Water With a Twist

Here are some non-calorie or low calories drink suggestions, while you are using portion control to lose weight. Obviously, the sweet (or sugar loaded) drinks gives you non-nutritive calories, which works against your weight loss plan. Multiple studies have shown that daily regular drinking of the sweetened drinks can alter your metabolism in a the wrong way. In the long run, it can increase the chance of developing glucose intolerance (Also called pre-diabetes). Diabetes and can even cause Metabolic Syndrome. So can we turn to diet drinks? The diet drinks are the drinks sweetened with the artificial sweeteners. Saccharin, aspartame, sucralose, neotame, and acesulfame potassium among others are used in food to sweeten the taste without adding calories. Diet drinks are not necessarily a better alternative to the non-diet drinks. Diet drinks may make you eat more calories even though it does not contain any calories by itself. It also shown that artificial sweeteners may increase your health risks if you consume them regularly. So what should we drink while trying to lose weight? Safely you can drink water, lots of water, during weight loss. What if you don’t like water?What if you are not a water person or just simply like to have some alternatives!
1. Green tea of different varieties, hot or cold I personally find that a nice cup of hot green tea is like a tasty glass of wine. It makes you feel warm, relaxed and pampered. I drink few cups of green tea throughout the day. It does not give me a sugar crash, no extra calories, nor the intoxicated feeling. Plus multiple health benefits related with the green tea have been seen. Do not put sugar in it. You will get used to its mild bitter taste like you get used to in wine and yet without intoxication. 2. Lemon Water Once weekly, I would peel off the few lemons and make it as puree with the food processor. You can store it in the refrigerator for almost a week. At dinner, take out two spoons of the lemon puree in a jugful of cool water and mix in it. A pinch of salt add to it. A few very thinly cut pieces of lemon peel may give you an augmented digested effect to the meal. It is refreshing and flavorful instead of fattening! 3. Fruit water/antioxidant drinks You can pretty much create any flavored  water with your favorite fruits. All the fruits have fructose sugar in it. So it will give you some calories. But remember fructose is a better sugar. Roughly a cup size of low calorie yielding fruits will give you about 30-50 calories. Low calories yielding fruits are watermelon, papaya, cherries, pear, apple, oranges, peaches, berries (blueberries will give you more calories than strawberries and raspberries). Banana, mango, honeydew are higher in calories (100-200). Grapes and grapefruit, are in mid range, 60-70 calories. Use 1 cup of fruit for two servings. If you have four family members, prepare two cups of fruit. Here is some fruit waters that I like.Coconut Water (not coconut milk)
Cucumber Water
Watermelon Water
I like the watermelon water a lot. The preparation is also simple. A cup of cut watermelon, ice, water blend into thin drinks. Chopped mints leaves, and a pinch of salt add to it. You can create fruit water at dinner every night. They are fresh, give you healthy antioxidant, and yet small amount of calories.  But remember 8 oz glass portion for each drink. If you must sweeten your drink… A level teaspoonful of sugar (4 gm) add to your individual cup and make a point that you will do extra 3 minutes walking after your drink. Can we get commercially prepare drinks labelled as fruit water?  I prefer that you prepare it yourself. It does not take time to prepare. It is fun. It is in your control. You will be proud that you are health cautious and care for yourself and your family. It will become a tradition of family members gather around the dinner. While preparing, it will burn some calories, too. Most of all, you will have control on the portion of your drink and what actually goes in it. Do you know that it is the biggest issue with the commercially prepared drinks? Either diet or non diet, with the commercially prepare drinks, you lose your control on the portion. Do you see yourself leaving half of the can or bottle of the soda for next time? Have fun making your fruit water and keep losing weight!