not, coffee can be great for weight loss. Sometimes you may need a little extra energy to make it through your day or through a gym workout, and a little bit of coffee is much healthier than soda or energy drinks.
Obviously, adding lots of sugar and artificial creamers will detract from the health benefits of coffee, but drinking black coffee provides you with a calorie-free drink rich in antioxidants.
Some studies indicate that black coffee may even help to lower the risk of type 2 diabetes and certain types of cancer.
#5. Flavored Water
Water is healthy for you, and serves a vital role in maintaining your well-being. Drinking two glasses of water before you eat can help you stay fuller longer, and oftentimes we mistake thirst for hunger.
But water can be bland to drink sometimes, so try adding flavor to it! You can cut up citrus fruits or cucumber and add them to a large pitcher of water, letting it infuse overnight for a crisp, refreshing drink the next day.
Try adding mint or berries as well! If you enjoy the carbonation and miss not having soda, you can buy sparkling water/club soda and flavor it the same way.
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