Skim milk, diet soft drinks and fruit juice: The beverages you MUST avoid if you want to lose weight

Calories are hidden in a number of seemingly healthy beverages. These include skim milk, fruit juices, smoothies and your store-bought iced tea. Here Femail reveals the drinks you must avoid if you are looking to lose weight

They're the hidden calories that are blowing out your diet, and your chances of losing weight.

And they're found in the most unassuming of places.

Drinks such as skim milk, diet sodas and even your 'healthy' fruit juice are laden with calories.

DIET SOFT DRINKS

They might seem like the healthier option when you're looking to cut calories, but reaching for a diet soft drink could be doing more harm than good.

According to scientists, calorie-free drinks like Diet Coke and Sprite Zero can increase a person's hunger and desire to eat.

The findings, published in the International Journal of Obesity, revealed while people drinking diet alternatives should have lost weight by avoiding sugary drinks, they simply made up the difference in calories at lunch.

Fruit juice is high in sugar with a single glass of orange juice containing a staggering six teaspoons of sugar

JUICE

Juice, especially fruit juice, is packed with sugar.

According to Women's Health, a glass of grape juice has nine teaspoons of sugar, a glass of orange juice has six teaspoons and a glass of apple juice has seven.

Drinking juice can lead to a blood sugar spike, and when the spike drops, you can find yourself craving sugar and carbs, Harvard Medical School professor Dr David Ludwig told Women's Health.

Fruit juice also contains little fibre, so it's better to stick with eating fruit in it's whole form.

COFFEE

Find you can't function without your morning mocha?

You might be less inclined to swing past your local coffee shop if you knew a cafe mocha, made on skim milk, had a staggering 220 calories.

When it comes to coffee, less is best.

If you're trying to lose weight, stick to a black coffee with a little milk and no sugar, as piling on the cream and chocolate sprinkles in a sure way to blow out your diet.

Your morning coffee can be crammed with calories, especially if you add sugar, cream or chocolate 

SKIM MILK

Skim milk can lead to weight gain over time, Women's Health reported.

'Observational research rather consistently shows that consumers of fat-free or one per cent milk tend to gain more weight over time than those who consume whole, unsweetened milk,' Dr Ludwig told the publication.

It's also best to steer clear of milk substitutes, which can have added sugar.

When it comes to dairy choose calcium-rich full cream milk, or alternatively, drink nut milk which has less calories and sugar.

ICED TEA

Just like fruit juice, store-bought iced tea is packed with sugar.

In fact, one sweetened bottle of iced tea can contain as much as 116 calories, WebMD reported.

You're better off making your own iced tea, without the added sugar.

ALCOHOL

Alcohol, especially beer and wine, are crammed with calories.

In fact, a glass of beer contains about 150 calories and can directly lead to weight gain.

Fruity cocktails are also best to avoid, as just like fruit juice, they are packed with sugar.

SMOOTHIES

If you're making a smoothie at home, be warned.

While it may seem like a good idea to pack in the fruit, drinking large amounts at once is not the right way to go about it, Women's Health reported.

Instead, choose your portions wisely by sticking to one serving of fruit and using ingredients such as avocado and Greek yoghurt. 

- By Lauren Grounsell For Daily Mail Australia