Written by Courtney Human RD(SA)

Is it just me or does the cold weather just get the appetite raging. Not even for food but just endless warm beverages… water just doesn’t seem to do the trick. Only a hot choccie, dirty chai or five roses tea with milk and a sweetener of course hits the spot for me. Okay fine and Glühwein if you are offering. In Summer I couldn’t be bothered. I have fallen for the ‘Winter Warmer Trap’. Innocent cozy sips become sneaky calorie bombs replacing nutrient dense meals, wholesome snacks and water intake. Overall, impacting your energy, muscle mass, and gut health more than you may think.

While there’s nothing wrong with a cuppa, it’s never just one, is it? It’s astonishingly easy to drink your meals in Winter. Think about it. When you eat something, your brain gets signals that tell you you’ve consumed food. But with liquids you sip it down, feel a momentary warmth, and then… poof! It’s gone.  Your stomach isn’t quite convinced it’s had a substantial contribution, and then we have another one… and another one. Until the whole day has passed, and there has been no appetite for actual food. You fill up on these empty calories that lack adequate fibre, protein or nutrients to fuel your body. Then you have low energy levels, get home, cozy up in bed and… yes, you guessed it. Make yourself ANOTHER warm beverage … maybe with a rusk or bickie this time.

On the contrary, you may be noticing you are eating exactly the same, exercising the same but are finding you fit a little more snugly in your clothes. Some people don’t even consider the calories of the beverages they are drinking. But boy do they count, and those sneaky buggers add up. But the drink alone doesn’t fill the gap, so the snacks and meals continue as per usual to actually fill you. Consider a balanced snack: a small apple (approx. 80 calories) and 10 almonds (approx. 100 calories) offer 180 calories of fibre, vitamins, and healthy fats, promoting fullness. Compare this to a medium cappuccino with full-cream milk as a standard (150-200 calories). The latter provides a caffeine and sugar rush, but less sustained energy and satiety. You’re likely to be rummaging for something else within the hour. But let me not ruin your daily cuppa completely. Let’s get into some specific swap outs.

Starting with the instant sachet sabotage VS the home-brewed hero. Oh, instant cappuccino sachets. The epitome of convenience! But these little packets of joy are often laden with sugar, vegetable oils and milk solids. A full-sugar instant cappuccino sachet can have 100-150 calories. A homemade cappuccino using espresso and 1/2 cup skim milk or unsweetened almond milk will be 20-50 calories. See the difference? Many brands also offer “reduced sugar” or “lite” versions, which are a step in the right direction but always check the label.

A standard hot chocolate can easily be over 200 calories, depending on milk type, sugar, and toppings. Typically, hot chocolate powders have between 2-4 teaspoons of sugar per serving. NOMU Skinny Hot Chocolate, however, is a lower-calorie option that with a dash of fat free milk and hot water you can enjoy for a literal 10^th of the calories. Or if you want to be fancier pour a cup of milk into a saucepan ~ fat-free if you want the least calories, full cream if you want the most joy ~ then whisk in 1 tablespoon of cocoa powder and a 1 teaspoon of sugar until fully dissolved, warm to the desired temperature and thank me later.  Matcha lattes have also gained popularity. While matcha powder itself is low in calories (approx. 5 calories per teaspoon), the lekker I mean latte part can be a calorie culprit (approx. 220).

Another common winter misstep is letting your winter warmers hijack your hydration. While coffee and tea (not herbal) do contribute to your fluid intake, they are not a substitute for water with added calories and caffeine. Caffeine is a mild diuretic, and it dehydrates you indirectly as you are less likely to drink water simultaneously or right after. Remember, you can also mistake thirst for hunger. So, for every cup of coffee or tea, try to balance it out with a glass of water.

Here are my dietitian-approved tips for sipping wisely:

1. Embrace Herbal Teas: Find one you enjoy or get a variety of them to adventure with. Keep refilling your teapot or cup with hot water. Most are calorie and caffeine free counting as water!
2. Go Skinny or Plant-Based for Your Milky Fix: A small, “skinny” cappuccino with a touch of sweetener is a far cry from a large, full-cream, syrup-laden latte.
3. Sweetener Savvy: If you need a little sweetness, reach for non-nutritive sweeteners like stevia, erythritol, or sucralose. Sparingly though, as over-reliance can sometimes perpetuate a sweet tooth.
4. Flavour with Purpose: Instead of sugary syrups, try adding natural flavours. A cinnamon stick, a slice of fresh ginger, a squeeze of lemon, or a few drops of vanilla extract to elevate your drink.
5. Be Your Own Barista: Making your own drinks gives you complete control over the ingredients.
6. Mindful Consumption: Before you reach for that next hot drink, ask yourself: Am I truly thirsty, or am I just cold? Am I looking for comfort, or am I genuinely hungry? Sometimes, a warm blanket and a good book are all you need!

You might consume the same calorie count by drinking beverages as you would by eating food, avoiding weight gain. However, a diet high in liquid calories from sugary drinks and excessive coffee/tea, especially when replacing nutrient-dense foods, carries significant health risk such as reduced energy, muscle mass losses, gut deterioration and nutrient deficiencies.

Cold truths aside, teatime doesn’t need to tank your health. Have that hot chocolate with whipped cream, a flake and marshmallows ~ I did. This is simply a reminder to do it mindfully, drinking enough water, and understanding the hidden calories in your favourite beverages so you can sip your way through Winter wisely, feeling warm, energised, and not in a cuppa trouble.