- With Mayo Clinic nutritionist
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
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Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
As a specialty editor for the Food & Nutrition Center, Katherine Zeratsky helps you sort through the facts and figures, the fads and the hype to learn more about nutrition and diet.
A Marinette, Wis., native, she is certified in dietetics by the state of Minnesota and the American Dietetic Association. She has been with Mayo Clinic since 1999.
She is active in nutrition-related curriculum and course development in pediatrics at Mayo Clinic Rochester and nutrition education related to the physiology and recommended intakes for premature infants.
Other areas of interest include breast milk and formula safety, neonatal feeding, and nutrition for breast-feeding mothers.
She graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, served a dietetic internship at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics, and worked as a registered dietitian and health risk counselor at ThedaCare of Appleton, Wis., before joining the Mayo Clinic staff.
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Question
Trying to lose weight? Watch what you drink
I'm trying to lose weight. To keep from snacking between meals, I've been drinking lots of juice and milk. But the scale isn't showing much progress. Am I doing something wrong?
Answer
from Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.
If you're trying to lose weight, it's important to be mindful of how much you're drinking. Although milk and juice have many important nutrients, they still have calories — and calories in liquid form "count" just as do calories in solid food.
Keep in mind that thirst and hunger are regulated by different body processes. In fact, researchers have found that drinking liquids before or during meals seems to have little effect on how much a person eats. However, if the foods you choose to eat have a high water content — including fruits, vegetables, soups, and cooked whole-grain rice and pasta — you'll feel full on fewer calories.
When you're counting calories, the best beverage choice is water. Keep higher calorie beverages in check. As a general rule, drink no more than about 6 ounces (177 milliliters) of juice and 16 to 24 ounces (473 to 710 milliliters) of milk a day.
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