Calories in drinks
Non-alcoholic drinks range from essentially zero kilojoules (black coffee, plain tea, diet cola) to roughly 25–75 kcal per 100 ml for milky coffees, juice, regular soft drinks, energy drinks and hot chocolate. Because drinks are consumed in large volumes, a single can or large coffee can carry more energy than a piece of fruit.
Typical traits of drinks
- Coffee and tea are nearly calorie-free. Their energy comes from milk, sugar and syrups added to them.
- Sugary drinks are pure carbohydrate. Regular soft drinks, juices and energy drinks get virtually all their energy from sugar.
- Volume multiplies small numbers. 45 kcal per 100 ml becomes about 160 kcal in a 355 ml can or about 270 kcal in a 600 ml bottle.
- Sports drinks have a purpose. Their sugar and sodium help during long, intense exercise but add energy at other times.
- Branded figures vary by country. Recipes differ between markets, so check your local label for soft drinks and energy drinks.
Where the energy comes from
Averaged across the 13 drinks below, most of the energy comes from carbohydrate. The bar shows the average share contributed by each macronutrient (4 kcal per gram for protein and carbohydrate, 9 for fat, 7 for alcohol).
Top 5 rankings
The highest and lowest drinks for the figures people compare most. Every name links to the full nutrition breakdown.
Highest in calories
per 100 g
- Hot chocolate72 kcal
- Apple juice46 kcal
- Red Bull46 kcal
- Orange juice45 kcal
- Coca-Cola39 kcal
Calorie table: all 13 drinks
Energy in kcal and kJ with protein, carbohydrate, fat and sugars. Lowest: Diet Coke at 0 kcal; highest: Hot chocolate at 72 kcal per 100 g.
| Food | kcal | kJ | Protein g | Carbs g | Fat g | Sugars g |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apple juice Bottled, unsweetened | 46 | 192 | 0.1 | 11.3 | 0.1 | 9.6 |
| Cappuccino Made with whole milk | 27 | 113 | 1.7 | 2.8 | 1 | 2.5 |
| Coca-Cola brand Coca-Cola Original (US label) per 100 ml | 39 | 163 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Coconut water Ready-to-drink, unsweetened | 18 | 75 | 0.2 | 4.2 | 0 | 3.9 |
| Coffee Brewed, black | 1 | 4 | 0.1 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Diet Coke brand Coca-Cola, sugar-free cola (US label) per 100 ml | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Gatorade brand Thirst Quencher, lemon-lime (US label) per 100 ml | 24 | 100 | 0 | 6.1 | 0 | 5.8 |
| Green tea Brewed | 1 | 4 | 0.2 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Hot chocolate As typically prepared (USDA average) | 72 | 301 | 1.8 | 13.9 | 1 | 12 |
| Orange juice Fresh (raw) | 45 | 188 | 0.7 | 10.4 | 0.2 | 8.4 |
| Red Bull brand Energy drink, original (UK/EU label) per 100 ml | 46 | 192 | 0 | 11 | 0 | 11 |
| Sprite brand Lemon-lime soft drink (US label) per 100 ml | 39 | 163 | 0 | 10.7 | 0 | 10.7 |
| Tea Black, brewed, no milk | 1 | 4 | 0 | 0.3 | 0 | 0 |
Other food categories
- Fruit · 87 kcal avg
- Vegetables · 44 kcal avg
- Beans, lentils & soy · 135 kcal avg
- Grains, bread & pasta · 256 kcal avg
- Nuts & seeds · 601 kcal avg
- Dairy, eggs & alternatives · 200 kcal avg
- Meat & poultry · 237 kcal avg
- Fish & seafood · 137 kcal avg
- Oils, sauces & condiments · 276 kcal avg
- Sweets & snacks · 410 kcal avg
- Alcoholic drinks · 148 kcal avg
To compare categories side by side, see the energy density chart on the food index. To convert any figure between units, use the kilojoule and calorie converter.
Source: USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy and FNDDS); branded products from the manufacturer's label. Values are averages; individual samples vary.