elnathan Blog: DRINKS THAT SHRINK YOUR BELLY

That ice-cold lemonade may hit the spot on a 90-degree day, but it’s not doing your waistline any favors. A 20-ounce Minute Maid Lemonade contains 250 calories and 68 g of sugar. Fortunately, there are plenty of refreshing summer sips that you can drink without guilt—and they may actually help you lose weight.

Flat Belly Drink: Flavored Water

Staying hydrated is important when you’re trying to trim down. Drinking plenty of water helps your body maintain proper fluid balance, stops water retention (a big cause of bloated bellies), and even increases the feeling of fullness so you eat less overall.

Flat Belly Drink: Watermelon Smoothie

As long as they’re made without sugary mixers like sherbet, smoothies are a guilt-free way to hydrate—and watermelon is a terrific, low-cal smoothie base. Not only is it a natural hydrator because of its water content, watermelon is also loaded with nutrients, including cancer-fighting lycopene, as well as an amino acid known as arginine

Flat Belly Drink: Iced Peppermint Tea

This minty thirst quencher is super refreshing on a hot summer day, but it’s also a supereffective belly flattener. Peppermint helps your stomach process fat, ensuring even high-fat foods like burgers and steaks are digested quickly, which helps prevent bloat.

Flat Belly Drink: Pineapple Frappe

This blended pineapple drink tastes like a beach vacation in a glass—and it packs in two belly-flattening ingredients. A tablespoon of flaxseed oil adds monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), proven belly flatteners, and pineapple itself contains bromelain, an enzyme that helps break down protein, ease digestion, and banish bloat.

Flat Belly Drink: Green Tea

Besides reducing your risk of cancer and heart disease, green tea contains catechins, antioxidants that studies show can help reduce belly fat. If you sip green tea before a workout, these compounds can also increase your fat burn during aerobic exercise.

Flat Belly Drink: Dark Chocolate Shake

Really? Yes, really. Chocolate—especially the dark kind—helps you slim you down because it decreases appetite and lessens food cravings overall.