It seems like you can hardly flip through a magazine or watch the news before learning of another dangerous condition that’s linked to obesity or being overweight. It can raise your risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, stroke, sleep apnea, fatty liver diseases, osteoarthritis, gallbladder diseases, kidney disease, and certain cancers.^[1][Health Risks of Overweight & Obesity]. National Institutes of Health. Now that’s a lot to take in, but it’s also a great incentive for maintaining a healthy weight. While a balanced calorie reduced diet and physical activity are crucial for reaching a healthy weight there are many natural ingredients that can support your weight loss journey.

10 Drinks That You Can Make At Home To Lose Weight

Wouldn’t it be great if you could get hold of a no fuss no muss drink that could help you shed a few pounds? Something that you can just pick up and gulp down instead of a calorie heavy snack? Well, we’ve got 10 drinks that can help:

1. Water

Yes, you heard right – ordinary water can help with weight management. One study looked at the effect of consuming 500 ml of water prior to meals on people following a low calorie diet. It was found that those who drank water before their meals lost approximately 2 kgs more over the course of 12 weeks when compared to those who didn’t. Research indicates that drinking water before or with food increases satiety and reduces hunger.^[2]Dennis, Elizabeth A., Ana Laura Dengo, Dana L. Comber, Kyle D. Flack, Jyoti Savla, Kevin P. Davy, and Brenda M. Davy. “Water consumption increases weight loss during a hypocaloric diet … Continue reading But that’s not all. One study found that when you consume 500 ml of water your energy expenditure increases by 24% over the next hour.^[3]Boschmann, Michael, Jochen Steiniger, Gabriele Franke, Andreas L. Birkenfeld, Friedrich C. Luft, and Jens Jordan. “Water drinking induces thermogenesis through osmosensitive mechanisms.” … Continue reading Interestingly, ayurveda recommends starting the day by drinking a glass of water. Ushapana, or the practice of drinking water during the brahma muhurta (which can be estimated to be around 1.5 hours before sunrise) is recommended as a daily routine (dinacharya). This is thought to be beneficial in countering not only lipid disorders (medovikara) but also hemorrhoids (arsha), abdominal discomfort (jathara), skin disorders (kustha), urinary problems (mutraghata) etc.^[4]Sharma, Priyanka, and Mangalagowri Rao. “Ushapana: A Unique Contribution of Ayurveda for Maintenance of Health.” World Journal of Pharmaceutical Research 3, no. 10 (2014): 299.

2. Kokum Sharbat Or Juice

Nothing like a tall glass of chilled kokum sharbat on hot summer days, right? Kokum has a long history of medicinal use in ayurveda – it’s used for a variety of reasons from improving digestion to treating dermatitis and diarrhea. This spice also has anti-obesity properties. It contains a compound called hydroxycitric acid which inhibits the synthesis of cholesterol and fat and can help reduce body weight.^[5]Swami, Shrikant Baslingappa, N. J. Thakor, and S. C. Patil. “Kokum (Garcinia indica) and its many functional components as related to the human health: a review.” Journal of food research … Continue reading

How To Make:

• To prepare kokum sharbat, first soak dry kokum in water.
• Then cook it with cardamon, roasted cumin powder, black salt, and regular salt. Sugar is also typically added to this mixture but you can hold the sugar to cut down on calories.
• Add the water used to soak the kokum back in and bring it to a boil.
• Strain the mixture after it cools for kokum concentrate that can be used to make sharbat.

Precaution:

• Kokum has been safely used as a spice for a long period however, there’s insufficient information on whether it is safe for consumption during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

3. Jeera Spiced Buttermilk

One study looked at the effect that cumin had on overweight women on a calorie reduced diet. The participants were divided into 2 groups where one group had 1.5 g of cumin powder with 150 ml low fat yogurt twice daily with lunch and dinner. The other group had yogurt without cumin. It was found that cumin was effective at reducing waist circumference, BMI, weight as well as fat percentage. It also had a beneficial effect on triglyceride and cholesterol levels. So mix up some low fat yogurt, roasted cumin powder, and water for a refreshing healthy drink!

Precautions:

• Some experts suggest that cumin should be used with caution by pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as those suffering from ulcers or respiratory diseases.
• It has also been found to interact with medicines including antibiotics, antidiabetic, anti‐inflammatory, and antiseizure medications. Check with your doctor to find out if any medication you’re on interacts with cumin.^[6][The Health Benefits of Cumin].Verywell Fit.

4. Jaljeera

Another delicious summer drink, jaljeera, literally translates to “jeera water”. And as we’ve already seen jeera or cumin can help with weight loss. In fact, one study found that not only was it able to reduce weight and BMI significantly it was similar in effectiveness to a medication used to aid weight loss.^[7]Taghizadeh, Mohsen, Mohammad Reza Memarzadeh, Zatollah Asemi, and Ahmad Esmaillzadeh. “Effect of the Cumin cyminum L. intake on weight loss, metabolic profiles and biomarkers of oxidative … Continue reading

How To Make:

• To prepare jaljeera you need cumin seeds (2 tsp), mint leaves (one handful), coriander leaves (1 handful), ginger (1/2 inch grated), dry mango powder (2 tsp), pepper (2 tsp crushed), ½ lemon and black salt to taste.
• Dry roast and powder the cumin seeds and add to pureed mint and coriander seeds along with the rest of the ingredients.
• Add water and ice cubes for some cool jaljeera.

Precautions:

• Some experts suggest that cumin should be used with caution by pregnant and breastfeeding women as well as those suffering from ulcers or respiratory diseases.
• It has also been found to interact with medicines including antibiotics, antidiabetic, anti‐inflammatory, and antiseizure medications. Check with your doctor to find out if any medication you’re on interacts with cumin.^[8][The Health Benefits of Cumin].Verywell Fit.

5. Purple Carrot Juice

Yes, exotic purple carrots may help you shed those extra pounds. According to an animal study, supplementation with purple carrot juice reduced percentage gain in body weight, waist circumference, and abdominal fat in rats fed a high carb high fat diet. This juice was also able to reverse or reduce complications such as hypertension, oxidative stress, impaired glucose tolerance, liver dysfunction, and heart problems brought on by this unhealthy diet. Beneficial compounds such as phenolic acids, carotenoids, and anthocyanins present in purple carrots are considered to be responsible for these effects.^[9]Poudyal, Hemant, Sunil Panchal, and Lindsay Brown. “Comparison of purple carrot juice and β-carotene in a high-carbohydrate, high-fat diet-fed rat model of the metabolic syndrome.” … Continue reading

6. Tomato Juice

Another healthy drink that can help with weight loss is tomato juice. One study found that women who had 280 ml of tomato juice daily for two months experienced a reduction in body weight, body fat, waist circumference, and BMI. Tomatoes contain a phytochemical known as lycopene which is considered to contribute to these beneficial effects. ^[10]Li, Yu-Fen, Ya-Yuan Chang, Hui-Chi Huang, Yi-Chen Wu, Mei-Due Yang, and Pei-Min Chao. “Tomato juice supplementation in young women reduces inflammatory adipokine levels independently of body … Continue reading

7. Pomegranate Juice

One study looked at the effect of drinking pomegranate juice (240 ml unsweetened) daily for 2 months in people with type 2 diabetes. It was found that pomegranate juice reduced body weight, as well as waist and hip circumstances. It also had a beneficial effect on insulin resistance.^[11]Babaeian, Samira, Mehranghiz Ebrahimi-Mameghani, Mitra Niafar, and Sarvin Sanaii. “The effect of unsweetened pomegranate juice on insulin resistance, high sensitivity c-reactive protein and … Continue reading

Precaution:

• Pomegranate may interact with certain medications such as certain immunosuppressants, protease inhibitors, statins, cholesterol medications etc. Please check with your doctor to find out if any medication you’re on interacts with pomegranates.^[12][What Is Pomegranate Juice?].Verywell Health.

8. Tulsi Tea

Tulsi is a valued herb in ayurveda. It is said to promote general health and wellbeing as well as help in dealing with the daily stresses of life. It is also used to treat a wide range of conditions such as anxiety, asthma, fever, skin diseases, genitourinary, cardiac, and gastric disorders etc.^[13]Cohen, Marc Maurice. “Tulsi-Ocimum sanctum: A herb for all reasons.” Journal of Ayurveda and integrative medicine 5, no. 4 (2014): 251. Research indicates that it has anti-obesity effects as well. Animal studies indicate that it can reduce body weight, fat mass, and waist circumference.^[14]Mohanty, Satyajit, and Ashok Pattnaik. “Scientific Evaluation of Anti-obesity Potential of Methanolic Leaves extract of Ocimum sanctum (Linn.) in Monosodium Glutamate-High Fat Diet Induced … Continue reading

How To Make:

• Clean a handful of tulsi leaves, add in water and heat the mixture over medium heat for around 10 minutes. Remove from heat and strain for fresh tulsi tea.
• You can also add a dash of lime for a boost of flavor and vitamin C.
• You can also steep dried tulsi in hot water for 5 to 6 minutes to prepare a tea.

Precautions:

• Tulsi has been found to have antifertility effects. So it might be best to avoid it if you’re trying to conceive.
• Tulsi has not been established as safe for use during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Stay safe and avoid use.
• Tulsi might not be suitable for use along with certain medications such as anticoagulants, medicines that cause drowsiness etc. Please check with your doctor to find out if any medication you’re on interacts with tulsi before you use it.^[15][What Is Holy Basil?].Verywell Health.
• Since tulsi might increase bleeding it’s also a good idea to stop taking it a couple of weeks before a scheduled surgery.

9. Green Tea

A warm cup of green tea can perk you up. It can also help with weight loss. One study observed that green tea consumption was able to reduce body fat, BMI, body weight, hip circumference, waist circumference, and abdominal fat. Phenolic compounds known as catechins are thought to contribute to these effects. Catechins are also known to lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.^[16]Nagao, Tomonori, Tadashi Hase, and Ichiro Tokimitsu. “A green tea extract high in catechins reduces body fat and cardiovascular risks in humans.” Obesity 15, no. 6 (2007): 1473-1483.

How To Make:

• Steep the tea leaves in hot water (around 82°C to 85°C) for about 3 minutes. Ideally, 1 tsp of tea should be used for 8 ounces of water.^[17][Green Tea Benefits and Side Effects].Verywell Fit.

Precautions:

• Do keep in mind that green tea contains caffeine. You should take care that your daily caffeine intake doesn’t exceed 400 mg. Do keep in mind that other drinks such as coffee, cola, and energy drinks also contain caffeine.^[18][Caffeine: How much is too much?]. Mayo Clinic.
• It might be advisable to limit green tea consumption to 1 or 2 cups if you’re pregnant or breastfeeding. Caffeine intake should also be limited to 300 mg.^[19]Chacko, Sabu M., Priya T. Thambi, Ramadasan Kuttan, and Ikuo Nishigaki. “Beneficial effects of green tea: a literature review.” Chinese medicine 5, no. 1 (2010): 1-9.
• People with liver disease should check with their doctor before using green tea. Green tea can interact with some medicines. Check with your doctor to find out if any medication you are on interacts with green tea.^[20][Green Tea]. National Institutes of Health.

10. Coffee

Nothing like a hot cup of coffee to start the day! And studies show that caffeine – a chemical found if coffee – might be helpful in promoting weight loss as well as body fat and BMI reduction.^[21]Tabrizi, Reza, Parvane Saneei, Kamran B. Lankarani, Maryam Akbari, Fariba Kolahdooz, Ahmad Esmaillzadeh, Somayyeh Nadi-Ravandi, Majid Mazoochi, and Zatollah Asemi. “The effects of caffeine … Continue reading

Precautions:

• It’s not advisable to exceed 400 mg of caffeine in a day – that works out to around 4 cups of brewed coffee. However, you also need to factor in other sources of caffeine such as colas, tea, and energy drinks. Caffeine intake should be limited to 300 mg during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.^[22][Caffeine: How much is too much?]. Mayo Clinic. ^[23][Green Tea]. National Institutes of Health.
• Some medications and supplements (for instance, Ephedrine, Echinacea etc.) may interact with caffeine. Talk to your doctor to find out if any medicine you’re on interacts with caffeine.

Ayurvedic Formulations

Along with other measures, ayurveda uses herbal formulations for weight management. Herbs used for weight reduction are mostly pachana (digestive), deepan (carminative), and ushna in virya (hot in its nature). They are also said to be lekhanartha, that is, they have a “scraping effect” or break down excess meda (fat). The ancient physician Acharya Charaka mentioned a group of 10 medicinal herbs or drugs (lekhaniya dashemani dravyas) which have this “scraping effect” or lekahana karma. They are:

• Mustaka
• Kustha
• Haridra
• Vaca
• Ativisha
• Katu Rohini
• Chitraka
• Chirabilva
• Daruharidra
• Haimavati (Karanj)

These herbs can be had as a decoction or juice to help with weight management. However, different combinations and as well as quantities of herbs should be employed based on factors such as the cause of obesity, age etc. Therefore, it is important to check with an ayurvedic doctor who can recommend the appropriate lekhaniya dashemani dravya as well as dosage for you.

Precaution:

• Herbal remedies can have side effects. Many herbs used for weight loss may cause gastrointestinal disturbances like belching, heartburn, gastritis, epigastric pain, etc.