Thinking about losing a few extra pounds? The only true way to shed off unwanted weight is with a strict exercise schedule and a well formulated diet plan. There aren’t any quick ways around exercise and a balanced diet. But a few weight loss drinks along the way can help speed up the process and have you on the way to reaching your goals before you know it.
Here are the top 5 weight loss drinks.
1. Detox Juices
Retail juice products and homemade juices designed for detox are some of the most essential weight loss drinks. While rarely marketed for weight loss, they contain all of the important nutrients you need to get a metabolism boost. Citrus fruits are the most common ingredients of detox juice. Loaded with antioxidants, they have a powerful ability to flush out toxins.
One of the largest benefits of the fruits in detox juices are high levels of fiber. A 2009 study in the academic journal Nutrition Reviews determined that fiber is a key component to battling obesity[1]. Fiber may help regulate hunger, satiety, and boost metabolism.
2. Vegetable Juice
Most people already don’t get enough vegetables. Busy everyday life can get in the way of a balanced diet. The easiest way to make vegetables a priority in your diet is to add a low sodium vegetable juice. Blending your own so you know exactly what is going into the juice is preferable to purchasing a juice product.
Researchers writing in the Nutrition Journal determined that vegetable juice is a “simple and effective way to increase the number of daily vegetable servings” and that it provides “the potential” to “aid in weight loss in overweight individuals with metabolic syndrome.”[2]
3. Green Tea
Green tea is a historically powerful weight loss supplement. For hundreds if not thousands of years, people have used green tea to promote health. A meta-analysis of green tea research published in 2009 argues that green tea may have a direct function in body weight reduction[3]. In addition, green tea is loaded with antioxidants that are helpful for preventing illness and promoting a healthy lifestyle.
4. Caffeine Drinks (Moderate Amount)
One study of green tea and caffeine determined that habitual caffeine consumption drastically reduces weight gain and promotes weight loss. The 2005 study contends that caffeine is helpful in losing weight[4].
When you consume caffeine, it acts as a stimulant and your body has a thermogenic response—in other words, your core temperature rises a bit. This causes you to burn more calories. Additionally, caffeine promotes fat oxidation and suppresses leptin. Drinks with Caffeine—as long as they overloaded with cream and sugar—are excellent ways to improve your metabolism and increase weight loss.
5. Protein Drinks (You Don’t Have To Use Whey For This)
One of the biggest challenges of weight loss and dieting is avoiding weight regain after losing significant weight. Protein supplementation may be the key to keeping the pounds off after weight loss. An article in the British Journal of Nutrition details the study of researchers in the Netherlands who determined that protein helps limit weight regain and—if weight regain does occur—promotes the development of lean muscle-based mass instead of fat[5].
Many people avoid protein drinks because they are afraid of “bulking up.” The reality is that protein might be the missing link in your weight loss strategy. The presence of additional protein in the body after a workout helps break down carbohydrates so they can be used as immediate fuel.
sources:
- [1] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1753-4887.2001.tb07001.x/abstract
- [2] https://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1475-2891-9-8.pdf
- [3] https://www.nature.com/ijo/journal/v33/n9/abs/ijo2009135a.html
- [4] https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1038/oby.2005.142/full
- [5] https://journals.cambridge.org/action/displayAbstract?fromPage=online&aid=918140