Giving up on drinks and cocktails is probably the hardest thing to do when you are dieting. And then how can you go to your best bud’s place for a party and not drink anything? Here is a look at the different cocktails with respect to the calories they contain.
For the connoisseurs of alcohol, calories hardly matter! But for those who are calorie conscious, the amount of calories going in their body with each sip becomes a major issue! One of the most difficult things for people to give up on when they go on a diet is alcohol! But here is some good news! There is a simple way to restrict the number of calories going into your system when you have a drink; and that is to know how many calories your drink contains to begin with. If you are well-informed about the cocktail you are going to have, you will be sure to select the ‘slimmest’ of the lot.
Calories in Some of the Most Popular Cocktails:
These are cocktails that people usually love to have. They are the most famous, the most liked of the lot. Here is a calorie break up of some of the most popular cocktails. However, I know very well how much it hurts to give up on something you like so much! Hence, also find some easy ways to slim down your drink.
Long Island Iced Tea
Ingredients: triple sec, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, sweet and sour mix and coke
Calories per 100 ml: 180
Slim It Down: Skip the coke. Most bartenders and enthusiasts say it’s unnecessary. If you must have it, then opt for Diet Coke in place of the regular one.
Bloody Mary
Ingredients: vodka, lemon juice, tomato juice and Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces
Calories per 100 ml: 86
Slim It Down: Opt for sugar-free tomato juice, if you are using packaged tomato juice. At the bar, ask for freshly squeezed tomato juice.
Mojito
Ingredients: rum, lime juice, sugar, mint leaves and soda
Calories per 100 ml: 133
Slim It Down: Avoid sugar. If you cannot have your Mojito without sugar, replace the sugar with artificial sweeteners, like Splenda.
Margarita
Ingredients: triple sec, tequila and lime juice
Calories per 100 ml: 190
Slim It Down: One of the least calorie-heavy substitute for a Margarita is the Corazon Blanco tequila. Have it with a splash of lemon.
White Russian
Ingredients: vodka, coffee liqueur and cream
Calories per 100 ml: 150
Slim It Down: If you are trying to shed some kilos, there is only one real suggestion I can give – stay away altogether from such cocktails!
Cosmopolitan
Ingredients: vodka, triple sec, lime juice and cranberry juice
Calories per 100 ml: 177
Slim It Down: Insist on diet cranberry juice. Also insist on fresh lime juice. If it is unavailable, ask the bartender to add Splenda in place of syrup.
Pina Colada
Ingredients: coconut milk, pineapple juice and rum
Calories per 100 ml: 120
Slim It Down: Replace the pineapple juice with crushed fresh pineapples. Packaged pineapple juice has a lot of added sugar that you can skip out, and use fresh pineapples instead.
Mai Tai
Ingredients: curacao, rum, lime juice, almond cream and sugar syrup
Calories per 100 ml: 166
Slim It Down: Skip the sugar syrup, go for Splenda instead. Lime juice also must be fresh. Do not go with sweet and sour mix as it usually has a lot of added sugar.
Other fattening cocktails include Champagne Cocktail (250 calories), Fog Cutter (225 calories), Irish Cream (320 calories), Zombie (260 calories), Tequila Sunrise (220 calories), etc.
Playing Bartender? BEWARE!
Many people who like to drink also like to mix their own drinks. People like to welcome friends and relatives to a nice house party with an absolutely new drink. If you are one of those people, you are going to want to know these few tips. While experimenting at the bar and trying to come up with your own new cocktail recipe, try to keep the following few pointers in mind.
- Know the amount of calories in the alcohol that is going to form the base of your cocktail. Choose low calorie alcohols.
- Make sure you choose low calorie additives.
- A good way to learn about calories in fruit juices and other additives would be to check on the packaging; nutritional facts for different packaged foods are usually mentioned on the cartons.
- Avoid using sugar or sugar syrups. You can instead use Splenda or other artificial sweeteners.
- Prefer using club soda over tonic water.
- Prefer using fresh fruit juices over packaged ones while making fruity cocktails. Packaged fruit juices have a lot of added sugar.
I hope you now have a clear idea about which drinks to avoid while dieting! Even otherwise, you can opt to order low calorie drinks at the bar next time you head out with your friends. Alcohol contributes ’empty calories’ to the body; something you absolutely don’t need! Choose wisely, and have a good time!