Lowest Calorie Alcoholic Drinks Making Healthier Choices

As a health and nutrition writer with more than seven years of experience, people often ask me how to choose alcohol in a way that lowers calories. A lot of people want to be able to drink with friends without ruining their health or weight loss plans. The good news is that you can cut the calories in your favorite alcoholic drinks by a lot by making a few simple changes. This post will give you my best advice on how to pick the alcoholic drinks with the fewest calories, based on a lot of research I’ve done and my own experience.

First, let us talk about why calories from alcohol are important. On average, a normal drink has between 100 and 150 calories. A lot of people don’t realize how quickly those calories add up when they drink all night. A few high-calorie drinks can add up to more than 1000 calories, which is about half of what an average adult should eat every day. The number of calories depends on the type of alcohol, the mixers, and the size of the serving. Being smart about what you drink is important.

Lowest Calorie Alcoholic Drinks Making Healthier Choices

As a nutritionist, I always tell people who drink to think about their health first. It’s important to drink alcohol in moderation, as too much of it can hurt the body in many ways. But you can still be smart about how you drink your favorite drinks. To help you reach your health goals, here are my top picks for the alcoholic drinks with the fewest calories:

Stick to Light Beers and Wines

Beer, wine, and liquor are the types of alcohol that tend to have the most calories. Every 12 ounces of light, low-carb beers has 100 calories or less. About 120 calories are in a 5oz glass of dry wines like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. That’s a lot less than a pina colada, which has more than 500 calories.

Avoid Sugary Mixers and Garnishes 

What you put in your drink can make the calories twice as high. If you use sweet sour mix, a margarita can have more than 800 calories. As mixers, choose diet soda, sparkling water, or iced tea without sugar. Also, don’t use too much-whipped cream, chocolate, or syrups that are high in sugar.

Skip the Craft Cocktails 

Bar specialty drinks often have a lot of calories, even though they taste great. Things that are frozen, creamy, or sweet tend to have a lot of calories. Ask for a simple vodka soda with extra lime instead. You could also make a skinny version of the drink, like a tequila, lime juice, and soda water skinny margarita.

Choose Clear Hard Liquors 

It takes about 100 calories to drink 1.5 ounces of vodka, gin, rum, or tequila straight up. At about 120 calories each, whiskey, brandy, and cognac are a little higher on the list. Flavored schnapps and liqueurs can have twice as many calories or more, so don’t drink too much of them. Avoid spirits that are made with cream, like Bailey’s Irish cream.

Dilute with Extra Ice 

Adding more ice is a simple way to cut down on the calories in alcohol. This makes the drink less strong so it has fewer calories. But be careful not to drink too many high-calorie mixers to make up for it. The goal is to limit the amount eaten. Letting drinks warm up can also help slow down consumption by stopping people from gulping.

Avoid Beer and Wine Accompaniments

Snacks that go with drinking can make your calories go through the roof. A lot of people are affected by peanuts, chips, and fried bar food. If you want to snack, choose low-calorie foods like vegetables, air-popped popcorn, or edamame. Also, don’t forget to include those munchies in your daily calorie limit.

Hydrate with Water 

One of the best things you can do is switch between alcoholic drinks and water. I always tell people to drink a glass of water between each wine or cocktail glass. This helps you stay hydrated and avoid eating too many calories. It also lessens the bad effects of a hangover.

Know Your Serving Sizes 

When you free pour, it’s easy to underestimate how much food you’re giving each person. About 120 calories are in a 5oz wine glass pour. A shot of 1.5 oz has about 100 calories. But most of the time, glasses in bars are much bigger than normal. To get a good idea of serving sizes, measure your drinks at home.

When I go out to eat, I ask for drinks on the rocks in a short glass so I can watch how much I eat. Also, I’d like drinks with “light” amounts of alcohol. This is something that most bars are happy to do.

Set a Drink Maximum 

I think you should set a firm limit on how many drinks you will have at one time so you don’t binge. For me, two drinks is the most I can drink, but yours may be more or less. Pick an amount that makes sense for your calorie goals and don’t go over it.

Slow down by taking small sips of your drinks. Don’t gulp them down too quickly, because that can make it hard to control your portions. Also, eat before and while you drink to help the alcohol stay in your body longer.

Make Low-Calorie Cocktails at Home

When you’re drinking at home, act like a bartender. Using the above tips, make skinny versions of cocktails. Here are some of my favorite drink recipes that are low in calories:

• 100 calories for a vodka soda with lime.
• tequila, lime juice, soda water, and mint make up the Tequila Lime Fizz. It has 120 calories.
• Tequila, lime juice, orange liqueur, and club soda make up the Skinny Margarita. It has 150 calories.
• A Paloma has 120 calories and is made with tequila, grapefruit juice, lime, and sparkling water.
• 150 calories for a mojito with rum, lime, mint, and soda water.

I hope these tips help you choose drinks that are better for you and won’t make you gain weight. Being aware and drinking in moderation are very important. You don’t have to give up all of your favorite alcoholic drinks, though. You can still drink with friends and be responsible while living an active, healthy life if you make a few simple changes and use smart strategies. That’s great!