You never guessed these drinks could do it all.
By Erich Barganier
When it comes to looking your best, your diet plays a key role in how many wrinkles you develop and how big your belly gets. According to a study published in Nutrients, certain desserts, sugary snacks, and meals that get fried, baked, or grilled have the potential to significantly age and damage your skin. This comes as terrible news, particularly to anyone who wants to lounge outdoors around the grill and pool and take in all of the culinary delights that summer has to offer.
Even if you do go hard on the sugar or grilled food this year, you can offset some of the damage by knowing what key drinks can help slow down visible aging while helping you burn off some of those excess calories. Eat This, Not That! consulted a handful of experts to get the lowdown on which drinks you need to work into your daily meal regimen in order to ensure you don’t look a day over 30 while keeping your waistline trim and fit.
If you really need to slim down quick and are ready to focus on burning fat across your entire body, make sure to reach for the 4 Best Drinks for Rapid Weight Loss as supplements to keep you looking your best.
Chlorophyll Water
Chlorophyll water might sound incredibly trendy, but the active ingredient of this drink has what it takes to burn belly fat while keeping you looking young.
“Chlorophyll water is an easy way to detox, promote skin health, and provide the body with significant amounts of antioxidants,” says Trista Best, RD, a registered dietitian at Balance One.
“The antioxidants found in chlorophyll work in the body to remove and reduce toxins and free radical damage,” Best continues. “When this damage is allowed to occur one health concern is aging skin, along with many other more serious side effects. Chlorophyll water contains natural anti-inflammatory compounds, which means the skin experiences less inflammation, which can cause loose skin and wrinkles.”
While chlorophyll water comes chock full of antioxidants, its namesake ingredient takes digestion and fat burning to the next level.
“Chlorophyll improves the quality of red blood cells thereby enabling them to carry more oxygen,” Best explained. “The greater amount of oxygen circulating in the body means more nutrients and energy are flowing as well. Better nutrient absorption and increased energy can encourage weight loss by enabling you to take part in more physical activity.”
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Kombucha
If chlorophyll water isn’t up your alley, you can’t go wrong with a bottle of tried-and-true kombucha when you need to stop aging in its tracks and burn some pounds while you’re at it.
“Kombucha’s secret is fermentation,” says registered dietitian Hayley Miller, MS, RDN, LDN, at Persona Nutrition. “Fermentation is a natural process that produces probiotics, friendly bacteria that help keep your gut’s microbiome in good working order. A healthier gut has been shown to promote weight regulation and healthy aging.”
Not every kombucha is equal. Make sure you pick the right kind for you and select from the 11 Best Low-Sugar Kombucha Brands You Can Buy.
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Water
One of the most effective beverages that burns fat and keeps your skin looking youthful has been sitting right under your nose this whole time.
“The closest thing you’re looking for would be water,” Katie Tomaschko, MS, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist at Sporting Smiles says.
“Water provides hydration, which can help support a healthy metabolism and a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle can help with weight management/maintenance and may help slow down certain [effects] of aging such as cognitive impairment and lessening skin integrity.”
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Black Coffee
If you love to wake up with a mug of steaming black coffee, you might already have found one of the best drinks that can keep your stomach flat and skin looking timeless.
“[Black coffee is] a calorie-free drink that has so many anti-inflammatory antioxidants and is hydrating,” says Dana Ellis Hunnes, PhD, MPH, RD. “Both of which help with both fat burning (by revving the metabolism—as does caffeine), and anti-aging by keeping skin plump and hydrated.”
Black coffee does way more than just burn calories and keep your skin looking young—you might never guess the Surprising Side Effects of Drinking Black Coffee, According to Dietitians.
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Green Tea
While black coffee sounds tempting, many folks can’t imagine giving up their morning green tea in place of a cup of joe—especially if they want to burn some belly fat. Luckily, green tea presents the same benefits as black coffee.
Dr. Hunnes explains that green tea contains antioxidants that stop inflammation in its tracks and makes sure you stay hydrated. These combined factors slow down the aging process and ensure you stay one step ahead of age lines and wrinkles.
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Black Tea
Dr. Hunnes also ranks black tea alongside green tea as a great way to burn stomach fat and slow down aging. Unsurprisingly, this drink also boasts antioxidants that help prevent inflammation, fight wrinkles, and even boosts your metabolism.
If all of that wasn’t enough, black tea also keeps your skin full and hydrated, making it a wonderful beverage to reach for when you’re parched and want to do your body a favor. If burning fat and keeping you beautiful wasn’t enough, One Major Side Effect of Drinking Black Tea might just convince you to keep this drink in regular rotation throughout the day.
Erich Barganier
Erich Barganier is a health and food writer. Read more