Although tasty and packed with vitamins, this popular drink can also contain a lot of sugar.
An expert has advised swapping out one thing from your diet to successfully lose weight. According to a dietitian, cutting back on a specific drink could help you shed the pounds.
For many people, losing weight is a lot easier said than done. It can be hard to stick to certain diets or exercise routines. Therefore, making a small change that you find easy to adhere to could be the way to go.
The British Heart Foundation (BHF) says: “When losing weight, it can be easier to make a few small changes rather than one or two big ones, and you’ll be more likely to stick with them. Making healthy changes isn’t always easy.
“Setting unrealistic goals, like cutting out certain foods completely, often leads to failure. If you’re struggling to make progress, don’t be discouraged. Instead, focus on what positive changes you can make today and take things one day at a time.”
With this in mind, dietitian Annemarie Aburrow shared one such simple change you can make on a daily basis. Writing for the BHF, she recommended ditching fruit juice if you need to lose weight.
Although these drinks have their health benefits the amount of sugar they contain could be doing you more harm than good. She explained: “While fruit juices are a great source of vitamins, they are high in ‘free sugars’, because the juicing process releases natural sugars from the cells of the fruit.”
Instead she advised switching to water or even sugar-free versions. She said: “Try to stick to a small glass (150ml), or even better, enjoy a portion of whole fruit and a glass of water.
“Choosing no-added sugar or diet versions of sugary squashes and fizzy drinks can also significantly reduce your sugar intake.” According to the BHF, swapping to no-added-sugar squash could mean you consume 8.9kg less sugar every year.
Not only does a diet rich in sugar put you at risk of being overweight but it can have other health complications. “Too much sugar can mean your diet is too high in energy,” the BHF says. “Over time this can lead to obesity and then associated health conditions, such as coronary heart disease and diabetes.”
As part of its weight loss guidance the NHS also recommends swapping sugary drinks for water. “If you do not like the taste, add slices of lemon or lime for flavour,” the health body says.
Annemarie’s advice is backed by research published this year that suggests drinking fruit juice daily could cause you to pile on the pounds. The meta-analysis of 42 studies, which was published in JAMA Paediatrics, showed that a large daily glass of 100 percent fruit juice may contribute to weight gain in children and adults.
Researchers from the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health found that among children, each additional daily serving of 100 percent fruit juice was associated with a 0.03 higher body mass index (BMI), and among adults, a 0.02 change. Study co-author Walter Willett said: “How often do we eat three oranges?
“Yet, a glass of OJ is about three oranges that can be consumed in a minute or two, and we can go back and have another, and that will add many calories and lead to a spike in blood glucose.”
If you are concerned about your weight you should speak to your GP.
