Trying to lose weight is almost a national pastime these days. With everyone from Hollywood’s hottest celebrities to the average Joe wanting to shed a few pounds, the weight loss industry is in high gear. Everybody is looking for the quickest route to Skinnytown, and we may just have the directions right here.
Weight loss drinks are being hailed as some of the most effective fat burning tools to come along in ages. These drinks not only help you lose unwanted weight, they are super tasty, and they also help rid your body of unhealthy toxins. So, just what exactly does a weight loss drink consist of? And, why are they so effective? We’ll answer these questions and much more, so keep reading.
What is a Weight Loss Drink?
Ingredients in weight loss drinks are chosen for both their taste and for the health properties they offer. Some of the most popular ingredients are:
- Lemon
- Cucumbers
- Ginger
- Mint
- Oranges
- Berries
- Aloe Vera
- And much, much more
How do Weight Loss Drinks Work?
Weight loss drinks help you lose weight in several ways. Some boost metabolism so you burn calories and fat faster, while some help curb appetite so you eat less. Still others combine ingredients to stimulate the body’s fat burning process.
Weight loss waters work best when consumed at the right time of day. For instance, metabolism-boosting drinks are best consumed first thing in the morning. The boost they provide keeps you energized all day long, and gets your body ready for the day ahead.
Important note: Weight loss drinks are not a substitute for eating a healthy diet. They should be part of a balanced nutrition plan that includes regular meals.
The Weight Loss Power of Certain Ingredients
Lemons – According to Theresa Cheung, author of The Lemon Juice Diet, the best way to lose weight is by cleansing and detoxifying the body’s digestive system. Adding lemon juice and lemon peel to your diet is a great way to achieve just that, since these ingredients improve digestive function and help the liver to work at optimum levels.
Ginger – Ginger is a flavorful root used commonly in many Asian dishes. It has a subtle, spicy flavor, and it comes in both fresh and powdered form. When used as a tool for weight loss, it is highly effective at doing several things.
- Improves digestive function
- Speeds up metabolism
- Creates a feeling of fullness long after eating (Check out this study conducted by researchers from the New York Obesity Research Center at Columbia University)
Mint – According to an article written by licensed dietician, Megan Ware RDNLD, and published by Medical News Today, mint has strong antioxidant properties that not only stimulate weight loss, but also contribute to overall good health. From a weight loss standpoint, however, this ingredient helps the body’s digestive processes by decreasing gas and bloating and addressing other stomach and digestive tract issues for better toxin removal and digestion.
Aloe Vera – Aloe Vera is one of the most nutrient-rich plants on the planet. It contains vitamins A, B1, B2, B6, B12, C, E, folic acid and niacin, making it a powerful calorie and fat burning ingredient. In addition, aloe has long been known as a natural laxative, fighting constipation and helping the digestive tract work efficiently.
Water – The key to losing as much weight as possible is hydration. When the body is dehydrated, it’s processes don’t work as efficiently. Drinking plenty of water revs up the metabolism and increases energy.
Another way drinking water helps you lose weight is by helping you feel full before you eat. In a study first published in August 2015, researchers found that drinking a couple of glasses of water before main meals helped subjects eat less overall.
You’ll notice as we discuss the different types of weight loss drinks later on in this article that most of them contain some sort of water as a main ingredient.
Tips for Success with Weight Loss Drinks
Adding weight loss drinks to your diet plan is a great way to drop those extra pounds. However, doing so successfully requires some know-how and discipline. Here are a few tips to keep in mind when using weight loss drinks.
To Lose as Much Weight as Possible
- Drink weight loss beverages at the right time of day. Some are designed to jump-start your metabolism and should be consumed first thing in the morning.
- Eat a healthy, low-calorie diet in addition to consuming these drinks.
- Don’t skip meals.
- Participate in some sort of exercise routine on a regular basis.
- Don’t be afraid to mix it up occasionally by trying new drinks and ingredient combinations to keep things exciting.
- Use a weight loss drink designed to curb appetite if you’re prone to over-eating.
- Curb a sweet tooth by drinking a weight loss drink infused with sweet fruits.
Ultimately, your success depends on you. Your dedication and motivation must come from within. Weight loss drinks simply make it easy for you to cut calories, speed up your metabolism and burn fat, all in one tasty, convenient drink.
Best Homemade Weight Loss Drinks That Work
Now that you have educated yourself a little on weight loss drinks, it’s time to find out which ones are the most effective for optimal weight loss. Try just one or sample them all to find which one helps you shed the most pounds. Remember, try to mix and match different ingredients and drinks so you don’t feel deprived and your diet never gets boring.
Without further ado, here they are.
1. Water
If you are trying to shed excess weight, and you aren’t drinking at least the recommended amount of water each day, you are really depriving yourself of some pretty amazing weight loss results. According to the Institute of Medicine, an average healthy male needs about 13 cups of fluid a day. An average healthy woman needs about 9 cups a day.
Even if you don’t like water, drinking it to further your weight loss goals is one of the easiest things to do. In fact, you need just a mere 17 ounces of water a day to increase your metabolism.
Just 17 ounces!
If that isn’t enough to get you chugging some cool H2O, here’s another reason. Did you know you can increase the amount of weight you lose simply by drinking a glass of water before each meal? It’s true! In a study conducted in the Department of Human Nutrition, Food and Exercise at Virginia Tech, researchers observed participants over a 12-week period. Participants were divided into two groups: a water group and a non-water group. The water group drank 16 ounces of water before each meal. The non-water group drank nothing before eating. At the end of the 12-week period, the water group lost an average of 44 percent more weight than the non-water group.
2. Detox Water
Detox water is made in an infuser bottle that allows the flavors, vitamins and minerals of the ingredients you add to seep into the water. The result is a flavorful, healthy drink. If you’re not a fan of plain water, this is a great way to get the fluids your body needs to shed those extra pounds.
Earlier in this article, we mentioned a few ingredients that help promote weight loss and detoxification. When you add these ingredients, along with your favorite fruits, to water you are creating a powerful weight loss drink that’s delicious and effective. Give it a try!
Here are a couple of our favorite detox water recipes:
Lemon Water
This one is simple. Just add lemon juice (or lemon slices) to warm water and drink. This one is highly effective at jump-starting your metabolism and increasing your energy, so it’s best consumed first thing in the morning. When you drink lemon water just before a healthy breakfast, you’re setting yourself up for serious weight loss success.
Slim Down Detox Water
This one comes from Skinny Mom. It’s a simple recipe that combines spring water, cucumbers, grapefruit, lemons, limes and mint for a deliciously satisfying weight loss drink you can sip on all day.
According to Brooke over at SkinnyMom, the grapefruit adds a great flavor, as well as lots of fiber and nutrition. The cucumbers help limit water retention, and the lemons and limes are packed with vitamin C and body cleansing properties. You’ll want to make this drink a couple of hours before drinking to ensure all the ingredients have a chance to super-charge the water.
3. Coconut Water
If giving up your favorite sugary and/or carbonated drinks has you in a panic, try replacing them with coconut water. This flavorful, natural drink has just over 40 calories per cup, and it has cholesterol-busting powers to boot.
Be on the lookout – When shopping for coconut milk, be sure to read the labels. Some brands contain large amounts of sugar, which contradicts any health benefits you hope to receive.
4. Coffee
Coffee contains a stimulant called caffeine. It is this stimulant action that causes coffee’s weight loss effects. In order to reap the most benefits, however, you must consume your coffee black. Black coffee is one of the most antioxidant-rich foods on the planet, and it offers so much more for the body than just weight loss.
First of all, drinking two cups of coffee first thing in the morning gives your metabolism a boost that lasts for several hours afterward. A study that included both average-weight people and obese people showed this to be true for all participants.
Secondly, coffee has a positive effect on the body’s fat oxidation processes. Fat oxidation, the process by which stored fat is broken down for energy when no other energy source is available, is generally what we refer to as “burning calories.” In the same study mentioned above, participants experienced greater fat oxidation after drinking coffee. This was especially true for the group that also ate a healthy meal along with drinking their coffee.
And lastly, drinking coffee helps curb appetite. Although the effect is temporary, and coffee consumption should not replace regular meals, timing your coffee intake correctly can help you eat less and avoid unhealthy snacking.
If you hit the gym regularly, there’s an added benefit to drinking a cup of Joe just before your workouts. As mentioned before, coffee contains powerful antioxidants. These free-radical fighters help greatly with post-workout recovery. Further, because the beverage plays such a significant role in fat oxidation, it frees up those fatty acids so your body can burn them during your workout. Ultimately, coffee gives you the energy and focus you need to get through a rigorous workout.
5 White Tea
Tea lovers and non-tea lovers alike – LISTEN UP! If you’re looking to shed excess pounds, drinking tea can help. The trick to ensuring your tea-drinking promotes weight loss, though, is choosing the right kinds of tea.
One of the best teas to drink, both because it helps you lose weight and because it has a pleasant flavor is white tea. White tea helps your body break down fat, and it discourages the formation of fat cells, according to a study published in May 2009 by BioMed Central.
If you’re not a tea-drinker already, white tea is a good one to start with because it has a much less bitter taste than many other kinds of tea. When looking to replace soda or other sugary beverages, white tea brewed with hot water provides a tasty, no-calorie option.
6. Green Tea
- Epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) is the compound responsible for green tea’s weight loss powers.
- EGCG increases the breakdown of fat in the body by up to 33 percent, according to this research.
- Green tea consumption increases metabolism due to its low caffeine content.
- Drinking green tea may discourage the production of fat cells.
Weight Loss Tip: Add more flavor to your weight loss drinks by using green tea when the recipe calls for water.
7. Rooibos
One last tea to make this list is rooibos. Despite its complicated name, the tea itself is hardly complicated at all. It’s actually an herbal tea derived from the rooibos plant, and it boasts a special weight loss super power.
Rooibos contains antioxidants that fight damage caused by poor diet and nutrition. Additionally, this tea also contains catechins, which are another powerful antioxidant tied to very effective weight loss results.
In 2005, research findings out of Tokyo suggested that drinking teas rich in catechins daily decreased body mass index (BMI), body weight, body fat mass and waist circumference in the men who participated.
Brewing rooibos tea is simple.
- Add 1 tsp. tea leaves to teapot or teacup.
- Bring water to a boil.
- Pour enough boiling water over leaves to submerge them. Let it sit for a few seconds.
- Pour out the water without pouring out the leaves. Warming the teacup/teapot and leaves in this manner makes for a better brew.
- Add 8 oz. of water to leaves and let them steep for up to 5 minutes.
This is a basic recipe. Feel free to play around with the amount of tea leaves you use and the amount of steep time to develop the tea to your liking.
8. Aloe Vera Juice
Everyone knows of aloe vera’s ability to heal burns and soothe sunburned skin, but did you know it’s also a great weight loss tool?
Aloe vera juice, made from the filtered pulp of the aloe plant’s ground leaves, has been shown to reduce overall body weight, body fat mass and decrease insulin resistance, according to a Department of Family Medicine study conducted in Seoul, South Korea in 2013.
Any controversy tied to aloe vera juice consumption comes into play because of the potential stomach issues associated with the drink. Aloe vera is a natural laxative, so loose stools might be a side effect if you drink too much.
Vegetable Smoothies and Juices
We have to caution here that not all vegetable juices are created equal. For instance, most store-bought versions contain lots of sugar, which defeats the purpose of a weight loss plan. Furthermore, making your own veggie weight loss drink can be just as unhealthy if you use too much fruit to hide the taste of the veggies.
Your best bet is to invest in a pulverizing blender and opt for high fiber vegetables such as cucumbers, kale, celery, apples, lemons and cayenne pepper for some kick. Avoid peeling your veggies and fruits because that’s where the most edible fiber lives. Fiber helps you feel fuller longer, and it regulates your digestive tract.
10. Chia Fresca
If you really want to step up your workout game, you’ve got to try the Chia Fresca. made with chia seeds, this weight loss drink packs a powerful punch to the waistline.
Chia seeds expand in your stomach. This ability, when combined with their high fiber content, keeps you feeling fuller longer so you don’t eat as much. You can add chia seeds to just about everything to help curb random cravings as well.
The remaining ingredients in this weight loss drink boost your metabolism and increase your body’s own fat burning ability. Here’s how you make it.
- 2 cups coconut water
- 1 1/2 tbsp. chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp. lemon juice
- Honey to taste
Combine all ingredients and enjoy before your regular workout.
Conclusion: Should I add Weight Loss Drinks for Optimal Weight Loss?
Drinking weight loss drinks is one of the easiest things you can do to improve your weight loss results. While these beverages aren’t meant as meal replacements, they can be a nutritious and delicious way to add some diversity in your diet and increase your overall health. Losing weight is never easy, and for many, the road to success contains a few potholes. By adding weight loss drinks into your diet regime, you stand a better chance of staying on track so you reach your weight loss goals faster.
