Drinks that Reduce Appetite

Try one of these healthy drinks next time hunger strikes…you might just need a little hydration.

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Some people eat because their satiety centers are begging for attention. But sometimes, those centers are really asking for hydration, rather than calories.This could be caused when the hormones are released in your gut, or when you eat. Food thickens the blood, so your body senses a need to dilute it.

QUIZ: What's Your Eating Style?

When you’re hungry, drink a glass or two of water to see if that does the trick. You can also try these healthy drink choices.

Go Green: Drink Green Tea
Green tea has a high content of polyphenols, which are chemicals with potent antioxidant properties, believed to be even stronger than vitamin C.

Polyphenols give tea its bitter flavor. Because green tea leaves are young and haven’t been oxidized, green tea has up to 40 percent polyphenols (black tea contains only about 10 percent).

Green tea also has one-third the caffeine that black tea has, yet it yields the same amount of energy and attentiveness (but in more even levels than the highs and lows of other caffeine drinks). Note: Avoid drinking milk with it, which can inhibit the beneficial effects of the tea.

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Coffee: Instant vs. Brewed
The caffeine and healthy polyphenols (plant substances) found in brewed coffee are preserved even in its instant form.

Some taste may sacrificed, but the instant crowd is getting two-thirds more fiber than filtered-coffee drinkers are. A 12-ounce cup contains about three grams of fiber. This fiber will help your body absorb those polyphenols.

Avoid the Alcohol Binge
Limiting yourself to one alcoholic beverage a day to protect your arteries. Red wine contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that has anti-aging effects because of its anti-inflammatory properties.

Be mindful—consuming excessive amounts of alcohol not only add lots of calories, but inspires you to consume more food, later.

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