Hidden calories in drinks

Drinks do not fill you up the way food does, so their calories slip in unnoticed. Cutting sugary drinks is often the fastest win.

Typical numbers

• Large milk tea with pearls — about 350 kcal
• Caramel blended coffee, large — about 380 kcal
• Can of cola — about 140 kcal
• 3-in-1 coffee sachet — about 110 kcal (three a day is 330 kcal)
• Bottle of beer — about 145 kcal; a strong 500 ml bottle about 300 kcal

Easy swaps

• Order milk tea at 25% sugar without pearls, or switch to unsweetened tea.
• Black coffee or coffee with a little milk instead of 3-in-1.
• Water with calamansi, cucumber or lemon instead of juice.
• Coconut water (buko juice) has only about 45 kcal a glass.

Two sweet drinks a day is easily 500 kcal. Dropping them is about half a kilo a week on its own.

All tips