Most of us don’t give much thought to what we drink, but knowing what’s in our beverages is just as important as knowing what’s in our food. Some beverages can add loads of unwanted kilojoules and sugar to your daily intake. Packaging sizes of most cool drinks and juices are also generally large, meaning that even one bottle can contain a hefty amount of kilojoules.

Useful Info About Beverages

Milk Versus Juice
Did you know that a glass of juice contains more kilojoules than a glass of fat-free milk? Even a glass of low-fat milk only has about 40 kilojoules more than a glass of fruit juice, which has about 500 kilojoules. Juice contains mostly sugar and some vitamins while milk has more nutrients such as protein, potassium, calcium and Vitamin D. Diluting juice with plain or soda water will give you the fluid and flavour with fewer kilojoules.

Bottled Water
Bottled water is all around us – there’s mineral water, sparkling water, tonic water and flavoured water. But all bottled waters are not equal. Plain bottled water is kilojoule-free, while some flavoured waters are made with water and real juice and sugar. Other flavoured waters are sweetened with artificial sweeteners and contain little or no juice. Tonic water has a similar amount of kilojoules to average fizzy drinks, like coke. So, always read the label and check the ingredient list.

Bottom Line: Focus on plain water first. When purchasing a beverage, check the nutrition info. Drink water or bring your own drink to work instead of having to choose one from a vending machine with a limited choice. This will save your wallet and your waistline.