Lena Savoie
Alcoholic drinks are often loaded with calories and added sugars, which can contribute to weight gain and health issues. A standard glass of wine can contain up to 158 calories, and a pint of strong lager can contain up to 222 calories. To support weight loss, individuals can opt for low-calorie alcoholic beverages, such as hard seltzer, vodka soda, or tequila with lime. These drinks have minimal added sugars and can be enhanced with fresh herbs, citrus, or low-calorie mixers. Additionally, individuals can make simple swaps, like choosing diet coke with rum or asking for less sugar in cocktails. It's important to note that alcohol should be consumed in moderation, with guidelines recommending no more than one to two drinks per day.
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What You'll Learn
Low-calorie spirits
As consumers become more health-conscious, there is a growing demand for low-calorie spirits and cocktails. The alcohol industry is adapting to align with this cultural shift, offering a range of low-calorie alcoholic beverages that help individuals maintain a healthy lifestyle while still enjoying their favourite drinks.
When it comes to low-calorie spirits, opting for lighter spirits such as vodka, gin, or tequila is a good idea, as they have fewer calories than their darker counterparts. These spirits can be paired with calorie-free mixers like soda water or club soda, or fresh citrus juices like lime, lemon, or grapefruit juice, to create low-calorie cocktails. For example, a vodka soda, gin and diet tonic, or tequila with lime are all refreshing and low-calorie options.
Another way to create low-calorie cocktails is to use fresh, low-calorie mixers such as herbs, whole fruits, or vegetable blends. For instance, a Skinny Cosmopolitan combines vodka, fresh lime juice, triple sec, and unsweetened or low-calorie cranberry juice for a light and refreshing cocktail. Similarly, a glass of champagne or sparkling wine with a splash of fruit juice can be a tasty and low-calorie option.
It is important to note that cocktails made with simple sugars, soda, juice, cream, or ice cream can have very high-calorie counts. Therefore, when choosing a low-calorie cocktail, it is best to avoid sugary mixers and opt for fresh, low-calorie alternatives. Additionally, paying attention to drink size is crucial, as it directly impacts the caloric content. Asking for extra ice or opting for smaller servings can help reduce calorie intake.
In conclusion, by selecting the right spirits and mixers, health-conscious individuals can enjoy a diverse array of low-calorie cocktails without compromising on flavour or their health goals.
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Low-calorie mixers
When it comes to alcoholic drinks, the calories can add up quickly, especially in mixed drinks. The standard 1.5-ounce serving of 80-proof alcohol has 96 calories, but the mixers, syrups, and sodas can easily turn that into a drink with hundreds of calories. Therefore, choosing low-calorie mixers is a great way to reduce your overall calorie intake while still enjoying your favourite drinks. Here are some tips and suggestions for low-calorie mixers:
Choose Low-Calorie Alternatives
Instead of using high-calorie mixers like regular soda, juice, cream, or syrups, opt for low-calorie alternatives. This includes diet soda, club soda, sparkling water, tonic water, or seltzer water. These mixers have few or no calories while still giving your drink some fizz. For example, you can mix vodka with soda water and a squeeze of fresh lemon or lime for a refreshing, low-calorie cocktail.
Unsweetened Varieties and Fresh Herbs
Another option is to choose unsweetened varieties of mixers like tonic water or soda. You can also enhance the flavour of your drinks with fresh herbs instead of sugar or syrups. For example, muddle some mint leaves with your rum and diet coke for a mojito twist, or add a sprig of rosemary to your vodka soda for a savoury note.
Low-Calorie Juices
While fruit and vegetable juices can be a good choice due to their antioxidants, they can also have a high calorie count. Opt for low-calorie juices like fresh grapefruit juice or a splash of pineapple juice. You can also dilute the juice with sparkling water or soda to reduce the overall calorie count.
Alternate with Non-Alcoholic Drinks
To really cut down on calories, alternate between alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. For example, have a glass of wine or a cocktail, followed by a "mocktail" made with zero-calorie beverages like sparkling water and a twist of lime. This way, you can still enjoy the taste of a mixed drink without all the extra calories.
Watch Your Portions
Finally, remember that even with low-calorie mixers, the calories can add up if you're having multiple drinks. Be mindful of your portions and try to stick to the recommended serving sizes. For example, a standard glass of wine is typically 5 ounces, and a standard beer is usually 12 ounces.
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Low-calorie cocktails
Alcoholic drinks, especially cocktails, can be loaded with calories and added sugars, which can contribute to weight gain and health issues. However, it is possible to enjoy a refreshing cocktail without compromising your health goals by opting for low-calorie options and making conscious choices about ingredients and portions. Here are some tips to create and choose low-calorie cocktails:
Choose Low-Calorie Alcohol Bases
Select spirits with lower calorie content per shot, such as vodka, rum, tequila, whiskey, bourbon, scotch, or gin. These spirits typically have zero grams of carbs and sugar, with vodka and tequila being recommended by dietitians for weight-loss plans.
Opt for Low-Calorie Mixers
Instead of using sugary mixes, syrups, or soda, opt for low-calorie or unsweetened mixers like club soda, tonic water, or selzer water. These options have zero calories and can be enhanced with fresh herbs and citrus juices like lime or lemon for added flavour.
Be Mindful of Portions
When ordering cocktails at a restaurant, ask for extra ice to dilute the drink and make it last longer. Alternatively, opt for smaller servings or "mini-drinks" in smaller glassware. This helps control your intake of calories and alcohol.
Make Simple Swaps
When ordering cocktails, ask for less sugary syrup or simple syrup. For example, you can request a margarita with less agave or a mojito with less sugar. Also, be mindful of juice content, as cocktails with juice can be high in calories. If possible, opt for fresh fruit or muddled fruit and herbs instead of juice to add flavour.
Alternate with Water
To stay within the recommended guidelines of one to two drinks per day and to avoid dehydration, alternate your alcoholic beverages with water. This helps pace your drinking and ensures you stay hydrated, reducing the negative side effects of alcohol.
Make Cocktails at Home
Making cocktails at home gives you complete control over the ingredients and their quantities. You can experiment with low-calorie spirits, mixers, and natural sweeteners like citrus juices or fresh fruit. This way, you can create tasty, low-calorie cocktails that align with your health goals.
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Calorie-free mixers
Soda water is a classic, low-calorie mixer. It pairs well with vodka, rum, mezcal, and tequila. You can also add a lime wedge for extra flavour. If you're a fan of gin, try a Japanese Highball, which is made with soda water.
Tonic water is another option, but be aware that many tonic waters are high in sugar. Look for low-calorie options, such as Q Mixers' Light Tonic Water, which uses erythritol instead of sugar.
If you're looking for a sweeter mixer, there are zero-calorie options like Swoon Cocktail Mixer Variety Pack, which includes Cucumber Mint, Ginger Lime, and Margarita flavours. These mixers are keto-friendly and sugar-free.
For a fruity option, try Avec Drinks' Spiced Mango and Passionfruit Mixer. It's alcohol-free and low in sugar, and it pairs well with tequila, mezcal, and rum.
Finally, sparkling water or seltzer are great low-calorie alternatives to mixers. They can be used to dilute your drink and make it last longer without adding extra calories.
Remember, even with calorie-free mixers, alcohol should be consumed in moderation as part of a balanced diet.
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Alcohol percentage
Alcoholic drinks contain a lot of calories, with 7 calories per gram, almost as many as a gram of fat. This is because alcohol is produced by fermenting and distilling natural starch and sugar.
The number of calories in alcoholic drinks varies depending on the brand, ingredients, and how it is made. Cocktails, for example, can contain extra calories from added sugars and mixers, such as soda, juice, cream, or ice cream. A standard glass of wine can contain up to 158 calories, and some pints of stronger lager can contain up to 222 calories. A 12-ounce serving of regular beer is usually about 5% alcohol and contains around 153 calories. A 5-ounce glass of wine, typically about 12% alcohol, contains about 123 calories. A 1.5-ounce shot of distilled spirits, at about 40% alcohol, contains around 97-110 calories.
Hard seltzer, a combination of seltzer water and alcohol made from fermented cane sugar, is a low-calorie alternative to cocktails, beers, and mixed drinks. A 12-ounce serving of mango hard seltzer contains just 65 calories per ounce of vodka. Light beer is also a good choice, with fewer calories and a lower alcohol content than regular beer.
To reduce the calorie content of alcoholic drinks, opt for low-calorie mixers such as club soda, diet coke, or tonic water, or use fresh herbs and fruit to add flavour.
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Frequently asked questions
Some alcoholic drinks that are low in calories include vodka, tequila, whiskey, rum, gin, and champagne.
To make cocktails lower in calories, you can use fresh herbs, low-calorie mixers, or unsweetened varieties of mixers like soda or tonic water. You can also adjust the ratio of ingredients by using more ice, sparkling water, or seltzer and less soda or juice.
Alcoholic drinks that are low in calories typically have little to no added sugar. You can check the nutrition facts label on bottles and cans of alcohol to see the calorie content.
Alcohol is a toxin and inflammatory substance for our bodies, and our bodies cannot store alcohol. When we drink, our bodies burn alcohol first as a fuel source, which can contribute to weight gain. Regularly consuming alcoholic drinks that are sugary and/or high-calorie can also slow down weight loss.
