While using a drive-through at a local fast-food franchise, I asked for the calorie content of a new blended coffee drink. The startled voice from the speaker said, ``I wouldn't know about that.''

It was more than professional curiosity. If you don't pay attention to calories, it is possible to slurp up a lot of them. Even with the best intentions, mistakes are made. A friend proudly showed me her new ''healthy'' alternative to soda. It had the same calories as a soda, but the source was fruit juice concentrate instead of white granulated sugar. The drink was flavorful and had a slight nutritional advantage over soda, but a few bottles a day could lead to a few extra pounds a month.

Research published in the April issue of The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition examined the relationship between beverages and weight. The study, conducted at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, showed that liquid calorie intake had a stronger impact on weight loss than solid calorie intake. This means that cutting back on one sugary drink each day could produce more weight loss than eliminating the same amount of calories from food.

Public policy aimed at reducing intake of sugary drinks is not extreme, considering some predictions that 75 percent of Americans will be overweight or obese by 2015.

Sixteen ounces of soda has about 200 sugar calories; some large and elaborate coffee beverages come in close to 700 calories. That's the equivalent of a big meal. And energy and sports drinks are loaded with sugar.

So read the nutrition facts label carefully. If your pants are getting tighter, it might be time to examine what you are drinking. In the meantime, water remains the best beverage for hydration and health.

Sheah Rarback is a registered dietitian and on the faculty of the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. Her column runs every other week.

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