Your summer calorie swaps

On an average, we lose more than two quarts of water every day-without exercise or excessive sweating. Imagine how much more the loss is during summer, with a scorching sun beating down on you.

When temperatures soar, your body requires optimum levels of water (a major component of blood, it helps the body cool itself, regulate body temperature and circulate blood and other fluids). But how do you quench your thirst without piling on the pounds? Here's your guide to smart drinking:

Drink this: Light beer
(100 calories per can)
Beer belly! Need we say more? But just because light beers are low on calories and alcohol content, don't end up knocking back a few more-packing your body with more calories and alcohol in the process.

Plus, light or regular, beers are unlikely to quench your thirst. So while a cold beer sure sounds (and tastes) good, it can actually dehydrate you.

Alcohol reduces the kidneys' ability to hold water-they try to compensate by pumping more water into the bladder, thereby increasing dehydration.

Not that: Regular beer
(150 calories per can)

Drink this: Rose sherbet
(90 calories)
A rose sherbet is a perfect refreshing summer drink. Made from fruit and herbal extracts, it has vitamins, minerals and the essential carbohydrates that help maintain body fluids and electrolytes.

It also helps minimise fluid imbalance and loss of body salts. Iced tea, on the other hand, is a potent caffeine drink- the dehydrating effect of caffeine fools your body into feeling satisfied temporarily. But eventually it'll aggravate fluid loss in your body!

Not that: Iced tea
(150 calories)

Drink this: Nimbu Paani
(20 calories)
Sports drinks contain electrolytes and carbohydrates that can replace small amounts of sodium, potassium and other electrolytes lost during sweating. But it is beneficial only when you are working out rigorously.

Also, most of these drinks come loaded with sugar, calories and even caffeine. For a regular hot day, nimbu paani wins hands down any time.

More than anything else, lemon juice is an excellent source of citric acid, which aids in producing saliva. Have nimbu paani and your mouth will not get dry for long.

Not that: Sports drinks
(300 calories)

Drink this: Kanji
(30-50 calories a glass)
A glass of aam panna comes loaded with calories, but that's the only downside. Otherwise it is a great fatigue buster (rich in iron), blood purifier (rich in vitamin C) and helps restore lost sodium.

Kanji, made from carrots and beetroot, is relatively low in calories and is a great thirst quencher too.

Between the two, if you go only by the calorie count, a glass of kanji is a clear winner.

Not that: Aam panna
(180 calories a glass)

Drink this: Coconut Water
(20 calories a glass)
Coconut water is packed with electrolytes that not only hydrate, but also lower high blood pressure.

So a glass or two a day is a good idea.

Cold coffee, on the other hand, sounds delicious but will have dollops of sugar in it. It has another culprit-caffeine! Now you know why green is in.

Not that: Cold coffee
(110-130 calories a glass)

Drink this: Nimbu Soda
(0 calories per glass)
Fresh lime soda is a refreshing and better alternative to unhealthy and sugary fizzy drinks.

That's because it has almost zero calories and it hydrates your body.

Aerated drinks, on the other hand, are packed with calories. Add caffeine and sugar to the concoction and you know why fizzy makes you dizzy!

Not that: Aerated drinks
(135 calories per bottle)

Drink this: Lassi
(60-80 calories a glass)
Between buttermilk and regular milk, the former is lower in fat. It is also loaded with potassium, vitamin B12, phosphorus, calcium and ribofl avin. A cup of buttermilk will have negligible fat.

On the other hand, a smoothie, made with milk and fruit, adds to the kilos pretty easily. Though both are excellent sources of calcium, the scales tip in favour of buttermilk because of the benefi cial bacteria in it.

Not that: Smoothie
(minimum 150 calories a glass)

Drink this: Fresh juice
(80-120 calories per glass)
Fruit juices, or fruit juice-based drinks, replace lost fluids and gives your body many essential vitamins and minerals. Plus, they are excellent thirst quenchers.

The caveat here is that they should have minimal to no added sugar or sweeteners. But this is usually not the case with canned juices. Sugar is the big bad boy here. If you insist on juices, opt for the vegetable ones...that have no added sugar.

Not that: Canned juice
(150+ calories per can)