Are you trying to drop a few pounds?

Today I thought I’d share with you one of the most important dietary changes you can make. Here it is:

Put down the sugar-sweetened beverage!

As I said recently in my post, Are Smoothies Healthy?, scientific evidence suggests our bodies compute liquid calories somewhat differently to those found in food.

Interestingly, a study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition (2009), found that cutting back just one soda each day could produce more weight loss than skipping an equivalent number of calories from food.

Dr Caballero of Johns Hopkins University, reported when subjects reduced their soda habit by one 12-fluid oz serving of sugar-sweetened drinks per day, it yielded weight loss of 0.5 kg at six months, and 0.7 kg at 18 months.

This is certainly enough to add up if you have a soda or fruit-drink habit.

So, why is this thought to be effective?

• It could be that long-term consumption of fructose can promote fat storage and excessive food intake.
• Or, it might be that drinks with more protein, fat, or fiber (such as milk and fruit juices) are more satisfying.
• Alternatively, it may simply reflect the lifestyle factors associated with drinking soft drinks.

The great thing about findings like these is, it supports the idea that even small dietary changes can be beneficial in aidding weight loss.

How to cut calories in drinks

If you want to cut around 100 to 200 calories from your diet each day, putting a stop to your high-cal beverage habit may just be the ticket to success you’ve been looking for.

Think of this, a can of soft drink contains around 140 calories, but absolutely no beneficial nutrients to offset this. If you were to drink one 12-ounce can every day, it could end up totaling a whopping 51,100 calories by the end of the year – that’s pretty shocking!

Personally, I try to make high-cal drinks an occasional treat, and instead opt for water or unsweetened tea most of the time. Here are a few other calorific beverages to be aware of:

• Chocolate mocha frappuccino contains around 160 calories.
• Cup of fruit juice may have more than 120 calories.
• Even your seemingly “healthy” iced tea could be packing in 90 calories per serve.

So, it’s really worth taking stock of how many calories you’re getting from drinks each day.

I suggest keeping calorific drinks as a special treat, rather than an everyday occurrence. Instead go for water – with 0 calories and 100 percent hydration, it’s your best choice!

If water seems a little too boring add a few lemon segments and fresh mint leaves. Unsweetened herbal teas and green teas are also really healthy alternatives.

Image credit: GaryTamin