6 Best Drinks To Help You Lose Belly Fat and Slow Visible Aging, Say Experts
When it comes to looking the way you want as you age, your diet plays a key role in how many wrinkles you develop and where your body stores fat. For example, 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. Harvard Health says that things like white bread, sugary drinks, refined carbs, and too much saturated fat can contribute to more fat around the abdominal area. However, enjoying the foods you love is important, and life is all about balance. So, even if you do go hard on the sugar or fried food this winter, you can offset some of the damage by knowing what key drinks can help burn belly fat and slow down visible aging.
Drinks that are going to help in this process are those that keep you hydrated, have very little added sugar and calories, and contain nutrients or antioxidants that can help fight aging and boost weight loss. 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 abdominal fat at the level you desire.
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." Interestingly enough, one study also found that using chlorophyll topically was known to reduce skin photoaging—also known as damage caused by the sun.
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."
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."
In fact, a study published in Scientific Reports concluded that a healthy and diverse gut microbiome was associated with less visceral fat—the type that sits around your abdominal organs and can display as belly fat.
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.
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."
According to a report published in Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, drinking plenty of water and staying hydrated is a key in keeping your skin feeling hydrated and looking younger. So yes, those moisturizers and creams can help, but not unless your foundation is drinking water.
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 for reducing belly fat and keeping your 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." A large study on Japanese adults, which was published in Nutrients, found that daily consumption of coffee was linked to lower incidence of abdominal fat.
If you love coffee but aren't a fan of drinking it black, just make sure to watch how much sugar you're adding to each cup. A study published in the European Journal of Preventative Cardiology found that higher levels of added sugar consumption were linked to more abdominal fat.
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 similar benefits as black coffee. Dr. Hunnes explains that green tea contains antioxidants that stop inflammation in its tracks and makes sure you stay hydrated.
A study published in the Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health found a link between high green tea consumption and lower chances of abdominal obesity. Another study, published in Journal of Functional Foods, concluded that participants who drank green tea for twelve weeks had less visceral fat than those who didn't at the end of the study. While there are plenty of human-based studies on green tea and abdominal fat, there is less research on green tea and skin aging. However, one animal study published in Toxicological Research found that the polyphenols found in green tea may have anti-aging effects on the skin.
These combined benefits of green tea can help slow down the aging process and ensure you stay one step ahead of age lines and wrinkles, as well as abdominal fat.
Black tea
Dr. Hunnes also ranks black tea alongside green tea as a great drink to burn belly fat and slow down aging. Unsurprisingly, this drink boasts antioxidants that help prevent inflammation, fight wrinkles, and even can help you lose weight. According to a report published in Molecules, black tea contains polyphenols that are known to help you manage weight and decrease the risk of obesity. 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.
A previous version of this story was published on July 17, 2022. It has been updated to include additional copy and proofreading revisions, additional research, and updated contextual links.
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