Sadly, there’s no weight loss pill…yet. For now, we have to resort to exercise and healthy eating and drinking. This list is inspired by the results from the book, ‘The 7-Day Tea Cleanse’ by the team at Eat This, Not That! The test panelists lost up to 4 inches from their waist. They researched this list of the best fat-blasting drinks.
From tea to coffee to smoothies to alcohol, these are the best drinks to sip on if you’re working on losing some extra belly fat.
Cold Brew Coffee
DRINK THIS: Cold-brewed coffee
WHY: It has the benefits of hot coffee, but it’s less bitter, so you don’t need to add sugar (which means fewer calories!)
When regular brewed coffee is chilled and stored, two things happen: it begins to lose its taste, and it loses the polyphenols that give coffee its health benefits. So, the best iced coffee is cold brewed. It takes more time to make, and it’s more expensive, but you’ll taste the difference.
It’s less bitter, which means you can get away with adding less sugar. And less sugar means fewer calories. So if you want to start your morning off right, cold brew coffee and light breakfast is the perfect morning for a great week.
Old-School Black Coffee
DRINK THIS: Black coffee
WHY: It can save your life!
Drinking that second cup of coffee can do more than wake you up, it may also save your life. At least that’s what new research from the journal Circulation suggests. The Harvard School of Public Health researchers surveyed more than 250,000 Americans over 28 years and found that among nonsmokers, those who drank between three and five cups of black coffee daily were up to 15% less likely to die of any cause than those who didn’t drink black coffee.
Curious as to which sodas can help in your weight loss journey? They’re next…
Zevia Ginger Root Beer
NUTRITION: 0 calories, 0 g sugar
INGREDIENTS: Carbonated Water, Erythritol, Reb A (Stevia Extract), Natural Flavors, Citric Acid, Monk Fruit Extract
This small company was founded by soda-loving parents who wanted something healthier for their kids. They have classic flavors, from cola to ginger ale to grape, without using any artificial sweeteners or artificial colors. Instead, they’re sweetened with the sugar alcohol Erythritol. And this root beer tastes like the real thing!
Bai5 Bubbles
NUTRITION (Bolivia Black Cherry flavor): 5 calories, 1 g sugar
INGREDIENTS: Filtered Carbonated Water, Bai® Proprietary Sweetener Blend™ (Erythritol, Stevia Extract), Natural Flavors, Cherry Juice Concentrate, Malic Acid, Citric Acid, Fruit and Vegetable Juice (for color), Coffeefruit Extract, White Tea Extract, Ascorbic Acid, Sodium Citrate.
The coffee guru Ben Weiss concocted this in his Princeton basement. Bai5 is a new line of all-natural fruity drinks with exotic flavors. And the forecast is it will rack up $125 million in sales this year. It’s sweetened with fruit juice, erythritol and stevia (instead of aspartame) and powered by 45 mg of caffeine, thanks to the tea and coffee fruit.
Remember how we said alcohol is on this list? See which alcohol is worth drinking, next…
Pinot Noir
You can blame Hollywood for making it hard to find an affordable pinot noir. According to economists, the 2004 movie ‘Sideways’ reversed the wine’s falling price. Some prices went from $20 to $40! But something else that contributed to wine’s hype is this: pinot noir consistently contains the highest levels of resveratrol among wines. Resveratrol has been shown to blast fat. Nice!
One study found that pinot had more than five times the amount found in California cabernet sauvignon. While it has the lightest body and tannins of classic red grapes, pinot has a variety of flavors: berries, cola, tea, mushroom, even hints of barnyard.
Samuel Adams Light
Beer lovers, unite! Of the top 20 most purchased beers in America, Sam Adams Light is a true winner among the light beers for the calorie-conscious beer lovers. It was praised for its obvious nutty flavor and full body.
One tester in a taste study even noted that it “tasted like something I might find in a nice beer garden!”
Next, see which drink you should order the next time you’re at a bar…
A Good Old Fashioned
While booze isn’t recommended to be part of your weight loss journey, who are we kidding if we think people are going to completely wipe out alcohol? A drink every now and then shouldn’t throw you off track. Hopefully.
So order smart, folks, and tell the bartender to whip you up an Old Fashioned. The 119-calorie low-sugar drink can keep you on track toward your better body goal while still slowing yourself to unwind. But for every glass, drink a glass of water, too.
Okay, on to the best teas for weight loss, next!
Green Tea
DRINK THIS: Green Tea
WHY: Because it unlocks your fat cells
HOW MUCH: 4-5 cups a day
Before a workout, turbocharge the fat-fighting effects by drinking a cup of green tea. In a recent study, participants who had a habit of 4-5 cups of green tea each day with a 25-minute workout session lost an average of two more pounds than the non-tea-drinking exercisers.
Oolong Tea
DRINK THIS: Oolong Tea
WHY: Because it boosts metabolism
HOW MUCH: A few cups a day
Oolong is a Chinese name for “black dragon,” and it’s a light, floral tea that is like green tea because it’s also packed with catechins. Catechins help to promote weight loss by boosting your metabolism. A study in the Chinese Journal of Integrative Medicine found that those who regularly drank oolong tea lost six pounds over the six-week time period. That’s a pound a week, folks!
Mint Tea
DRINK THIS: Mint Tea
WHY: It helps ward off the munchies
HOW MUCH: Every few hours
While certain scents can trigger hunger (do I even have to give an example?), others can actually suppress your appetite. One study from the Journal of Neurological and Orthopaedic Medicine found that people who sniffed peppermint every two hours lost an average of 5 pounds per month. Try adding a few drops of peppermint oil to your pillow!
White Tea
DRINK THIS: White Tea
WHY: It breaks down fat while preventing new fat cells from forming
White tea is dried naturally in sunlight, making it the least processed and richest source of antioxidants of all teas. A study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Metabolism showed that white tea can breakdown fat and block the formation of fat cells at the same time. This is the true diet tea.
Rooibos Tea
DRINK THIS: Rooibos Tea
WHY: It regulates fat-storage hormones
Rooibos tea is made from the leaves of the “red bush” plant, grown exclusively in South Africa. Why is it good for your belly? Because it has a unique and powerful flavonoid called Aspalathin. Research shows that it can reduce stress hormones that trigger hunger and fat storage and are also linked to hypertension, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular disease, insulin resistance, and type 2 diabetes.
Next on our list: milk!
2% Organic, 100% Grass-Fed Milk
DRINK THIS: Organic and grass-fed milk
WHY: It has fewer antibiotics, more omega-3 fatty acids, and other health benefits
Organically raised cows aren’t exposed to and digest the same hormones and antibiotics that conventional cows do. No antibiotics for them means no antibiotics for you. Grass-fed cows have higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, and more CLA (conjugated linoleic acid) than their corn and grain fed friends. CLA has chemicals that provide health benefits, including immune and inflammatory system support, improved bone mass, improved blood sugar regulation, reduced body fat, reduced risk of heart attack, and maintenance of lean body mass.
Chocolate Milk
DRINK THIS: Chocolate milk
WHEN: After a vigorous workout
Drinking a combination of carbs and protein after a hard workout can help restore your energy and help build lean, metabolism-boosting muscle. After a vigorous cycling session, cyclists who drank chocolate milk were able to ride 51% longer in a subsequent workout than those who drank a regular protein drink, according to Applied Physiology, Nutrition, and Metabolism.
Next, let’s look at the best smoothies for weight loss!
Best Energy Smoothies
DRINK THIS: Low-sodium vegetable juice or veggie smoothies
WHY: They’re low in calories and full of fiber, keeping you feeling full
Most fruits and veggies are low calorie, low in fat, and full of fiber and vital vitamins and antioxidants that will keep you fuller longer and filled with energy as you lose weight. The Baylor College of Medicine found that dieters who drank an eight-ounce glass of low- sodium vegetable juice every day over a 12-week period lost four pounds more than dieters who didn’t drink the juice.
The recipe for the best morning wake-up smoothie is next!
Chocolate Morning Smoothie
SERVES: 2
EACH SERVING HAS: 150 calories, 2.5 g fat, 10 g protein, 8 g sugar, 7 g fiber
INGREDIENTS: 1 cup unsweetened almond milk, 1 cup baby spinach, 1 frozen banana, 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder, 1 tablespoon green superfood, 2 tablespoons protein powder, 1 cup ice
DIRECTIONS: Put all the ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve right away and enjoy!
Best Juice for a Slim Tummy
DRINK THIS: Ginger pineapple green juice
WHY: It boosts digestion and improves bowel movements
Bottled drinks are heated during pasteurization and sometimes have both synthetic and genetically modified ingredients (as well as lots of added sugar). Fresh juices are raw, and you control what goes in them. Eating or drinking raw produce boosts digestion by preserving vital enzymes, which means you can sip your way to more regular bowel movements for a flatter tummy
The recipe for the best tummy-slimming smoothie is next!
The Spicy-Ginger Pineapple Green Juice
SERVES: 1-2
EACH SERVING HAS: 90 calories, 0.5 g fat, 3 g protein, 15 g sugar, 0 g fiber
INGREDIENTS: 3 cups baby spinach, 1 medium cucumber, ¾ cup fresh pineapple, 1 tablespoon fresh ginger root
DIRECTIONS: Add all the ingredients to a juicer and juice. Serve immediately.
Best Smoothie for a Lean and Toned Body
DRINK THIS: Green vanilla almond smoothie
WHY: It helps with muscle tone and weight loss
Protein is great for fighting belly fat, and it’s the building block of a lean, toned body. There’s a delicious recipe to try, and after one sip, you won’t believe it’s healthy since it takes just like a vanilla smoothie.
Next, see the recipe for this yummy shake!
Green Vanilla Almond Smoothie
SERVES: 2
EACH SERVING HAS: 180 calories, 6 g fat, 11 g protein, 8 g sugar, 3 g fiber
INGREDIENTS: 1 cup unsweetened coconut water, 2 cups baby spinach, 1 frozen banana, 2 tablespoons almond butter, 2 teaspoons organic vanilla extract, 4 tablespoons protein powder, 1 cup ice
DIRECTIONS: Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth. Serve right away.
Next up – energy drinks!
NATURAL ENERGY DRINKS
DRINK THIS: natural energy drinks
WHY:
Most energy drinks look promising and taste super sweet. But it doesn’t take long before the rush wears off and reality hits, leaving you jittery and sick. And since energy drinks are marketed as dietary supplements, companies can be sneaky by adding extra caffeine, fake “herbal blends” and way too much sugar.
Here are some of the best low-sugar energy drinks you can rely on…
Runa Clean Energy (The Original Zero)
NUTRITION: Calories 0, Fat 0 G, Sugar 0 G, Caffeine 120 MG
SPECIAL INGREDIENT: guayusa
What makes this drink special is guayusa, a plant from the Amazon rainforest with double the antioxidants as green tea. Legend has it that indigenous hunters named the leaf “night watchman” for its ability to heighten awareness and prevent sleep. Guayusa is also a rich source of theanine, which works together with caffeine to calm and focus the brain. So you get a jolt of energy without the jitters. In other words: clean energy.
Ito En Oi Ocha Green Tea
NUTRITION: Calories 0, Fat 0 G, Sugar 0 G, Caffeine 60 MG
SPECIAL INGREDIENT: green tea
Oi Ocha literally means “Tea, please!” in Japanese. A bottle of this green tea has just a bit less caffeine than a tall cup of coffee but has some impressive detox benefits, especially when you drink it before a workout.
Petey’s Bing Beverage
NUTRITION: Calories 40, Fat 0 G, Sugar 10 G, Caffeine 120 MG
SPECIAL INGREDIENT: taurine
This drink gives you an extra boost of energy from taurine (1000mg), which is an amino acid you’ll find in many sporty drinks because of its ability to improve athletic performance. The drink also has a healthy dose of polyphenols from the bing cherries, which research shows can reduce inflammation and improve cardiovascular health.
FRS One Peach Mango
NUTRITION: Calories 15, Fat 0 G, Sugar 2 G, Caffeine 48 MG
SPECIAL INGREDIENT: quercetin
The energy boost comes from Quercetin, an antioxidant that has the same effects of exercise by enhancing the energy-producing units in our cells. The daily recommendation is 500-1000 mg, and a bottle of FRS One has 325 mg.
Alo Awaken
NUTRITION: Calories 60, Fat 0 G, Sugar 15 G, Caffeine 0 MG
SPECIAL INGREDIENT: wheatgrass
This drink is caffeine-free with no artificial flavors, colors, or preservatives. It’s really like a bottle of fresh air! The boost of energy is from the wheatgrass, a plant rich in chlorophyll that oxygenates your body by ramping up its red-blood-cell production.
Bai 5
NUTRITION: Calories 5, Fat 0 G, Sugar 1 G, Caffeine 35 MG
SPECIAL INGREDIENT: white tea
Dieters will appreciate Bai5 for its gentle 35 mg caffeine and its 200 g of antioxidant-rich white tea. White tea may be especially powerful at targeting fat cells, and the folks at Bai say their most popular flavors are coconut, blueberry, and mango & pomegranate.
Sambazon Amazon Energy
NUTRITION: Calories 40, Fat 0 G, Sugar 8 G, Caffeine 80 MG
SPECIAL INGREDIENT: guaraná
The caffeine content in this drink comes from green tea and guaraná, a plant from Brazil with twice the concentration of caffeine found in coffee seeds, and it has the ability to fight fat and lower cholesterol. A recent study found that daily supplementation with guaraná could reduce LDL cholesterol levels in healthy adults by as much as 27%!
Detox Water
DRINK THIS: Detox water
WHY: It adds flavor to water to help you meet your daily water quota
Since many people find drinking plain water is boring, this is one way to spruce H20 up. Certain fruits have detoxifying properties in their flesh and their peels. You can slice them whole and drop them into your water to get the benefits and hit your water intake quota.
Next, let’s look at the best protein drinks to sip on!
Hint Kick
NUTRITION: 0 calories, 0 g sugar
INGREDIENTS (in the Black Raspberry flavor): Purified Water, Black Raspberry, Other Natural Flavors from non-GMO Plants and Natural Caffeine from Coffee Beans
Hint Water is a new flavored bottled water with 60 milligrams of caffeine, derived from coffee beans. You get the feel of drinking soda without the calories. And each flavor is sweetened with fruit juice or spice rather than aspartame.
So Delicious Almond With Unsweetened Almond Milk, 16 fl oz
NUTRITION: Calories 80, Fat 4 G, Saturated Fat 0 G, Carbs 2 G, Sugar 0 G
PROTEIN: 10 G
This is a happy medium between regular almond milk and a protein shake. It’s also vegan-friendly. Normal almond milk is relatively void of protein (it generally has around 1 gram), which can be a problem for dairy-avoiding vegetarians and vegans. But this kind is blended with pea protein to help you meet your daily requirements.
Svelte Banana Crème, 15.9 fl oz
NUTRITION: Calories 180, Fat 7 G, Saturated Fat 1.5 G, Carbs 21 G, Sugar 6 G
PROTEIN: 11 G
Soy milk is the source of protein in this fruity shake and the first ingredient, followed by banana puree. The complex carbs from the fruit give you sustained energy and potassium. It’s got 11 grams of protein, so you should be feeling full after you finish the bottle.
Stonyfield OP Organic Protein, Strawberry, 10 fl oz
NUTRITION: Calories 180, Fat 2 G, Saturated Fat 1.5 G, Carbs 27 G, Sugar 15 G
PROTEIN: 15 G
Yes, plant-based proteins are a hit, but Stonyfield produces a quality option for the milk lovers. Low-fat milk and milk protein concentrate raise both the sugar and protein content, but you won’t find any fancy flavors here. The chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry they offer should be enough to satisfy most cravings.
Coco Libre Protein, Almond Protein, 11 fl oz
NUTRITION: Calories 130, Fat 0 G, Saturated Fat 0 G, Carbs 18 G, Sugar 6 G
PROTEIN: 20 G
This new breed of protein shake is sweetened with a bit of stevia, and it’s made primarily of hydrating coconut water. Grass-fed milk protein gives you more protein than three eggs. They also offer a coffee flavor where coffee is the second ingredient.
MusclePharm CoCo Protein, Chocolate, 12 fl oz
NUTRITION: Calories 120, Fat 1 G, Saturated Fat 0.5 G, Carbs 6 G, Sugar 5 G
PROTEIN: 20 G
Throw one of these in your gym bag for post-workout recovery. The electrolyte-rich coconut water rehydrates you while the nutrients in the milk proteins help your muscles recover. After a strenuous workout, pair it with a piece of fruit to get some healthy carbs.
Special K Protein Shake, Chocolate Malt, 10 fl oz
NUTRITION: Calories 190, Fat 5 G, Saturated Fat 0.5 G, Carbs 30 G, Sugar 18 G
PROTEIN: 10 G
This shake is a surprisingly good option from Special K considering the low quality of some of their cereals. While their cereal boxes are loaded with plain sugar, the sugar counts on these protein shakes include natural lactose from the nonfat milk base.
Atkins Advantage, Dark Chocolate Royale, 11 fl oz
NUTRITION: Calories 160, Fat 10 G, Saturated Fat 3 G, Carbs 6 G, Sugar 1 G
PROTEIN: 15 G
This shake attacks hunger instead of your blood sugar, so it’s a great option. But you shouldn’t rely on this one regularly. The combination of whey protein and use of carrageenan can cause bloating for those with sensitive stomachs.
SlimFast High Protein Vanilla Cream, 10 fl oz
NUTRITION: Calories 180, Fat 9 G, Saturated Fat 1.5 G, Carbs 3 G, Sugar 2 G
PROTEIN: 20 G
The staple of weight-loss shakes has an additional injection of protein, doubling the old amount while reducing its sugar content. The newest version comes in creamy vanilla and milk chocolate. The key to the best tasting shake possible: chill it thoroughly.
And the Best Drink in America Is…
WATER
WATER
WATER!
Listen, folk; the real and undebatable truth is that water is your best option for keeping your body performing at its best. And nature’s beverage is calorie-free, cost-free, and will take care of all your hydration needs. Drink up, people!