Are you trying to lose weight? Then think twice about what you drink! (Calories in Drinks)

Are you trying to lose weight? So you probably pay a lot of attention to what you eat, that is, what you share on your plate, right? But do you think the same about what you put in your glass, cup, or can? Otherwise, you may be wasting your efforts without even realizing it. Because what we drink can also have a big impact on our weight loss journey.

"Empty Calories" Hidden in Drinks

Simply put, the drinks we drink are the biggest source of "empty calories" hidden in our food. "Empty calories" are calories that provide no nutritional value to the body, just energy. Think of things like orange juice and grape juice, which some people think are "very healthy ." Even a standard glass (about 240 ml) of these can contain about 100 calories.

The biggest problem now is that none of us stop at a small glass of about 240 ml, right? The amount we usually drink at one time is much more than this. That means that just one drink can add about 200 calories to the body.

Next, let's talk about sugary drinks like soda. These have no nutritional value. They are just high in calories from sweeteners. For example, a 600 ml bottle of soda contains the equivalent of 18 teaspoons of sugar . It's hard to imagine, right?

This unnecessary accumulation of calories in the body has become the main cause of the obesity seen in society today.

Even though the calories are high, the stomach doesn't feel full!

This is the most important thing we need to understand. Calories from liquid foods, that is, drinks, do not fill our stomachs as much as calories from solid foods. That is, they do not give us the feeling of being full.

There is a study that was done on this. 15 healthy people were given 450 extra calories every day for four weeks. One group was given these calories in the form of jellybeans. The other group was given these calories in the form of soda.

The results are amazing.

• The jelly ball group: They naturally reduced their calorie intake from other meals because the jelly balls made them feel full. As a result, they gained very little weight at the end of the four weeks.
• The soda group: They didn't make any changes to their other meals. The result? Their weight had increased significantly!

This makes it clear to us, right? Drinks quench thirst and add calories, but they don't fill the stomach. Therefore, we eat more without realizing it. This situation affects adults and children alike. Another study has found that children who drink more than 350 ml of sweet drinks a day gain weight faster than other children. Also, when these children are addicted to sweet drinks, they also reduce their intake of milk , which is rich in nutrients such as calcium and zinc, which are essential for the body.

Be careful with these drinks, not just soda

If you're trying to lose weight, it's not just soda that we need to be careful about. Here are a few other drinks.

Coffee and tea

A cup of coffee or tea without milk and sugar has no calories. But the problem is what we add to it. When you add cream, sugar, and syrup, it becomes a calorie bomb. A specialty coffee from some fancy coffee shops can have up to 700 calories. That's about a third of your daily calorie intake!

Alcohol

A bottle of beer or a glass of wine usually contains about 100-150 calories. But do we stop at one? What's even more dangerous is that when we drink alcohol, our self-control decreases and we tend to eat more salty and fatty foods as 'bites' .

Diet Soda

Although they are calorie-free, they contain artificial sweeteners that have no nutritional value. Even though these are approved, too much of anything is not good. So it is wise to limit yourself to one or two per day.

So what to drink when you're thirsty? Here are the best options!

Okay, so what should we drink? The simplest answer is water . Water is essential for keeping our body tissues hydrated and for our body to function properly. Most people don't drink enough water each day.

If you're too lazy to just drink water, here are some ideas:

• Add a slice of lime or lemon to a glass of water.
• Add some mint leaves. It gives a very refreshing taste.
• You can also add a few cucumber slices.

In addition, here are some other good options:

• Green Tea: It also contains compounds called phytonutrients that have cancer-fighting properties.
• Herbal Teas: Things like ginger, coriander, and yarrow.
• Homemade fruit drinks: But without sugar. Squeeze lemons, oranges, etc. and mix them with water. If you want a sweeter taste, you can add a little natural sweetener like stevia.
• Seltzer water: When you add a drop or two of fruit juice to this, it can feel like you're drinking a sweet drink.

If you feel like drinking coffee occasionally, make it without sugar and with skim milk. It is best for someone trying to lose weight to stay away from coffee with whipped cream or syrups.