3 weight loss drinks that are popular, but may hardly ever help

Remember that time when green tea became the go-to drink for weight loss? Well, that fad and other such weight loss fixes continue to do the rounds on the Internet and social media, but do they really work? 

This is a question addressed by Dr Siddhant Bhargava in a recent Instagram post.

“When will we stop looking for quick hacks to lose weight? 3 drinks popularly known for their ‘weight loss’ benefits, which seriously don’t work. The only thing that will help you lose weight is being consistent in a calorie deficit,” wrote Bhargava, who is also a nutritionist to Bollywood actress Alia Bhatt. 

Check out his post here:

So let’s find out which drinks Dr Bhargava is talking about

1. Apple cider vinegar

Apple cider vinegar (ACV) has been around for a while and is known for its weight loss properties. It also offers a plethora of health benefits, including taking care of your heart health and diabetes risk. Turns out, drinking apple cider vinegar for weight loss seems far-fetched. Don’t believe us? Well, Dr Bhargava says, “Apple cider vinegar might have additional benefits, but losing weight is not one of them.” 

Apple cider vinegar may cause people to feel full for longer but ACV alone is unlikely to change a person’s Body Mass Index. In fact, consuming it may sometimes be a little risky, considering it may lead to acidity, mess up your digestive system and oral health too. Plus if you are used to consuming laxative, diuretic or insulin, apple cider vinegar can easily react with other medications. 

2. Green tea

When it comes to green tea, there are three kinds of people in the world: those who love it, those who hate it, and those who drink it in the hope of losing weight. It would be wonderful if true – health in one perfectly brewed cup. But here’s what Dr Bhargava says, “Drinking one glass of green tea in the morning does nothing to you. If you really want to increase the number of calories your body burns, drink twenty glasses of green tea to see any effect. Not that I’m telling you to drink too much!” 

It’s true that green tea can raise your metabolic rate, so you burn more calories but the effect is likely to lead to little, if any, change on the weighing scale.

3. Honey, lemon, ginger water

Sipping on a hot cup of honey lemon and ginger water is both tasty and soothing. Most people believe that drinking honey lemon water on an empty stomach in the morning helps in weight loss. But Dr Bhargava clearly said, “These things will not melt away your fat.”

Honey, lemon, ginger water is nothing but lemon and honey infused water which holds a good amount of antioxidants. Vitamin C from the two ingredients make it good for your immunity, and consuming water first thing in the morning helps your body start the day on a positive note with hydration.

But again, this may have nothing to do with weight loss. It is not a magical drink that will burn your fat away.

Word of advice by Dr Bhargava

To lose weight, you have to create a calorie deficit and not a single individual thing can help you do that. Be mindful!

Sorry to burst your bubble ladies, but if Dr Bhargava is to be believed, these drinks would make a “fool” out of you, but not make you thin.