13 Best Drinks for Weight Loss, Say Dietitians Insider logo The word "Insider". Reviews The word Reviews icon A magnifying glass. It indicates, "Click to perform a search". Find our first pick for... Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It often indicates a user profile. Account icon An icon in the shape of a person's head and shoulders. It often indicates a user profile. Back to Top A white circle with a black border surrounding a chevron pointing up. It indicates 'click here to go back to the top of the page.' Back to Top Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification. Home Chevron icon It indicates an expandable section or menu, or sometimes previous / next navigation options. Health 13 best drinks for weight loss and the worst to avoid according to dietitians By Rebecca Strong and Marissa Cruz Lemar Updated Oct 7, 2022 Save Article Icon A bookmark Facebook Icon The letter F. Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email. Share icon An curved arrow pointing right. Facebook Icon The letter F. Facebook Email icon An envelope. It indicates the ability to send an email. Email Twitter icon A stylized bird with an open mouth, tweeting. Twitter Snapchat icon A ghost. Snapchat Fliboard icon A stylized letter F. Flipboard Pinterest icon The letter "P" styled to look like a thumbtack pin. Pinterest Link icon An image of a chain link. It symobilizes a website link url. Copy Link Download the app Kefir is rich in probiotics, which studies have found may help with weight loss. Stevica Mrdja / EyeEm/Getty Images Redeem now The best drink for weight loss is water since it has zero calories and can keep you hydrated. Other weight loss drinks include coffee, green tea, vegetable juice, and smoothies. If you're trying to lose weight, avoid high-calorie, sugary drinks like soda and fruit juice. While there's no magical weight loss drink, certain beverages keep you satiated for longer, which may prevent you from eating excess calories throughout the day. Here are some of the best drinks if you're trying to lose weight. Warning: Avoid detox teas and drinks which are marketed as a quick-fix for weight loss, says Ana Reisdorf, MS, a registered dietitian for Wellness Verge. Not only are they ineffective long-term, but they also may contain potentially harmful ingredients. 1 Water If you're feeling hungry, drink water first since hunger is a sign of dehydration. Getty Images Water is one of your best options for weight loss. Not only is it calorie-free, but it also fills you up so you don't overeat, says Kristin Gillespie RD, a certified nutrition support clinician at Option Care Health.In fact, a 2019 review found that increased water intake was associated with an average of 5.15% loss in body weight. So, for example, if you weighed 150 pounds, that would equate to about 7.7 pounds lost. Aim to drink at least half your body weight in ounces of water daily, says Reisdorf. So, if you weigh 150 pounds, you should drink at least 75 ounces of water each day, or about 2.2 liters. 2 Green tea Green tea is a great source of antioxidants. krblokhin/Getty Images Green tea contains catechins and caffeine — two compounds that may boost metabolism, says Gillespie. It also contains caffeine, which research indicates may help burn fat and ​increase how many calories you burn when at rest. In fact, a small 2005 study of overweight and moderately obese subjects found that consuming a green tea mixture with 150 milligrams of caffeine for three months was linked to more weight loss and fat loss, as well as a more significant reduction in waist circumference, in comparison to those who drank a placebo. 3 Black tea Black tea is a great alternative to coffee if you're sensitive to caffeine. Kilito Chan/Getty Images Like green tea, black tea is chock full of antioxidants, specifically Best teas for weight loss Tetra Images/Getty Images Through conversations with nutritionists, we rounded up the best teas for weight loss and the best teas for day or night. Check out our favorites:Best green tea: Tealyra Imperial Dragon Jasmine Green Tea, from $14.99 on Amazon Best late-morning black tea: Twinings Irish Breakfast, from $6.54 on Walmart and AmazonBest afternoon black tea: Harney & Sons Paris Black Tea, from $9.99 on Amazon and Walmart 4 Kefir Kefir is a fermented milk that is similar to yogurt. Madeleine Steinbach/Shutterstock Quick tip: If you don't like the taste of kefir on its own, Kenney suggests adding it to a smoothie or using it in a creamy homemade salad dressing. 5 Protein shakes Protein drinks are a great way to pack in some added vitamins and minerals. Oscar Wong/Getty Images Protein powders like Best protein shakes for weight loss Gainful; Whey; Vega; Rachel Mendelson/Insider Backed by both dietitians and nutritionists, we tested the best natural and whey protein powders along with the best ready-to-drink protein shakes. Best natural protein powder overall: Naked Whey Protein, from $23.99 at Amazon and Naked NutritionBest sugar-free whey protein powder: Optimum Nutrition Platinum Hydrowhey, from $54.99 at Amazon and The Vitamin ShoppeBest overall protein shake: Iconic Protein Drink, $38.99 at Amazon and Walmart 6 Black coffee If you don't like black coffee consider adding milk alternatives like almond milk which are lower in calories and saturated fat than traditional dairy creamer. Daniele Jesus/Getty Images Drinking coffee has been shown to Important: Adding creamer, half and half, or sugar increases coffee's calorie content, which can cancel out the weight loss benefits. Therefore, drink it black or with lower-calorie additions like almond milk. 7 Apple cider vinegar Make sure to dilute your apple cider vinegar shot with water to avoid tooth erosion. marekuliasz/ iStock Important: Consult with your doctor before trying apple cider vinegar if you have type 1 diabetes, as delayed stomach emptying can worsen certain conditions, like gastroparesis — a somewhat common and serious complication of diabetes. 8 Vegetable juice While it's always best to eat your veggies, tomato juice can boost your vitamin intake. KarinaUrmantseva/Getty Images While eating vegetables is always preferable due to the higher fiber content, vegetable juice may still have a positive effect when it comes to weight loss. For example, a small 2010 study found people with metabolic syndrome who drank one or more servings of low-sodium vegetable juice while on a calorie-restricted diet lost significantly more weight than those who did not during a 12-week period. Participants were also on a calorie-restricted diet. Vegetable juice seems to trigger a decrease in leptin. Leptin is a hormone released by fat cells that's linked to obesity when levels of it are too high in the blood. 9 Coconut water Coconut water or smoothies can pack an extra punch of electrolytes. rusty426/Shutterstock Coconut water is a tasty low-calorie, low-carb addition to add to your drink options. It's full of vitamins and minerals like vitamin C and manganese and is especially good for exercise. Thanks to electrolytes, like potassium, sodium, and magnesium, it's a great way to keep you hydrated and feeling replenished. More specifically, potassium helps remove extra sodium from your body. This helps reduce water weight and can support your weight loss goals. Just make sure you pick an option that doesn't have added sugar or sodium. 10 Grapefruit juice Grapefruit juice has great flavor and nutrients. wmaster890/Getty Images If you're looking for a sweet-and-sour drink, grapefruit juice is a great nutrient-filled pick. Grapefruit has long been considered a staple of weight loss, and with good reason. It boosts powerful health benefits. A small 2014 study concluded that mice consuming a high-fat diet gained about 18% less weight when they drank grapefruit juice than those that drank water and ate the same. Though it's unclear how exactly this translates to humans, the positive findings in mice offer insight into why grapefruits are frequently featured in weight-loss diets. 11 Nut milk Almond or cashew milks can be a healthier alternative to cow milk. Mary Meisenzahl/Insider Nut milks include varieties like almond and cashew milks. Compared to cow's milk, nut milks are a low-calorie alternative that can help with weight loss. Substitute it for dairy milk in your cereal or coffee — or even enjoy it on its own — and enjoy fewer calories. Nut milks still have vital nutrients, like calcium, and are fortified with other vitamins, too. These types of milk varieties are also boosted with water, so they'll help you stay extra hydrated, which is great in supporting healthy weight loss. Ensure you're using unsweetened versions to avoid extra sugar and calories, though. 12 Tart cherry juice Tart cherries contain melatonin and tryptophan. Westend61/Getty Images Tart cherry juice packs a powerful punch of healthy nutrients and antioxidants. It's also packed with melatonin, a hormone that helps regulate our sleep-wake cycles. Data from a small 2011 study showed that consuming a tart cherry juice concentrate provided an increase in melatonin, beneficial in improving sleep duration and quality in healthy men and women. Getting better sleep is a powerful way in its own right to support weight loss goals.Similarly, tart cherry juice has been shown to support exercise performance itself. According to a meta-analysis of 10 studies, tart cherry concentrate may improve exercise endurance, allowing you to work out longer and burn more calories. Be mindful of varieties that include extra sugar, though, and be sure you're getting the tart cherry variety for the most health benefits. 13 Smoothies Protein shakes can be a helpful way to boost your protein intake. Getty Smoothies are another powerful drink option to help with your weight loss goals. For example, they can make a yummy on-the-go breakfast to kickstart your day as well as your metabolism. The key, however, is to make your own smoothies at home to avoid calorie-rich add-ins. For example, start with spinach or another green, leafy vegetable (which are linked to a lower risk of developing Type-2 diabetes). Then add in fruits that can help keep you feeling full and provide important nutrients, like berries and bananas. Finally, add water or a milk alternative. Smoothies can help keep you hydrated and satiated in a much healthier way than alternatives, like fruit juices that have high sugar contents. Drinks to avoid for weight loss The following beverages should be avoided or limited as much as possible when you're trying to lose weight. AlcoholAlcohol is high in calories and has minimal nutritional value, says Reisdorf. It also triggers cravings and bingeing. Plus, breaking down the toxins in alcohol means your body has less time to breakdown fat and calories, says Kenney. SodaRegularly consuming soda may cause obesity, since it's high in added sugar and contains few nutrients that help you feel full. Even diet soda increases waist circumference and abdominal fat. Fruit juiceFruit juices are often packed with sugar. For example, there are about 31 grams of sugar in a 12-ounce serving of orange juice which is more than the 23 grams found in the same amount of cola. Plus, it lacks fiber meaning it won't keep you full. Insider s takeaway  Ultimately, experts agree that the most effective way to lose weight is through lifestyle changes — namely, eating healthily, consuming fewer calories, sleeping enough, and exercising regularly. That said, incorporating the aforementioned beverages into your diet may help to further your results by keeping you more satiated, increasing your Rebecca Strong Rebecca Strong is a Boston-based freelance writer covering health and wellness, food and wine, fitness, and travel. In addition to contributing to the Health Reference and Kitchen verticals at Insider, she has also written for Healthline, Health magazine, Bustle, StyleCaster, PopSugar, AskMen, and Elite Daily. You can follow her work on Twitter. Read more Read less Marissa Cruz Lemar Marissa Cruz Lemar is a freelance writer for Insider. Her work has appeared in The Washington Post and Task & Purpose, among others. Follow Marissa on Twitter: @mcruzmissile. Read more Read less Related articles HEALTH How to lose weight and keep it off with the right diet and mindset HEALTH 4 high-protein snacks to eat when you're hungry between meals, nutritionist approved HEALTH 6 reasons for doctors to prescribe plant-based diets, from weight loss to lowering blood pressure HEALTH People who drink 2 or more cups of black tea a day have lower risk of early death than non-drinkers, study suggests Weight Loss Diet Nutrition More... Close icon Two crossed lines that form an 'X'. It indicates a way to close an interaction, or dismiss a notification. Recommended Video