A recent medical study is strengthening the connection between sugary drinks and obesity. The study followed 810 participants of varying sex and age over a period of eighteen months. Each day participants were asked to recall their dietary intake. The study noted several important observations when participants decreased their consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages. First, the decrease was associated with significant weight loss at the 6-month and 18-month periods. It was also apparent that the reduction in liquid calories had more of an impact on weight loss than reducing calories from solid foods in the diet.
What does this mean for dieters? Simply put; this study shows that reducing or eliminating soft drinks and other sugar-sweetened drinks from your diet can be the most effective step towards weight loss you can make.
You should work gradually to remove sugary drink from your diet. This includes soft drinks, fruit drinks, fruit punch, and even some “sports” drinks that you might think are healthy. Look for tasty and satisfying alternatives that don’t pack as many calories or sugar. Water is always the best choice of fluids, but some find it hard to immediately switch to a flavourless beverage. Consider zero-calorie drink mixes during your transition.
Liquid calories from sugar-packed beverages provide lots of calories without satiating hunger. They also pass through the body quickly, leaving you hungry sooner than if you had eaten solid food. It’s no wonder then that eliminating soft drinks from your diet can have the most significant impact on your weight loss.
