A new clinical trial found that switching from
sugary drinks to water or diet drinks adds up to real weight loss.
In the past, soda consumption
has been linked torespiratory illness, violence in teenagers, weight gain, and many more ills. But in
case you need another reason to toss the pop, a new clinical trial from the
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill found that choosing water over soda
can really help with weight loss — even if you haven’t made other healthy
changes to your diet.
In the study, which
was funded by Nestle Waters USA, researchers split 318 overweight adults into
three groups: one that replaced sugary drinks with water, one that switched to
diet drinks, and one that was given weight-loss advice and could make changes
of their choice.
After six months,
participants across the boards lost an average of between 4 and 5 pounds. But
the groups who cut out sugary drinks were more likely to shed at least five
percent of their original weight (20 percent versus 11 percent in the
comparison group). When compared to the group who switched to diet soda, the
water group shaved several points off of their blood sugar and blood pressure
levels. Researchers weren’t completely sure why the water group showed
improvement upon those two levels, though they speculated it was because the
water group was better hydrated.
The lesson? If you
want to lose weight but aren’t sure how to get started, it could be as easy as
quitting soda. Replacing just two full-calorie sodas per day with water can
save you up to 300 calories and perhaps more notably, 20 teaspoons of sugar.
(The American Heart Association recommends consuming only 6 to 9 teaspoons of
total sugar daily.)
To make the switch
easier, try experimenting with ways you can make water less boring. For example, try infusing water with
fresh fruits or flavorings such as mint or cucumber. You can also try swapping
sugared soda for brewed green tea — green tea has no calories, and has a host
of health benefits.