Can You Lose Weight with Diuretic Foods?
Some people believe that they can lose weight with diuretic foods. However, this isn’t entirely the case. These products that promote diuresis, the increased production of urine, can confuse people. This is why we decided to dedicate this article to telling you the truth about these foods so you can make informed consumer decisions.
Firstly, keep in mind that, in order to lose weight, you need to follow healthy habits, in which diet and physical exercise take center stage. No miracle weight loss foods or products exist. Thus, the keys to reaching your goals are following the right approach, being disciplined, and persevering.
What are diuretic foods?
Diuretic foods are those that help the body expel excess fluid through urine. Normally, these products contain a lot of water, which increases the need to urinate and dilutes urine. Thus, they improve the body’s ability to expel waste.
Likewise, these foods may contain a series of enzymes that boost kidney function, which positively impacts kidney health. The most common diuretic foods are pineapple, melon, and some infusions, such as tea. In fact, coffee and even alcohol have the ability to increase diuresis.
Do diuretic foods aid weight loss?
Despite what you may have heard or what you believe, diuretic foods don’t help you lose weight. Yes, they can make you lose weight on the scale, but only temporarily. This is because, when you regain lost fluids, you’ll gain that weight back. However, they can help treat fluid retention, although this is much less common than many people think.
However, adding diuretic foods to your diet can have a positive impact on your cognitive system and your motivation. But if you see that the number on the scale is lower, even if it’s temporary, your desire to continue will increase. Remember that attitude is a critical part of success.
To lose weight, change your habits
If your goal is to lose weight, in addition to adding diuretic foods to your diet, you have to change your lifestyle habits. You can introduce effective dietary protocols to reduce your daily caloric intake and improve metabolism functioning. One of them is intermittent fasting, whose effects have been evidenced in a study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition ESPEN.
On the other hand, it’s essential to do physical activity every day. Experts have shown that exercise can stimulate muscle gains and, with it, the basal metabolic rate. The latter is simply the energy the body needs to function. In addition, exercise burns a lot of calories.
A good option is to combine strength and endurance exercises, as this will have a greater impact on body composition and health. Don’t forget to adapt your diet to this lifestyle, increasing your protein consumption and adjusting your calories.
You’ll also need to increase your intake of vegetables and reduce your intake of industrial ultra-processed foods. Remember that these foods have a negative effect on metabolism, in addition to stimulating bodily inflammation.
Eat diuretic foods … but not to lose weight
Diuretic foods won’t help you lose weight but they’ll help you stay motivated to improve your body composition. However, they also have health benefits.
Increased blood volume puts pressure on kidney function. Thus, these foods reduce the risk of overloading the kidneys and developing kidney-related conditions.
On the other hand, diuretic foods, except alcohol, are rich in phytonutrients with antioxidant properties. These substances may help prevent premature aging and reduce the risk of getting sick.
In fact, antioxidants reduce the formation of free radicals and reactive oxygen species, which has a positive impact on health.
Finally, remember that, when it comes to weight loss, we advise you not to weigh yourself often, as this can affect your motivation and increase your risk of quitting. It’s best for you to simply adopt healthier habits based on a proper diet and frequent physical exercise. Remember that you just have to be patient, as you won’t get results overnight.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Santos HO., Macedo RCO., Impact of intermittent fasting on the lipid profile: assessment associated with diet and weight loss. Clin Nutr ESPEN, 2018. 24: 14-21.
- Swift DL., McGee JE., Earnest CP., Carlisle E., et al., The effects of exercise and physical activity on weight loss and maintenance. Prog Cardiovasc Dis, 2018. 61 (2) 206-213.
