We’re heading into a busy time of the year, filled with parties and hectic schedules, and it can be challenging to stay on-track with your health and wellness goals.
That’s why I created my latest ebook, Healthy & Delicious Holiday Drinks… to help give you a few alternative beverage options that tend to pack in the calories this time of year.
As a general rule, drinking alcohol isn’t always the best thing you can do for your health.
It affects your body so many different ways – not to mention the empty calories, which can add up fast!
But that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy a drink from time-to-time. And when you do decide to have an adult beverage, some decisions are definitely better for you than others.
I’ve got some tips for choosing adult beverages that won’t overload you with calories and will still taste great! Check them out:
Best mixer choices. The basic rule of thumb is to avoid sugary, creamy, or blended drinks whenever possible since the ingredients used to make them can add lots of sugar and unnecessary calories.
For instance, did you know that a can of tonic water contains 130 calories AND 32 grams of sugar?! Meanwhile, seltzer water contains zero calories and zero sugar.
Good mixer options: lemon or lime juice, kombucha, fruit (add watermelon or muddled berries for a taste treat!).
Hard seltzers. This year will go down in history as the year of hard seltzers as they became super trendy!
These are (slightly) sweetened seltzer waters that have been fermented, which means nearly all of these drinks are gluten-free.
Most contain 2 grams or less of sugar, and come in at around 100 calories a can. But they still contain about as much alcohol as a bottle of beer, at 4% to 5%.
Seltzer tip: If you want to jazz up your seltzer, add some fresh fruit for extra flavor!
Sparkling beverages. These include champagne, Prosecco, or Cava, and these clock in at about 85 calories per 4-oz. Serving.
If you don’t like the “bite” of hard seltzer, these might be a good choice for you.
Sparkling upgrade: These can be delicious with some fruit or a splash of kombucha.
Wine. A standard 4 to 5 oz. glass of wine comes in at 100 to 125 calories.
Wine tip: Save your calories by turning these into a spritzer by adding seltzer or sparkling water.
Beer. Light beer contains around 100 calories per 12 oz. serving, while “regular” beer can go upwards of 200 calories, depending on the brand and how it is brewed.
Liquor. This includes beverages like vodka, gin, rum, whisky, etc.
A 1-oz. serving contains around 65 calories. Add your favorite low- or no-cal mixers to these spirits.
BONUS TIP: make sure you drink water before and after any alcoholic drink. This will help you feel energized and great the next day, since alcohol is a diuretic. Plus you are less apt to overeat!
I hope this list gives you ideas for your own healthy drink concoctions.
Enjoy!
