Food and drinks

Calories in drinks

Drinks are the most commonly forgotten item in a food diary. A glass of juice at breakfast, a latte on the way to work and a soft drink with lunch easily add 400–500 kcal – while you feel you 'hardly ate anything'.

Updated 29 October 2026 · 6 min read

In short

A glass of orange juice (250 ml) has about 120 kcal, half a litre of soft drink around 240 kcal.
A latte with whole milk and two teaspoons of sugar has about 185 kcal.
Liquid calories fill you up less than the same calories in solid food.
Water, black coffee and unsweetened tea are practically calorie-free.

Calories in common drinks

Values are calculated from the USDA database (for drinks roughly 1 ml ≈ 1 g; milk is slightly heavier). Individual products vary – the exact number is on the label.

Common drinks (USDA, approximate)
Drink	Amount	kcal
Orange juice	250 ml	≈ 120
Apple juice	250 ml	≈ 125
Sweetened soft drink (orange)	500 ml	≈ 240
Whole milk (3.25 %)	250 ml	≈ 155
Reduced-fat milk (2 %)	250 ml	≈ 130
Latte (250 ml whole milk + 2 tsp sugar)	1 cup	≈ 185
Smoothie: banana, juice, Greek yogurt	≈ 420 ml	≈ 295
Black coffee, unsweetened tea, water	any	≈ 0–5

Beer and wine are covered in our separate guide on alcohol – half a litre of beer has around 215 kcal.

Why liquid calories are tricky

In a classic experiment people received the same amount of energy once as solid food and once as a drink. With the drink they ate more during the day and total intake went up – the body does not 'register' liquid calories the way it registers food. The World Health Organization therefore recommends keeping free sugars, including the sugars in juices and soft drinks, below 10 % of daily intake.

Smoothies: healthy but calorie-dense

A homemade smoothie with banana (120 g), orange juice (200 ml) and Greek yogurt (100 g) has about 295 kcal – as much as a small lunch. That is not a bad meal, but it is a meal, not a drink with a meal. Log it as a recipe with its ingredients and save it so next time it takes one tap.

What about diet drinks?

Drinks with sweeteners have practically zero calories, so swapping a regular soft drink for a 'zero' version makes a deficit easier. However, in 2023 the WHO advised against using non-sugar sweeteners as a tool for long-term weight control, because long-term benefit is not convincing. Water, sparkling water, tea and coffee without sugar remain the best choice.

How not to forget drinks

Log the drink together with the meal – breakfast and juice, lunch and soft drink.
Save your coffee as your own meal ('my latte': milk + sugar) – one tap is enough.
Watch the millilitres: a glass at home often holds 300 ml, not 200.
Sugar and syrup in coffee count: a teaspoon of sugar (4 g) has about 15 kcal.

Frequently asked questions

How many calories are in a glass of orange juice?

Orange juice has about 46 kcal per 100 ml, so a 250 ml glass has around 120 kcal.

Do smoothies have a lot of calories?

It depends on the ingredients. A smoothie with banana, juice and Greek yogurt has about 295 kcal – similar to a small meal. Log it as a meal, not as a drink.

Do calories in coffee count?

Black coffee has practically zero calories. Milk, cream, sugar and syrups add calories – a latte with whole milk and two teaspoons of sugar has about 185 kcal.

Sources

This guide is general information for healthy adults, not medical advice. If you are pregnant, breastfeeding, have or have had an eating disorder, or need a therapeutic diet, talk to a doctor or registered dietitian.