Ask Melissa: No or Lo-Cal Refreshing Drinks

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I know how important it is for both my skin and body to stay hydrated during the summer, but I don't like the taste of plain water. Any tips on easy-to-drink beverages that won't pack on the pounds?

It is certainly very important, especially in the summertime, to drink lots of water. I am not a huge fan of plain water as well, so I need to get creative to make sure I get the recommended daily amount (.5 oz multiplied by your body weight in pounds). Below are several options for refreshing, healthy, and great-tasting drinks that won't increase your waistline!

My go-to drink is a cranberry and club soda. You can vary how sweet you want it by adjusting the amount of club soda (I like it with half of each). Try using Ocean Spray Light Cran-Rasberry Juice, which is lower in calories and tastes delicious. Cranberry juice is known to have various health benefits - it can help prevent cancer, cardiovascular disease, and urinary tract infections.

Buy Now, White Rock Club Soda (Pack of 12), $16.89
Buy Now, Ocean Spray Light Cranberry Rasberry Juice Drink (Pack of 8), $53.52

A new favorite of mine is Skinny Water. The Raspberry Pomegranate Crave Control flavor is zero calories and contains electrolytes and Super CitriMax, which is known to curb your appetite. It reminds me of the days when my mom used to make raspberry Jell-O in the liquid form... only this is cold and tastes better!

Buy Now, Skinny Water Crave Control Raspberry Pomegranate (Pack of 12), $18.75

Vitamin Water has been very popular for a while now, however, I prefer the newer zero calorie version. Naturally sweetened and packed with antioxidants from acai berries, blueberries, and pomegranates, Vitamin Water Zero's "XXX" is my favorite. It's super refreshing and energizing with vitamins A, B, C, and electrolytes.

Buy Now, Vitamin Water Zero XXX (Pack of 24), $37.32

Coconut water is extremely hydrating and tastes delicious! It's perfect to drink after a workout because it has more muscle-soothing potassium than a banana, plus electrolytes. I prefer it fresh from the coconut, but they can be difficult to find, and you need a machete to cut off the tops. An easier option is to drink ZICO Coconut Water. I always keep several bottles in my fridge - It's 60 calories for one 14 fl oz bottle, and fat-free, too!

Buy Now, ZICO Pure Premium Coconut Water (Pack of 12), $25.31

Tasty and full of antioxidants, Honest Tea's Passion Fruit Green Tea with Maqui Berry is zero calories and naturally sweetened. This drink is sweeter than most of the other Honest Tea drinks, so it's great if you have a sweet tooth.

Buy Now, Honest Tea Passion Fruit Green Tea with Maqui Berry, $15.99

My best-kept secret of all is SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia in Vanilla Crème flavor. Just add three-five drops of this all-natural sweetener to 12 oz of water. The concentrated drops are available in a variety of flavors, but my personal favorite is the vanilla. Try adding it to club soda and you will make yourself a healthy crème soda!

Buy Now, SweetLeaf Liquid Stevia, $8.16