Drinks High in Calories Drinks High in Calories

Drinks High in Calories

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A-Z of Symptoms

Drinks High in Calories

Nourishing drinks can be just as nutritious as food but are often easier to manage.

Taking drinks that are high in energy and protein can be an effective way to get the nourishment that your body needs if you have difficulty eating and drinking enough to maintain your weight. They can also a helpful addition to your diet to help you to gain weight if your body mass index (BMI) is out-with the healthy range.

Eating can be difficult when you have

  • Changes to dentition
  • Reduction in appetite resulting in smaller meal portions or less snacks
  • Fatigue
  • Sore mouth
  • Difficulty swallowing

Read on to find a selection of nourishing drinks for you to try.

Tips

Fortify your drinks

  • Choose a full-cream milk and use this in tea and coffee
  • Add sugar to coffee or tea
  • Add syrups to coffee or hot milk
Tips

Sweet drinks

  • Hot chocolate - try making it with full-cream milk as an alternative to water for extra calories and protein
  • Smoothie
  • Yoghurt drink
  • Full-sugar fizzy drinks
  • Malted drinks
  • Fruit juice 
Tips

Savoury drinks

  • Milk - choose a full-cream variety for more calories
  • Fortified milk - try mixing dried milk powder with full-cream milk to add extra calories and protein
  • Smoothie with added yoghurt, cream, ice-cream or full-cream milk
  • Packet soup or packet pasta made with full-cream milk as an alternative to water for extra calories and protein
Tips

Vegan or dairy-free options

  • Add pea protein to smoothies
  • Try fruit juice
  • Fruit smoothie - try adding avocado or nut butters
Tips

Tips if you have diabetes and are choosing nourishing drinks

  • Consider the size of your portion - a portion of fruit juice is 150ml
  • Consider the timing of the drinks - take fruit juices close to a meal or with food if possible
  • Add a sweetener to drinks as an alternative to sugar
  • Choose a diet or no sugar alternative to full-sugar fizzy juice or diluting juice
  • Choose cinnamon powder or cocoa powder to add flavour instead of syrups or honey
Tips

I have heartburn or reflux or early satiety/feeling of fullness

If you are choosing fizzy drinks you may prefer to stir out the fizz from these to avoid worsening symptoms