Drinks that Cause the Most Weight Gain

Light beverages do not contain sugar, but are sweetened with a substance damaging for the health and have an excess of sodium that causes fluid retention.
Drinks that Cause the Most Weight Gain
Nelton Abdon Ramos Rojas

Reviewed and approved by the doctor Nelton Abdon Ramos Rojas.

Last update: 27 May, 2022

Just imagine how helpful it would be to eliminate the drinks that cause the most weight gain from your diet.

Even though a lot of people do indeed drink the recommended amount of water each day, only a small percentage of those people drink pure water. The excess sugar and calories from other unhealthy beverages affect both your figure and your health.

We often turn to flavored drinks, sugar-sweetened beverages, fruit juices, sweetened teas, alcoholic drinks, soda, and so many others. However, do we really know how and why these are the drinks that cause the most weight gain?

Drinks that Cause the Most Weight Gain

Alcoholic drinks

Alcohol and obesity go hand-in-hand for so many reasons.

There’s no doubt that alcoholic drinks are among the drinks that cause the most weight gain. First of all, they’re huge sources of calories that our liver has to work extremely hard at processing. Excessive alcohol consumption also damages this organ.While the liver is burning off alcohol, it can’t burn the other fats you’ve consumed.

In addition, alcohol frequently increases appetite, rather than satiating it.

Plus, it’s important to keep in mind that alcohol is considered a mild drug, as it creates addiction. If you want to take care of your health, limit your consumption as much as possible. 

Soda and Refreshments

Sweetened beverages are also a key cause of obesity and one of the drinks that cause the most weight gain. Any soft drink contains added sugars, which normally come from the cheapest and lowest quality genetically modified corn syrup. They also receive a noticeable glucose injection in order to create addiction, causing extremely elevated levels of sugar sweetener.

“Light” drinks also come with certain contraindications. After all, these are frequently sweetened with aspartame, which is extremely harmful to health.

Not only do they add harmful artificial sweeteners, but they also create excessive sodium in the body, which causes water retention.  This does absolutely no good for your weight, and it also puts a lot of stress on your kidneys and liver if you drink it regularly.

Industrial Fruit juices

Fruit juices are full of sugar

Industrial juices not only retain very little fruit, but are also made with flavor additives and unhealthy coloring agents. They can also contain low-quality added sugars. For all these reasons, it’s best to make your own juices at home using high-quality fresh fruits and vegetables.

There’s nothing healthier, tastier, or that provides more energy than a natural fruit juice. It’s even better if it is organic and hasn’t been treated with chemicals or industrial pesticides. If you decide to buy these types of juices, make sure they have the organic seal. Otherwise, opt to make them yourself at home.

The Healthiest Drinks

Overall, the best way to cure thirst is with pure water. It’s best to drink fresh mineral water, which is usually available for a reasonable price at stores and vending machines.

Read more about water:

The Benefits of Water Therapy: Why it Should Be a Part of Your Routine

Drinking water is good for your health

In addition, the best flavored drinks for health are teas and herbal teas, freshly squeezed fruit and vegetable juices, and vegetable milk from oats, rice, or almonds, along with other roasted grains dissolved in water, like coffee or barley.

Try them instead of the unhealthy options. We know you’ll love them!


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.


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  • Wang L, et al. Alcohol consumption, weight gain, and risk of becoming overweight in middle-aged and older women.”, Arch Intern Med. 2010 Mar 8;170(5):453-61.
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This text is provided for informational purposes only and does not replace consultation with a professional. If in doubt, consult your specialist.