What could be better than an ice cold drink in the hot summer months? Or how about a steaming cup of coffee or tea when the north winds bring us snow and ice? We live in a culture with an endless number of appealing beverage choices. Are you paying attention to the calories? They can quickly add up! Having a sense of what choices to make will help you manage your calorie intake.

You may want to take a moment and read an article I posted earlier on how beverages are quite literally making people fat. (The Calories You Drink May Be Making You Fat!) Beverages may account for more hidden calories than anything we eat.

Fortunately there is a place for healthy beverages in a low calorie diet. What is important to keep in mind is the need to choose low fat and unsweetened or at least minimally sweetened whenever possible.

Coffee and tea offer many benefits in the way of antioxidants. But you’ll want to watch the sugar. Whether or not to use low calorie or calorie-free sweeteners is a personal choice. I prefer not to use any because I have doubts about their long-term safety but many health professionals would disagree with my position. I also don’t like the flavor some sweeteners impart. The ultimate decision is yours. Something else to keep in mind is whether or not caffeine is a good choice for you. (To learn more about the health benefits and drawbacks to caffeine read: “Caffeine: the good, the bad, and the maybe“.

Low fat milk can be a good source of much needed calcium, protein, and other vitamins and minerals but it is not the only choice. Consider soy milk, nut-based milk (such as almond), rice or other grain-based milk. However, the nutrient content of non-dairy milks will not be as good as cow’s milk unless you pick brands that are fortified with calcium and other nutrients. Soy milk has about the same or slightly less protein than cow’s milk. Rice and other grain-based milks typically have little protein.

If you would like to read more about the health benefits, nutrition, and availability of non-dairy milk, I recommend a detailed and informative article written by dietitian and vegan, Stephanie Gall. (Vegetarian Journal, Jan-March, 2008)

Although fruit juice offers nutritional benefits, I recommend limiting the amount of fruit juice you drink. You’ll get more fiber and other nutrients by eating fresh fruit. (You still need to watch the calories. Read Low Calorie Fruits: 100 Calories or Less)
In addition, fruit may give you more of a sense of fullness and satisfaction then fruit juice. This relates to the difference in the way our bodies have evolved to perceive the calories in food versus the calories in beverages

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My list of beverage choices for 100 calories or less is by no means exhaustive or necessarily accurate for the beverages you purchase. Make it a habit to check the nutrition labels for the products you buy from the store. Ask for the nutrition information on menu choices when you visit a coffee shop. I believe most chain restaurants are required by law to have that information available for customers. However, you won’t find it to be on the menu boards unless you’re at a chain restaurant and happen to be in New York City (Calorie, Weight, and Restaurants, summer 2008).

In general, when you are watching your calorie intake, you will want to avoid frapuccinos, mocha lattes, and steamers. Ask for the lists and take a look yourself. I think you will be just as shocked as I am each time I look at the actual calorie counts.

Keeping track of beverage calories will go a long way with your efforts to lose weight or maintain weight loss.

Beverages: 100 calories or less*

WATER 0 calories

Reduced-fat milk (2%) 1/2 cup 60 calories
Low-fat milk (1%) 1/2 cup 50
Fat-free milk (skim) 1 cup 90 calories (80-90 calories)
Rice milk (fat-free) 1 cup 80
Almond milk (regular, plain) 1 cup 70
Soy milk 1 cup 100 (Soy Dream soy milk)
Buttermilk, cultured lowfat 1 cup 98

Cafe latte (with skim milk, unsweetened) 1 cup 80
Coffee, brewed and unsweetened 1 cup 5
Tea, brewed and unsweetened 1 cup 5
Rice milk iced latte 12 oz. 80
Rice milk latte 6 oz. 60
Soy milk chai latte 12 oz. 100 (Dunn Brothers Coffee)
Soy milk iced latte 12 oz. 70
Iced Green Tea Latte (with soy milk) 12 oz 90

Grape Juice 1/2 cup 75
Orange Juice 1/2 cup 55
Pineapple Juice 1/2 cup 70
Tomato Juice 1 cup 50
Vegetable Juice (V8) 1 cup 50

*The calorie counts will vary for some of these beverages (each brand will differ slightly in calorie counts and nutrients based on ingredients and fortification levels)

I happened to be visiting New York City in early July. A friend and I walked everywhere! By mid-afternoon, we were tired and hoped to find a local coffee shop but weren’t having much luck. So we settled on getting something from Starbucks. It may not have been our first choice but hey, it was hot, and we were thirsty as well as tired.

We approached the counter to place an order. I was startled to see the calorie counts listed on the menu board for each item! Wow! I was impressed.

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You see, I had forgotten that New York City had passed a regulation requiring chain restaurants to make available the calorie content of the food they offer right on the menu. I thought to myself “What a relief! I don’t have to guess the calorie count or opt for a sure winner with something like plain tea or coffee with no sweetener.”

For anyone who is serious about keeping calorie counts under control this is a real blessing. However, will knowing the calorie count of foods make you change your habits?

When you purchase food from the grocery store to cook or prepare at home, many of the products have mandatory FDA nutrition labels. But not everyone takes the time to actually read those labels and act on the information provided. Still it is there and we do have a choice.

That hasn’t been true for restaurants until the recent change in New York City and even then, only for restaurants with more than 15 chains. Evidently there are similar calorie labeling laws scheduled to go into effect sometime later this year for a few other places such as Seattle, San Francisco, and Santa Clara. Quite a number of other cities, counties, and states are working to pass such legislation.

Will knowing calorie counts make a difference?

After the changes took effect in New York City, many people were shocked to learn the calorie counts of some of their favorite foods and drinks. Evidently some people have been motivated to make better choices whereas others have been annoyed or even angered.

I believe we should be informed right up front. Then we can make a choice as to whether or not we want to take the information into account when making our selections. The reason I feel so strongly about this is because studies have shown that people can underestimate the calorie count of the food they eat by as much as 50%, especially when it is perceived as being healthy food.

Unfortunately, the calorie labeling will not apply to all restaurants. And meals ordered at sit-down or family style restaurants often have more calories than typical takeout fast food. Why? Food is often served on very large plates making the portion sizes unreasonably big.

As hard as it is, your best bet is to get a sense of which restaurants serve healthy foodand then know about how many calories are in a serving before you head out to eat. The only way to do this, in most cities at this time, is to check the calorie counts for those restaurants that have the information available online.

Another issue to keep in mind even when calorie counts are provided is whether or not the counts are accurate. I was surprised to read that the Scripps Howard News Service tested the calorie and nutrient count of the food served in a number of chain restaurants and learned that the information consumers are provided can be significantly off.

The restaurant chains may be doing their best to comply with a standard method of preparation to assure uniformity in calorie and nutrient count. However, no two meals will be prepared in exactly the same way or will have portions exactly the same size. Add to that, the tendency for consumers to customize the food they order and you have a real dilemma.

The only solution that I can see is to gain a sense of how much is enough. This means knowing what is enough with respect to the amount (portion size) but also, and just as importantly, eating slowly and mindfully so that you are aware of when you have eaten enough. All too often portion size has little to do with the number of calories in a dish.

Many prepared foods have “hidden” calories. But that’s a subject for a post on another day. Let me know what you think about having the calorie count listed on the menu boards at chain restaurants. Do you like the idea or not? Do you have thoughts about how it might be handled differently?