Watch out - that sneaky coffee or juice packs a lot of kilojoules.
Drinks hydrate the body, but many of us drink with no thought about how much energy (that is, kilojoules) we're pouring down our throat. If you are trying to lose or maintain your weight it is worth knowing that studies have shown people feel less satisfied by consuming energy in liquid form compared with a solid meal. It's worth considering how much energy you are consuming in your favourite drink.
It's a creamy treat on a cold day, but a large mug of hot chocolate contains a lot of kilojoules. In fact, made with full-fat milk, a large hot chocolate has as many kilojoules as most light meals.
Fresh orange juice is a good source of vitamin C, but it takes a lot of oranges to make 400ml of juice. The juice contains a lot of natural sugar and very little fibre. If you are watching your weight, eating one orange is a better choice.
Even without adding sugar, a 400ml full-fat latte adds a whopping 940kJ to your daily energy intake. You do the maths. Drink two and almost 30 per cent of your daily energy intake will be spent on drinking coffee.
There is a similar number of kilojoules in this as in a glass of Ribena, but this is far more nutritious. It lacks the fibre of the whole foods but is still full of vitamins and antioxidants, which make it a healthy choice.
As well as containing a lot of kilojoules, most iced coffees from chain coffee outlets are sold in sizes much bigger than this glass. Even without the whipped cream, this one is best avoided.
Made with half a mango, low-fat natural yoghurt and skim milk, a mango smoothie is a good choice. Low-fat dairy is a good source of protein and calcium and mango is a source of beta-carotene and fibre.
Three tablespoons or 60ml of Ribena mixed with water in a 400ml glass adds an easy 504kJ to your daily energy intake, so watch how much cordial you pour into the glass before you add water. Better still, drink water and snack on blueberries.
Made with low-fat milk, a cup of tea, with its natural antioxidants, is a delightful pick-me-up during the day. Just remember that tea, like coffee, contains caffeine, so limit your intake to no more than three cups a day.
A 400ml glass filled with Coke and ice on a hot day may be just what you feel like to cool you down, but there's not much in it other than sugar and kilojoules. If you drink a big bottle (600ml), you add an extra 350kJ to your daily intake.
Every now and then it's a treat for kids to have cordial instead of water. Adding soda or mineral water gives it bubbles and allows you to control how much cordial they have. Three tablespoons (60ml) is the equivalent of 373kJ.
Judy Davie is the author and co-author of the books, The Food Coach Recipe Book (Penguin), Read The Label (Random House) and Star Foods (ABC Books). Visit www.thefoodcoach.com.au.