Best Weight Loss Drink

Diet CokeWhen I embarked on the journey to lose weight once again, I was already back into the bad habits of drinking too many soft drinks and juices. As you may already know, these are very high in sugar content.  Then I was trying to see how I could reduce the sugar intake but not hurt too much by giving up the flavors of these drinks.

As I started to research to learn more about the best weight loss drink, or the drinks low in sugar that would help me slim down, I learned quite a few things. I learned that diet drinks contain low-calorie sugars and do not necessarily help with weight loss. I also learned that these low-calorie sugars might be more harmful than good to our health, and they can even negatively affect our brain. Below are some of my findings. I also share my experience as I tested out cutting down or eliminating some of these products from my diet.

Diet Drinks Do Not Necessarily Help Achieve Weight Loss

According to the manufacturers, drinks labeled “diet” are lower in sugar than their regular versions. And we have the content labels to assure us that they are. I began reducing my sugar intake by switching from regular soft drinks to diet or those with low or zero sugar.

When you take a close look at those labels, you will see that they usually have a specific ingredient. That ingredient is usually Aspartame, or Saccharin, or Sucralose, or one of those that are called low-calorie sweeteners. There are conflicting reports that diet soda and artificial or low-calorie sweeteners do help us with weight loss or, at least, do not make us gain weight. Studies show that diet soda can increase the risk of contracting certain chronic diseases, and research suggests that it does not help with weight loss but instead will cause weight gain.

I did notice some weight maintenance through my weight loss journey when I switched from regular soda to diet. It was not a loss of weight. It made a difference because when I consumed standard versions of soda, I would gain weight. However, the ultimate goal, losing weight, was not at my reach since with diet versions of the soda, I was not losing anything.

Low-Calorie Sweeteners

According to the Harvard School of Public Health, “low-calorie sweeteners (LCS) are sweeteners that contain few to noLow calorie sweeteners calories but have a higher intensity of sweetness per gram than sweeteners with calories—like table sugar, fruit juice concentrates, and corn syrups.” Eight of them are approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). People consume these sweeteners to add sugar but not calories to their foods and drinks, and others use them to control their blood sugar.

You would think that something that is low-calorie and not flat-out sugar would be good for your health, but there are studies and evidence that they could be more harmful than good. They have been linked to raising the risk of several chronic diseases, including obesity, metabolic syndrome, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease. So, are low-calorie sweeteners good or bad for us?

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics position on this is “that consumers can safely enjoy a range of nutritive sweeteners and nonnutritive sweeteners (NNS) when consumed within an eating plan that is guided by current federal nutrition recommendations, such as the Dietary Guidelines for Americans and the Dietary Reference Intakes, as well as individual health goals and personal preference.”

I switched from regular sugar to low-calorie sweeteners to sweeten my coffee and tea. I also switched from regular creamer to no sugar creamer. When I made the switch, I did notice I lost a little weight the first week. After that, the weight remained the same, and I did not see a decrease or increase.

This result was acceptable. What was not was how I felt after the constant use of the product. After a while, and while I was not noticing, my attention span was shorter, I did not seem to retain much memory, and my brain seemed to be in a fog often. When I finally realized this, I was already in panic mode and suffering from stress and anxiety. Although some of the symptoms may well be also due to long work hours and my not caring for myself properly, it’s possible that the low-calorie sweeteners had something to do with it.

There is evidence that suggests that sugar, regular or low-calorie sweeteners, negatively affect the brain. Neuronal and behavioral plasticity associated with a brain-derived neurotrophic factor, or BDNF, a protein produced inside nerve cells, is reduced by sugar.

BDNFs are associated with long-term memory, and changes in the production of these factors can potentially interfere with learning. Sugar is addictive. The addictive nature of eating sugar can have harmful effects on the rest of our bodies. Without a doubt, large amounts will have a negative impact. Too much of something can be trouble.

I did see a change in my weight when I stopped consuming all versions of soda, juices, and low-calorie sweeteners and began drinking more water. My doctor shared with me that low-calorie sweeteners do interfere with memory. It was not until he told me that I connected my brain fog and faulty memory to my intake of this product. After that, although I did not give them up completely, I did lower the intake of the no sugar coffee creamer and the sweeteners. With my increase in water intake, I felt an enormous amount of difference.

What is Water?

water

It is widely known that water sustains life. Without it, we cannot survive. Studies show, and health experts say, that we can survive without food for some time, but without water, we will perish within three days.

Water is a liquid made up of H20 – two times Hydrogen and one-time Oxygen.

Can Water Help You Lose Weight?

Water is the one pure liquid that is considered organic and is not subjected to a process to strip out the liquid itself. It has zero calories. I say considered because these days, the bottling of water can add unwanted impurities, and unfiltered tap water can contain chemicals that are dangerous to our health.

Even with these concerns, water has many properties that allow people to lose weight and even keeps us healthy. Due to the availability of juices and soft drinks, many of us do not consume even eight ounces of water a day. This amount is the minimum that we sometimes hear from our doctors that we should be drinking daily.

Interestingly enough, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) states that there is no recommended amount of water intake. The institution explains that the amount depends on what other liquids are consumed each day. The CDC and the USDA point to the FNIC’s DRI Nutrient Reports to access the NASEM report Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. The report provides the Adequate Intake (AI) for total water. Going by the information, men up to 30 years old should be drinking sixteen (16), eight (8) ounce cups of water a day, and women up to the same age, eleven (11), eight (8) ounce cups a day.

According to the CDC, water is essential for many functions, and staying hydrated and avoiding dehydration is important. We must wonder, why if water is the healthiest thing to drink to lose weight so many of us do not keep up with drinking the minimum recommended amount by our doctors? Can water help with weight loss?

Like I shared earlier, I noticed a change in my weight when I began consuming more water and stopped drinking soda and juices altogether. It added to my success in reducing weight. And, not only did I lose weight, I felt a whole lot better. The inflammation I suffered from also decreased until it disappeared. Pains that accompanied the inflammation no longer exist, and even my mind seems sharper. I was able to focus better, and the mental fog was gone.

Many women do not drink enough water. This is especially true if we have a job that keeps us outside or engaging in many extracurricular activities out of the home, pre-covid. One reason is that we don’t want to have to search for a restroom to empty our bladder to be able to remain hands-on in the activities for a more extended period, or simply because we dread the idea of using a public rest room. These bad habits keep us from drinking water.

Others do not drink much water because it has no flavor, and still others because some types of bottled water have a strange taste. Yet others who work in offices do not drink enough because they do not feel thirsty while they are within a cool area all day.

When we do not drink enough water, we tend not to function well. A lack of water can dehydrate the body, negatively impacting our regular functions and even our memory. The CDC confirms these symptoms.

Being from the Caribbean, I have access to another type of organic water and is so good for us. You may have heard of the coconut. I can get them from our palm trees that are right in the yard. You must have heard of its healing properties. Its water is very light and so refreshing. Studies show the health benefits of the water in this fruit.

Best Drink to Lose Weight – Conclusion

So, what is the best drink to lose weight? Anything organic will do better than diet sodas and juices. From the evidence, water is the best. Evidence also shows coconut water is another close option. waterMy experience has made me conclude that water will always be the best option.

Coconut water is the second type of drink I have added to my diet to add some variety. Once incoconut water a blue moon, I will drink a regular coke or add a bit of low-calorie juice to some water to vary, but I have faithfully stuck to water for the most part daily and mastered the intake amount. How do I do it? I fill a water bottle daily in the morning and keep chugging until it’s time to refill it in the afternoon. I have found that these nicely labeled bottles will do the trick. They keep me on track.

What about fruit shakes and green powders? Do they help with weight loss and overall health? Come back to check out my next post on this topic.

 

 

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8 thoughts on “Best Weight Loss Drink

  1. I am from the Caribbean too. And I love coconut. It is rich in fiber and MCTs. Coconut can be used to improve heart health, weight loss, and digestion. Yet, it’s high in calories and saturated fat, so we should eat it in moderation. Overall, unsweetened coconut meat makes a great addition to a balanced diet.

    1. Hello, Ann,

      Thank you for your comment and sharing. Nice to meet someone from the same parts as me. You can relate to coconut water since you live on this side of the world.

      I, too, love coconut and coconut water. All of the things you mention about it are true. I am glad you say moderation. We must understand that it is key to everything. When we overeat a bad thing or don’t eat enough of a good thing, it can impact our overall health and weight loss goals.

      Balance is an essential part of a good diet. Thank you for making these points. I hope it helps all the readers that visit my site.

      Wishing you all the best,

      Nyny

  2. I am trying to lose ten pounds. Just 10 pounds and I have tried many different ways. I am gaining some success since I came completely off sugar and since I drank water as my beverage. It was difficult for me at first because I was not a water consumer, but since I changed to having green tea or coconut water, it has been more bearable. Thanks for this review and explanation. I will continue my journey hoping that I will reach my goal in 2 months.

    1. Hi, JJ,

      You are welcome. I am glad that my blog is helping you to stay motivated. Weight loss can be a struggle. It seems you already know that even ten pounds can be challenging to lose. I have had this problem myself. It takes time, dedication, and willpower to make it to our goal.

      I see you are giving yourself two months. That is great and a healthy choice. The recommended amount of weight to lose healthily is one to two pounds a week.

      Your goal is attainable. You just need to stick to it and keep working on getting there. It would be great to hear more from you after two months. I hope you come back and share your results.

      Until then, I wish you all the best.

      Nyny

  3. For sure water is the king, some drink enhancers don’t do too much for folks that are wanting some taste. As for a drink that can help with weight loss??? I don’t know, maybe some types of pre-workout drinks and other formulas to get the body burning more fat for those that are working out… But yeah, at the end of the day, avoiding sugary drinks and sticking to water as a whole is definitely the way to go to shave off some weight.

    Thanks for the post 🙂

    1. Hello, Colton,

      Thank you for your comment.

      That is true that there are supposed to be some types of pre-workout drinks. I have heard and even consumed what they call protein shakes or protein powder in water. I plan to discuss this in my next post. I cannot say they help with fat burning, but I have heard they help replenish lost muscle.

      Do come back to my site so you can learn more as I continue researching on this topic and update my site with new posts.

      Till then, I wish you all the best,

      Nyny

  4. Hi there

    I totally agree that ultimately Water is the best option for drinking especially as 60% of our body is made up of water.

    Many people do  not enjoy drinking water and go for the diet drinks and seem to believe the adverts and marketing without checking them out as you have done.

    Everyone realizes that fizzy drinks contain too much sugar. Sugar is addictive. Low calorie drinks do not help with weight loss as the body still recognizes the sugar in them and I agree with you that the low- calorie sugars are possibly harmful to us.

    You give a personal account on how you used the low calorie drinks and noticed that your weight did not go down and you got brain fog. Very interesting!

    great article

    Best wishes

    Sheen

     

    1. Hello, Sheen,

      Thank you for your comment.

      I am glad that you enjoyed my article and found it interesting. As you put it, many people do not like drinking water. Sadly, they also do not search for information before they continue on the path to consuming juices and diet drinks for the majority of their daily liquid intake. This habit has proven to be a big problem for many.

      People don’t realize that sugar is one big reason they suffer from inflammation and pains in the body most of the time. For me, low-calorie sugar also affected me in a bad way.

      I hope that as others read my article, they will embark on self-education and will also work to gather knowledge before continuing to consume some of these sugar-filled drinks and products.

      Please do come back to check out my new posts.

      All the best,

      Nyny

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