Trying to lose weight? Watch what you drink

I'm trying to lose weight. To keep from snacking between meals, I've been drinking lots of juice and milk. But the scale isn't showing much progress. Am I doing something wrong?

- John / Washington

Mayo Clinic dietitian Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D., and colleagues answer select questions from readers.

Answer

If you're trying to lose weight, it's important to be mindful of how much you're drinking. Although milk and juice have many important nutrients, they still have calories — and calories in liquid form "count" just as do calories in solid food.

Keep in mind that thirst and hunger are regulated by different body processes. In fact, researchers have found that drinking liquids before or during meals seems to have little effect on how much a person eats. However, if the foods you choose to eat have a high water content — including fruits, vegetables, soups, and cooked whole-grain rice and pasta — you'll feel full on fewer calories.

When you're counting calories, the best beverage choice is water. Keep higher calorie beverages in check. As a general rule, drink no more than about 6 ounces (177 milliliters) of juice and 16 to 24 ounces (473 to 710 milliliters) of milk a day.

MayoClinic.com Bookstore

ARTICLE TOOLS

E-mail this

Larger type

Reprints and permissions