Which Drink to Lose Weight: Top 5 with the Most Benefit

Around 80% of our daily water intake comes from what we drink, with the other 20% being absorbed from solid foods.

When considering which drink to lose weight, the choices can be overwhelming. There are thousands of things we could potentially drink, but how do we know which are good for us and which are bad?

Not to worry, because here I have compiled a list of some of the more beneficial beverages to consider when including drinks as part of your diet plan:

1. Apple Cider Vinegar
2. High Protein Shakes
3. Water
4. Various Teas
5. Diet Sodas

Some of these suggestions might seem strange, but they aren’t all for everyone since we all have different requirements based on our own dietary needs, fitness levels, and willingness to accept change.

#1 Apple Cider Vinegar

First on the list is apple cider vinegar because it might be one of the most overlooked types of drinks when you are considering a weight-loss strategy.

While not a drink in its own right, rather, a by-product from the fermentation process of crushed apples, apple cider vinegar is mostly used for flavoring other foods, as a cleaning product ingredient, or a preservative. Studies have shown, however, that apple cider vinegar has multiple health benefits relating to weight loss.

By slowing down the stomach emptying process after eating, apple cider vinegar makes you feel fuller for longer, and some studies have shown that when taken as part of a calorie-controlled diet, the product also helped to decrease body mass index in some overweight adults by acting as a diet suppressant when ingested before meals.

Healthier digestion can also occur with regular intake of apple cider vinegar, which can aid with weight loss since the bacteria in your gut can have a severe impact on the weight you gain or lose.

Since it tastes like how you would expect apples and vinegar, taking this might be unpleasant on its own, but you can use it as a flavoring in other drinks and still reap the benefits. 15 to 30ml per day mixed with a glass of water will have the same benefits of drinking it on its own, or you could mix it with a tablespoon of honey to combat the bitterness.

As well as helping with weight loss, ACV has also been shown to have other beneficial properties such as skin care because of the substance’s vitamin and mineral content. Potassium, magnesium, calcium, and iron are all present in apple cider vinegar, as are amounts of required B vitamins, vitamin C, and folic acid.

It should be noted that taking apple cider vinegar can be harmful to some people in certain circumstances. The acidic chemicals’ intake can exacerbate tooth enamel erosion, reactions to medication, and gastrointestinal issues. 

#2 High Protein Shakes

It should be pointed out that high protein shakes and smoothies are not a magical gateway to sip yourself slimmer. These drinks need to be used properly as part of a slimming plan and shouldn’t just be used as a meal substitute like so many people do.

Sure, protein drinks might help you lose weight by taking in fewer calories, but what they are meant for is sustaining energy to get a better workout, therefore, losing weight and toning up the proper way.

When ingested correctly, a balanced protein intake contributes to helping you feel fuller for longer, leading to less calorie intake. Many manufacturers of protein drinks claim their drinks help lose weight, which is true to a degree. Your food diet will contain its amount of proteins, so you need to be aware of this intake before consuming protein drinks as any excess will be stored as fat, defeating the whole purpose.

Protein intake needs to be monitored carefully as too much will be stored as fat, making your job harder.

With that out of the way, time for the good part, the drinks themselves. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different smoothie or shake recipes on the internet or in books, and most of them are very similar.

But there are some sites out there with unique high protein smoothie recipes that are delicious and easy to make, but the authors actively explain a lot about the ingredients and the drinks’ protein content.

You might need to be aware that on the face of it, packing high energy fruits and vegetables into a shake might seem very healthy, but not all are beneficial when consumed in large quantities. For example, certain ingredients such as yogurt or fresh orange juice might be high in sugars and acidity that can reduce excessive intake of substances.

#3 Water

Water is one of the best drinks for helping you to lose weight. H²O is absolutely 100% calorie-free and is essential for sustaining life.

Any exercise will release the water from your body as you sweat to cool down, so good hydration is essential for a good workout.

You might not be aware that the effects of dehydration such as light-headedness, fatigue, and headaches mimic the effects of being hungry and can trick your brain into wanting to eat when it doesn’t need to.

The amount of water needed varies from man to woman:

• Men require 3.7 liters per day.
• Women require 2.7 liters per day.

Other factors need to be considered, such as the temperature of where you are, how much you move, and your diet. Hot and humid climates will make your body release more water to cool you down, as will moving around, especially in a vigorous manner such as exercising. At the same time, a high sodium diet will or overusing salt can contribute to dehydration.

Drinking a glass of water right before a meal is encouraged since the sudden intake of water can make you feel more full than you are, therefore causing you to eat less than you might think you require.

Whether to drink room temperature or ice-cold water is still a matter of some debate, but some dieticians claim that the extra work required to warm up and digest cold water burns some extra calories.

That being said, water isn’t for everyone; I find it boring because of its distinct lack of taste, so there are few things you can do to make it taste a little better. Mixing water with some of your favorite fruits or vegetables can perk it up for a refreshing taste. Some ingredients such as lemon and cucumber will also add extra antioxidants and vitamins and minerals.

A good rule to remember is that if you feel thirsty, then you are already dehydrated.

#4 Various Teas

Teas of all kinds are widely consumed all over the world. From typical breakfast tea in the UK, Oolong in China, and Chai in India, the benefits of a good cup of tea have been known for centuries.

Teas of all types are rich in antioxidants that aid the immune system, are anti-inflammatory, and help with blood pressure.

Recent studies suggest that drinking tea can also be beneficial as part of a weight loss program. Green tea, Pu Erh tea, and Black tea, in particular, have been highlighted as excellent drinks for weight loss:

• Green tea: the catechins in Green tea have been linked with weight loss, which boosts our metabolism and burn fat more efficiently.
• Pu Erh tea: Pu Erh tea works by lowering triglyceride levels in the body linked to obesity.
• Black tea: an oxidized form of Green tea, Black tea contains high amounts of flavonoids, which are essential for efficient body function and have been seen to lower BMI.

While only around half the amount of coffee, tea contains caffeine, which improves your workout by blocking sleep inhibitors, raising dopamine and adrenaline, and increasing energy levels. Caffeine has been proven to be an excellent aid in longer and harder workouts among gym-goers of all levels.

A mild stimulant, caffeine can become addictive, so care should be taken when considering it as part of your diet. Many energy drinks contain large amounts of caffeine, so ingesting these as well as your daily mugs of coffee or tea can potentially become an issue.

When addicted to caffeine, the brain will suffer from withdrawal symptoms, including muscle pain, headaches, and an increased heart rate, all of which are of no benefit when exercising.

The best advice will be to forego a cup of coffee in the morning if you are going to include more tea or an energy drink later on.

#5 Diet Sodas

Whether you are a serious trainer or prefer a casual workout, weight management and toning are probably a top priority when at the gym. All too often, it is tempting to eat what we shouldn’t and just as much, drink what we shouldn’t as well.

If you are anything like me, then you love the taste of a refreshing and fizzy soda after a great workout or even just on a hot day.

We are all told not to drink pop drinks, and many serious gym-goers won’t even think about touching a soda drink such as Coke or Mountain Dew.

However, the great news is that many traditional soda manufacturers such as Coca-Cola offer “diet” or “light” versions of their most popular sugar-sweetened products. Many of these are branded as either sugar-free, zero-calorie (diet), or, more recently, Zero Sugar.

• Sugar-Free: while this might be a great advertising tool, it is a little misleading. These drinks still contain small amounts of Sugar.
• Diet: Diet Coke and Diet Pepsi contain sucralose, which makes the drink have significantly fewer calories than regular but is still bad if consumed a lot.
• Zero Sugar: these drinks contain no sugar as we know it but are flavored with artificial sweeteners such as aspartame and stevia, both of which have their controversies.

None of these types of drinks have been shown to aid weight loss actively. However, I feel that they should be mentioned as viable alternatives to reaching for a full sugar product from which they derive.

Overuse of any of these alternatives can be just as harmful as any other soda drink, and care should be taken to consume a reasonable amount each day. Just like having a smoothie for breakfast, drinking diet sodas doesn’t mean that you can eat what you want all day.

The inclusion of diet sodas into your diet should be carefully considered since too much can cause other issues related to gaining weight rather than losing it. These include taste confusion due to artificial sweeteners, metabolic changes, and the overproduction of insulin.

The harmful impact of full Sugar-sweetened sodas such as Coca-Cola has been widely documented and is, of course, common knowledge. High fructose corn syrup has been linked to many issues, including type-2 diabetes, inflammation, and obesity, through promoting appetite.

My advice would be to be careful when thinking about any type of mass-produced soda, including energy drinks and isotones, which can be bursting with calories and harmful substances just as much as Coke and Pepsi.

My Thoughts

When researching this article, I quickly realized that we must consider all kinds of things to drink.

I have been able to adjust some of my lifestyle choices according to this list, and the benefits have been eye opening. Some of my problems might have come from drinking too much soda alone, and since making some small changes from this list, I have never felt better.

I hope you enjoyed this article and found it useful. It would be of great help if you could comment and let me know what you found useful, whether you have made any changes and what impact any of these has had on your daily life.

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Last update on 2021-04-15 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API