The Most Important Diet ChangeTo Make

Looking to drop pounds? Drop the soda habit.

By Beth Howard
From Reader's Digest
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Your body doesn't respond to all calories equally -- including the ones you drink.
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If you're trying to drop a few pounds, here's the most important dietary change to make: Put down that sugar-sweetened beverage.

Calories from solid foods and liquids both add up, of course. But in a recent multicenter study, the only menu change that had a significant payoff for dieters was cutting back on sugary beverages, says lead author Benjamin Caballero, MD.

Reducing intake by just one serving a day took a pound off after six months, enough to add up for people with a soda or fruit-drink habit. Why do sugary drinks weigh heaviest? Your body doesn't seem to register liquid calories as accurately as those from solid foods, the researchers say, so you don't throttle back on consumption.

See more healthy eating tips that complement your weight loss plan.

From Reader's Digest - July 2009
 
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