Liquid calories are not as satisfying as solid food and they generally lack any nutritional value . 75 percent of U.S. adults are projected to be overweight or obese by 2015 , according to researchers . Americans consume anywhere from 150 to 300 more calories than they did three decades ago and half of those calories come from liquid . A new study out of John Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health finds that reducing liquid calories , especially from sugar-sweetened drinks such as punches , fruit juices and sodas , helps people lose weight and keep it off . Question : Why the emphasis on liquid calories ? Americans consume more liquid calories now than they ever have before . But unlike calories from solid food , it 's much harder for people to track how many calories they consume from drinking . The human body 's systems for regulating hunger and food intake are complex . But scientists do know that the lack of physiological and environmental cues associated with drinking , like not having to chew or prepare a drink like you prepare a meal , play a role . For these reasons , liquid calories do n't keep a person full and they are not as satisfying as solid food . They are usually `` empty calories '' as well because they generally lack any nutritional value . Watch more on the dangers of sweetened drinks » . Question : Are healthy drinks like smoothies and teas a better option when trying to lose weight ? Not really . As one dietitian CNN spoke to phrased it , `` A calorie is a calorie is a calorie , no matter where it comes from . '' Many of the `` healthy '' drinks on the market today are loaded with sugar and various sweeteners . Drinking a 16-ounce fruit smoothie may seem like a healthy choice but it could have almost 300 calories in it that you might not account for somewhere else in your diet . Teas , fruit juices , shakes and fortified waters are all great examples of seemingly healthy drinks that can be loaded with calories .
75 percent of U.S. adults are projected to be overweight or obese by 2015 . Americans consume 150 to 300 more calories a day than 30 years ago . Liquid calories are hard to keep track of , are n't as filling as regular food . Cutting out 150 calories every day could save you from gaining 15 pounds a year . Comment: Reducing liquid calorie intake , especially of sugar-sweetened drinks , leads to greater weight loss success .