Feel Fuller
According to the Mayo Clinic, foods that are low in energy density make individuals feel as full as foods that are higher. For example, a piece of cake will take up the same physical space as a stack of celery, and both foods will occupy the same amount of space in the stomach. Because of the high water content of celery, however, it has far fewer calories than cake. Fruits and vegetables in general tend to have a lower energy density because they contain more water. A grapefruit, states the Mayo Clinic, is made up of 90 percent water, and half a grapefruit only contains 38 calories. Sticking to foods with high water content, like carrots, which contain 88 percent water, is a better way to control hunger than limiting portions of foods that contain lower water content.
Water as a Substitute
Pediatrics Magazine published a study in March 2009 suggesting that eliminating drinks containing sugar from schools and providing water fountains instead has reduced the students' risk of obesity by 31 percent. Replacing sugary drinks--including soda, energy drinks and fruit punches--with water is one way to lose weight effectively without giving up any foods at all. Water quenches thirst without adding empty calories to the daily caloric intake. These empty calories will turn into fat in the body, but will not make the individual feel full after consuming them. Avoiding empty calories can be as easy as having water readily available and keeping soda and other sugary drinks out of the house and workplace.
Metabolic Benefits
In a study published by Obesity Magazine, 48 middle-aged men and women were divided into two groups of 24. Researchers assigned both groups a diet in which their calories were restricted, but only one group was instructed to consume 16 ounces of water before eating every meal. The individuals in the group drinking the water lost 44 percent more weight overall than the group that was not drinking water before each meal. Because both groups were eating the same calorie-restricted diet, the water group's additional weight loss may lead to more information about the metabolic effects of water and whether or not speeding of the metabolic rate occurs when drinking water before a meal.
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