Juices Can't Help You Burn Belly Fat, But They *Can* Help You Lose Weight In Other Ways
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If you’re trying to lose weight, you’ve likely done an overhaul of your diet. Whether you’re doing a keto diet or intermittent fasting or made other changes, what you eat and drink plays a huge role in getting you to your goals. One drink that’s become especially popular among people who want to lose weight is juice. But, what’s the best way to use juices for weight loss? We've got answers for ya.
“The main way I'd use juice with a client is to boost hydration, vitamins, and minerals in their diet,” says Seattle-based registered nutritionist Ginger Hultin, RDN, owner of ChampagneNutrition and author of Anti-Inflammatory Diet Meal Prep and How to Eat to Beat Disease Cookbook. Juices can also be a great source of hydration and fiber, which makes it super filling, adds Amber Pankonin, RD, the owner of the food blog the Stirlist.
A juice fast is not be the best way to go, though. “If you’re only consuming juice, the initial weight loss you might see on the scale is due to water loss and you will quickly gain this back if you go back to eating the way you did before,” says Pankonin. Instead, she recommends including juice within your calorie goal or diet and aim to lose one to two pounds per week.
Can juices help you burn belly fat?
Unfortunately, they don't. The body burns fat by using it for fuel, which often occurs when you work out more or eat the right kinds of foods on a regular, balanced schedule, Hultin says. So, simply drinking juice isn't going to burn fat.
However, she points out that drinking juices does have other perks like improving nutrition and blood pressure or other markers of health.
Are homemade juices better than store-bought ones?
If you’re buying a juice off the shelf, there are a few things you need to look out for. “Store-bought juices can often be high in sugar and stripped of valuable nutrients like fiber and other phytochemicals,” says Pankonin. Juices made at home are often higher in fiber and you can control the amount of any added sugars or alternative sweeteners that you use, she adds.
If you don't have time to make them yourself, Hutlin recommends looking for juices that are vegetable-based—think green juices, tomato, and other veggie juices. “These will generally be lower in calories, but still contain a lot of nutrients and hydration,” she says.
15 Best Juices For Weight Loss
Here are some nutritious juices, selected by the experts above, that can help with satiety and are hydrating and delicious on the go.
1. Grapefruit Fennel Fix
“This juice is full of water, veggies, and low-glycemic fruits like grapefruit,” says Hultin. “I love that it has avocado in it because that's a heart-healthy fat source that will be very satiating, keeping you full much longer than a typical juice would.”
2. Pomegranate Orange Juice
“Pomegranates and oranges are high in fiber, making this juice nutritious and filling,” says Pankonin.
3. Blackberry Green Juice
Blackberries are the star of this juice, which are packed with vitamin C and anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants that give them their gorgeous purple color. This yummy juice also gets a fiber boost thanks to the almond or soy milk, mixed greens, banana, and pineapple.
4. Radishly Radical Apple Grapefruit Juice
This juice contains radishes and lemon to help boost nutrients without relying on sweeter fruit-based ingredients, says Hultin. “It is palatable and delicious because of the grapefruit and apple, but generally this is a low-glycemic, hydrating, and refreshing juice to include in a balanced diet,” she adds.
5. Beet, Carrot, Kale, and Ginger Juice
“Ginger is good for digestive health and the apple adds the right amount of sweetness,” says Pankonin.
6. Berry Beet Juice
This sweet, fruity juice combines beets, strawberries, and raspberries with a bit of ice and water for a cold, fiber-packed juice that will help you stay hydrated.
7. Easy, Healthy Bloody Marys
“Definitely leave out the alcohol and enjoy this savory juice drink as a mocktail rather than a cocktail,” says Hultin. Alcohol can impede weight loss and without it in this Bloody Mary, you have a simple, vitamin-rich, savory juice made of tomatoes and other veggies, she adds. This juice is an easy way to drink your vegetables to maximize intake while reducing carbohydrates and sugar.
8. Watermelon Raspberry Juice
With just three ingredients, this juice is the easiest one to make and possibly the most refreshing thanks to the lime juice and watermelon, plus fiber from each fruit.
9. Green Juice With Spinach And Apples
“Spinach and apples are high in fiber, which can be both nutritious and super filling,” says Pankonin.
10. Pomegranate Slam It
“When you're on a weight loss journey, it's important to get creative with maximizing fruits and veggies because they're filling, high in fiber, and can even help reduce inflammation in the body,” says Hultin. She loves this juice because it's a very creative way to maximize vitamin C-rich bell peppers and cruciferous green leafy veggie arugula (which belong to the cabbage family) in a non-green juice way.
11. Morning Green Juice
This green juice has six ingredients that are all filled with fiber and flavor to help keep you full: celery, spinach, cucumber, green apple, mint leaves, and a tiny bit of fresh ginger.
12. Kale, Carrot, And Cucumber Juice
“These vegetables contain a lot of fluid and fiber, which can be both hydrating and keep you satiated,” says Pankonin.
13. Wild Blueberry Chia Fresca
“Boosting fiber intake is tied in many studies to positive outcomes with long-term weight management, so adding foods like chia seeds is a great way to make sure you're getting your anti-inflammatory omega 3s, filling fiber, and satiating protein all in a delicious, low-sugar juice,” says Hultin. “The blueberries and fresh lime brighten up this antioxidant-rich juice.”
14. Strawberry Cucumber Juice
Besides the strawberries and cucumber, this juice gets an extra punch of fiber thanks to carrots and apples.
15. Kiwi, Mint and Lemon
“Kiwi is low in calories and when combined with mint and lemon can be refreshing and filling,” says Pankonin.
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