Monday's a good day to start counting the calories you consume from beverages, too.

When you're trying to cut calories, the spotlight glares usually on food, but what you drink also boosts your daily caloric intake.

And get a load of this: you may not know by how much.

Most people try to reduce their calorie intake by focusing on food, but another way to cut calories may be to think about what you drink.

During the past several years, caloric consumption for the typical American has shot up by 150 to 300 calories a day—and half comes from beverages. Simultaneously, the average portion size for a soft drink has grown by more than 50 percent, from 13 ounces to nearly 20 ounces.

The calories add up

Nutritionists say that compared to beverages, food seemingly provides more of that full feeling, which signals the brain to stop eating. What's more, you can gulp down larger amounts of calorie-dense beverages than to eat larger portions of calorie-dense foods.

And compounding the problem is that many people consider beverages a separate category that does not “count” in the same way as food.

As you can see, calories from drinks can really add up. Consider:

•  16-ounce café latte with whole milk – 265 calories;

•  20-ounce bottle of non-diet cola – 227 calories;

•  Sweetened lemon iced tea from vending machine – 180 calories;

•  12-ounce, non-diet ginger ale – 124 calories

Punch, juice, and sports drinks 

And all of those drinks total nearly 800 calories in one single day. But subbing no- or low-calorie drinks could slash about 650 calories from your daily beverage calorie count.

Here are some other examples for 12 ounces of some of the most popular liquids:

•  Fruit punch – 192 calories

•  100% apple juice – 192 calories

•  100% orange juice – 168 calories

•  Lemonade – 168 calories

•  Regular lemon/lime soda – 148 calories

•  Regular cola – 136 calories

•  Sweetened, bottled iced tea – 135 calories (unsweetened – 2 calories)

•  Sports drink – 99 calories

•  Fitness water – 18 calories

The smartest plan is to simply limit your intake of high-calorie beverages, but also avoid artificially sweetened drinks. Water is always the best option. Aim to drink at least eight 8-ounce glasses of water a day.

Try these eight tips for making better beverage choices.

Ttry these four beverages that health experts say are good for your heart.

Check these out:

•  Nubella's 6,000-plus Recipe Database—find dozens of healthy beverage ideas. And meals, too.

•  Nubella's Recipe Message Board—share your secrets for healthy beverages and get tips.

•  Nubella’s Weight Management Message Board—share your secrets and get tips on winning the battle of the bulge.

•   Water and Unsweetened Coffee, Tea Top List of Beverage 'Pyramid'

•   Filtering the News About Coffee

•   Five Tips to Improve Your Juice IQ

•   Drinking Tea for the Health of It—by Nubella registered dietitian Theresa Stahl

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