It’s the middle of summer, temperatures are rising and so is your thirst, but don’t just grab the first cool drink that comes along because what might quench your thirst might just destroy your weight loss efforts. Here are our top recommendations for low-calorie beverages that will cool you down:

Zero Calorie Water. Yes, water. When you’re thirsty all the time, it means you’re not drinking enough water. So before you reach that calorie-packed cocktail, grab a glass of cool water first. 

Healthy beverages with no calories. Avoid regular sodas and sweetened drinks and get the no-calorie replacement instead such as flavored mineral water, carbonated water with a slice of lemon, and plain coffee or tea. 

Iced Tea. A great summer sipper as long as it’s not sweetened. You can simply turn your favorite tea flavor into iced tea by chilling the pitcher in the fridge for a couple of hours and try not to add too much sugar to it. 

Low-calorie protein juices. Try our protein Peach Mango and Wildberry juices. A refreshing juice option that is easy to prepare and has only 70 calories and 15g of protein. 

Fruit Juice. Natural fruit juices are a good choice because they not only quench your thirst, but also provide you with nutrients like vitamin C, fiber, phytochemicals, and folic acid. To reduce the calories in a fruit juice, try mixing it with club soda or carbonated water. 

Caffeinated Beverages. When you are out at a coffee shop, make sure to stay away from all the toppings they will suggest to you, because that will easily turn your zero-calorie coffee to a drink that can contain around 250-500 calories and 4-18 grams of fat. This happens when they add syrup, sugar, whipped cream and other things to your drink. Ask for skimmed milk instead of the full-fat one they regularly use. 

Christelle Bedrossian
Dietitian-Nutritionist
Beirut, Lebanon