10 Secret Ways European Women Stay Slim (Slideshow)

Wine is practically a food group in Europe. But European women approach it rather smartly: drink more wine, eat less food. According to a study in the Archives of Internal Medicine, women who drink wine moderately tend to remain slim and weigh less than their teetotaling counterparts

Many French women believe in having a cleansing glass of hot water with lemon when they first wake up in the morning. It's believed to jump-start the digestive system and the lemon helps clean out the colon, which is helpful to maintaining a healthy weight. Carla Bruni's trainer has even been quoted in the press about drinking hot water with lemon and actress Liz Hurley is another European advocate. 

The latest juice trend coming out of Switzerland is known as powerberry juice, a combination of freshly-pressed super fruits sourced from all over the world. It's made with red grape, lemon juice, and strawberry purée from Italy, aronia juice from Poland, apple and black carrot juice from Switzerland, bilberry juice from Bulgaria, and blackcurrant juice from Austria. The natural juice combination is said to stimulate the immune system and boost energy levels, allowing for more time to exercise. 

Europeans love their coffee and strive to find the best around. They tend to love coffee made by a French press as it uses coarser grains that stay in contact with the brewing water, making a more concentrated cup of coffee. Research shows that caffeine may help increase focus and alertness. It also contains beneficial substances like polyphenols that are antioxidants.

While every woman likes to indulge in a glass or two, try swapping a big glass of wine for a flute of Champagne instead. The flute glass is much smaller compared to a wine glass so they are inherently cutting down on calories. It is also a wonderful way to treat yourself which goes along way when it comes to overall health and happiness. 

The Dutch and other European women refuse to give up their milk and many believe it is a healthy choice if you are attempting to lose weight or stay slim. Low-fat milk might be the milk of choice, as it is low in calories and is an excellent source of calcium, vitamin D, and protein — all linked to weight loss. 

Millions of Italians rely on a morning espresso as do many other Europeans as a whole. Because of the way it is made and its concentration, an espresso is thought to contain two to three times the number of healthy antioxidants of coffee made by other brewing methods, similar to a French pressed brew. Another simple trick? They like to drink it black without artificial sugars and sweeteners. 

Tea is just as amazing as drinking water due to its hydration components but it goes one step further by having a plethora of beneficial antioxidants. The European Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that the polyphenol antioxidants found in tea have proven to help prevent cell damage. Europeans often swap out a glass of water a few times daily and depending on where you are in Europe, different types of tea like green and white are all the rage. 

This may seem intuitive, but European women drink water, and a lot of it. In America, we're told to drink eight glasses of water a day. But many Europeans, particularly French women, add two more glasses on top of that suggested amount.

Instead of aiming to drink eight glasses of water a day, Mireille Giuliano, author of French Women Don't Get Fat, says women should drink at least two more than what they currently drink. It also helps to have one big glass first thing in the morning and one at bedtime.

While the fresh juice craze is expanding in America, European women have also gotten into juicing. Zumo International Natural Smoothie Bar is the largest juice bar chain in Europe that utilizes only fresh fruits instead of fruit juices as a base for the drink. Even French women who once were loyal to their cafes instead of juice bars are now frequenting modern juice bars throughout Paris and beyond.