You have the right idea. Drinking beverages can satisfy the urge to nibble. Juices and milk contain many nutrients. But they also can contain many calories. A calorie in liquid form is the same as a calorie in solid food. So keep track of the calories in the beverages you drink — and how much you drink.
A balanced diet includes at least two servings from the milk group and two servings from the fruit group daily. The suggested serving size for milk is 8 ounces. A serving of fruit juice is 6 ounces. If you drink more than the recommended daily servings, you could be getting unwanted calories.
To cut calories, you can switch to low-fat or fat-free (skim) milk and drink lower calorie juices. Check their labels. You can dilute juices with plain or sparkling water to reduce calories, too. Water has no calories and comes in many forms — not just from the tap. Try adding a twist of lemon or lime.
| Calories in common beverages |
| Beverage | Serving size (ounces) | Average calories* |
| Water | 8 | 0 |
| Coffee or tea (plain) | 8 | 0 |
| Iced tea (unflavored), powder | 8 | 2 |
| Milk, whole | 8 | 149 |
| Milk, 2 percent | 8 | 122 |
| Milk, nonfat | 8 | 86 |
| Fruit juice, frozen concentrate | 8 | 114 |
| Fruit drinks | 8 | 134 |
| Regular soda | 12 | 150 |
| Diet soda with aspartame | 12 | 4 |
| Regular Beer | 12 | 146 |
| Wine | 3.5 | 72 |
Source: Bowes & Church's Food Values of Portions Commonly Used, 2004
*Note: When several kinds were available, the average value was used. Actual calories may vary by brand.
