Rethink your drink Resources
What you drink makes more of a difference than you think. The information and resources below will help you Rethink Your Drink.
Many people don’t realize just how many calories beverages can contribute to their daily intake, even though calories in beverages are not hidden. As you can see in the example below, calories from drinks can really add up. But there is good news: you and your family have plenty of options for reducing the number of calories in what you drink.
| Occasion | Instead of… | Calories | Try… | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Morning coffee shop run | Medium café latte (16 ounces) made with whole milk | 265 | Small café latte (12 ounces) made with fat-free milk | 125 |
| Lunchtime combo meal | 20-oz. bottle of nondiet cola with your lunch | 227 | Bottle of water or diet soda | 0 |
| Afternoon break | Sweetened lemon iced tea from the vending machine (16 ounces) | 180 | Sparkling water with natural lemon flavor (not sweetened) | 0 |
| Dinnertime | A glass of nondiet ginger ale with your meal (12 ounces) | 124 | Water with a slice of lemon or lime, or seltzer water with a splash of 100% fruit juice | 0 calories for the water with fruit slice, or about 30 calories for seltzer water with 2 ounces of 100% orange juice. |
| Total beverage calories: | 796 | 125-155 |
(USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference)
In the example above, by drinking no- or low-calorie drinks instead of sugar-loaded beverages throughout the day cuts about 650 calories.
Check the list below to estimate how many calories you typically take in from beverages.
| Type of Beverage | Calories in 12 ounces | Calories in 20 ounces |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit punch | 192 | 320 |
| 100% apple juice | 192 | 300 |
| 100% orange juice | 168 | 280 |
| Lemonade | 168 | 280 |
| Regular lemon/lime soda | 148 | 247 |
| Regular cola | 136 | 227 |
| Sweetened lemon iced tea (bottled, not homemade) | 135 | 225 |
| Tonic water | 124 | 207 |
| Regular ginger ale | 124 | 207 |
| Sports drink | 99 | 165 |
| Fitness water | 18 | 36 |
| Unsweetened iced tea | 2 | 3 |
| Diet soda (with aspartame) | 0* | 0* |
| Carbonated water (unsweetened) | 0 | 0 |
| Water | 0 | 0 |
*Some diet soft drinks can contain a small number of calories that are not listed on the nutrition facts label.
(USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference)
Milk contains vitamins and other nutrients that contribute to good health. Choosing low-fat or fat-free milk is a good way to reduce calorie intake and still get the nutrients that milk contains.
| Type of Milk | Calories per cup (8 ounces) |
|---|---|
| Chocolate milk (whole) | 208 |
| Chocolate milk (2% reduced-fat) | 190 |
| Chocolate milk (1% low-fat) | 158 |
| Whole Milk (unflavored) | 150 |
| 2% reduced-fat milk (unflavored) | 120 |
| 1% low-fat milk (unflavored) | 105 |
| Fat-free milk (unflavored) | 90 |
*Some diet soft drinks can contain a small number of calories that are not listed on the nutrition facts label.
(USDA National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference)
This content was sourced from the CDC .
Resources for organizations
Healthy HotSpot. Eating healthy can be hard with so many unhealthy options available to us, but the places we live, learn worship, play and receive health care can take action to make healthy living easier. Click here to learn more.
Illinois Alliance to Prevent Obesity – Illinois Rethink Your Drink. Help spread the truth about sugar-loaded drinks. Click here for fact sheets and resources.
Resources for individuals and families
Tips from the American Heart Association to Rethink Your Drink. Learn tips on how to switch to healthier drinks that can quench your thirst and still taste good!
How many teaspoons do you and your family consume each day? Find out what the recommended daily intake of sugar is by the American Heart Association. Download the Sugar Sweetened Beverage Handout.