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I want to clarify that I am not a professional and I do not encourage or endorse excessive alcohol consumption. My suggestions for low-calorie alcoholic drinks are simply options that can be considered for those who choose to consume alcohol responsibly and in moderation.
Low-Calorie Alcoholic Drinks: Yes, you can still have a drink while losing weight!
Low-calorie alcoholic drinks are drinks that have fewer calories than regular ones. These low-calorie alcoholic drinks are good for people who want to drink but also want to maintain a healthy lifestyle.
Our low-calorie alcoholic drinks guide below will help inform you about low-calorie alcoholic drinks and beverages and how they can help you stay in shape.
Some low-calorie alcohol includes:
– light beers
– select wine
– select liquors and spirits
– select cocktails
– select non-alcoholic drinks
Low-Calorie Alcoholic DrinksBenefits of Low-Calorie Alcoholic drinks
When considering drinking alcohol, it’s important to consider its calorie content. A typical serving of low-calorie alcoholic drinks contains approximately 100 calories.
However, that number can vary depending on the type of alcohol and the flavourings added.
Generally, it’s recommended to avoid drinks with simple syrups and sugary mixers. For example, drinking four bottles of wine each month or five schooners of lager each week will add up to around 44,200 calories per year.
Low-calorie alcohol is ideal for people who have weight-loss goals. This allows the flexibility to still enjoy a drink without the guilt.
Red wine is known for being loaded with antioxidants, while whisky is lower in sugar and contains no fat. Moderate amounts of whisky may help protect against type 2 diabetes. A single serving of whisky has approximately only 105 calories.
While trying to lose weight, you should consider the bigger picture. Moderate consumption of alcohol will not derail your diet. However, it’s important to account for any additional calories that may be consumed. Keeping a record or dairy will help to ensure you keep your weight loss goals on track.
While small amounts of alcohol are not necessarily harmful to your diet, it is still important to keep a strict calorie-counting record to stay within your macros to achieve your goals.
Alcohol is not good for your health when consumed excessively.
Types of Low-Calorie Alcoholic Drinks
Wine is an excellent example of a low-calorie beverage.
The calorie content of a glass of wine is less than one-third of what is likely to be in an average glass of some beers.
For example, a glass of Rosé has only about 80 calories. However, be sure to look for a dry white wine to keep the calorie count low, and always read the label.
Alcohol made from spirits has fewer calories than other types of alcohol.
It’s almost entirely made of ethanol without sugar, so it doesn’t contribute to the excess calories that most other types of alcohol contain.
A shot of gin, whisky, scotch, or vodka contains around 110 calories. Keep in mind when you are mixing it, you mix it with soda water or a low-sugar mix to ensure you don’t increase the calories unintentionally.
Another good example of low-calorie alcohol is diet gin and tonic.
What is the best alcohol to drink when on a diet?
Pure forms of alcohol such as gin, tequila, and vodka are free of or lower in carbs and calories.
Wine and lighter beer can also be low in carbs and calories.
Which alcoholic drink contains the least calories?
The list below is an approximate number of calories that are contained in the following alcoholic beverages. Ensure to use a no sugar or unsweetened mixes to keep your calorie intake down when mixing.
- Vodka Soda: 133 calories
- White Wine: 123 calories
- Light Beers: 103 calories
- Gin & Diet Tonic: 129 calories
- Rum & Diet Cola: 136 calories
- Seltzer: 99 calories
- Straight Spirits: 60 – 97 calories
What alcohol has the least calories and carbs?
When you are looking for an alcoholic beverage that is lower in carbs, whiskey, vodka, brandy, gin, tequilas, and other pure spirits have no carbs and are perfect for low-carb lifestyles.
The average serving contains approximately 60-100 calories per serving without mixers.
Low-Calorie Alcoholic Drinks – Cocktails
Many people want to enjoy a cocktail without the guilt but cocktails can be known for containing loads of sugar.
If you’re trying to maintain a healthy lifestyle but don’t want to give up your favorite alcoholic drink, there are some low-calorie alternatives that will allow you to enjoy guilt-free drinking whilst still tasting delicious.
Luckily, many low-calorie alcoholic drinks can still be a great addition to a balanced lifestyle. Vodka soda, for instance, is a classic drink made by mixing vodka with unsweetened soda water.
Here are some of the best low-calorie alcoholic drink recipes to try.
Calories: 190.
The Aperol Spritz popularity has not faded in fact almost every menu I’ve seen features this cocktail.
The Aperol Spritz is a pleasantly sour drink that can also be enjoyed by adding 3 parts of Prosecco, 2 parts Aperol and 1 part of soda water.
Vodka, Lime, and Soda
Calories: 76.
The most favoured low-calorie alcohol option consists of one shot of vodka and then topped up with soda water and a lime wedge or fresh lime juice.
Shandy
Calories: 74.
Probably your grandmother’s favourite beverage of choice back in the day. Consisting of half a glass of beer and topped with diet lemonade.
Calories: 54.
A Gin and Diet Tonic is a refreshing and easy alcoholic beverage to make and is low in calories making it an even better choice. Made with only 2 ingredients as the name suggests.
What to add to your Low-Calorie Alcoholic Drinks
So you have your low-calorie spirit picked out and want to mix it with something, here are some ideas to jazz it up, and still remain low-calorie and low in sugar.
- Soda water – So versatile that soda water goes with just about everything and is a perfect base for many drinks, not just alcohol.
- Tonic water – A refreshing mixer, just ensure you look for the sugar-free options available.
- Bitters – Bitters is a flavourful and low-calorie option used to add depth to any drink.
- Citrus juice – Freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice is a great addition to many cocktails without adding any additional sugar or calories. You can also get the bottled variety but just ensure there is no added sugar.
When adding mixers to your drinks, just be mindful of the ingredients you’re using, as they can add calories and sugar to your drink unintentionally.
Low-Calorie Sugar Syrup
You could even try and make your own no-sugar and low-calorie sugar syrup for your cocktails.
Ingredients:
Low-calorie sugar syrup recipe:
Ingredients:
1 cup of water
1 cup of granulated sweetener (such as erythritol or xylitol)
1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Instructions:
Add the water to a saucepan and bring to a boil.
Add the sweetener and lemon juice and stir well.
Reduce the heat to low and let the mixture simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Remove the saucepan from the heat to cool.
Strain the syrup through a strainer to remove any particles.
Transfer the syrup to a sterilised glass bottle and store it in the fridge.
Tip: You could elevate your simple syrup with herbs.
Simply add a handful of your favourite fresh herbs, such as mint, sage, rosemary, or thyme, to your simple syrup recipe and infuse for a few hours or overnight.
Enhance your Low-Calorie Alcoholic Drinks with Herbs
Another way to keep your low-calorie alcoholic drinks interesting and even more delicious is to use fresh herbs to enhance your cocktails and drinks.
Adding herbs is a great way to add flavour without adding additional calories or sugar.
Here are some tips on how to use herbs to enhance your low-calorie alcoholic drinks:
- Muddle the herbs- muddling allows the flavour and aroma of fresh herbs to be released, and the smell they release is amazing! Use a shaker or glass and add your herbs before adding your other ingredients and gentle muddle to infuse your drinks.
- Use for garnish – A sprig of fresh herbs, such as mint, rosemary, or thyme, can add a beautiful and fragrant touch to a drink and elevate the look by placing a spring on top.
- Infuse your simple syrup – Another idea is to infuse your simple syrup with fresh herbs to create a fragrant herb-flavoured syrup that can be used in your cocktails and drinks.
- Herbs to garnish the rim – Move over sugar! Style your next cocktail by crushing fresh herbs, such as rosemary, thyme or sage, and mix them with salt or sugar substitute to create a flavoured rim, perfect for garnishing your next cocktail.
Remember not to be afraid when it comes to experimenting with different herbs. This will help you to find the perfect flavour combination for your next cocktail or drink.
Low-Calorie Alcoholic Drinks for Your Health
A study found that people who drink low-calorie alcoholic drinks are healthier than people who drink regular alcoholic drinks.
The study was conducted by the University of Cambridge and it found that people who drank low-calorie drinks had lower risks of developing a range of health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes.
It is believed that this is because wine contains antioxidants that help to protect the body from the effects of aging and disease, not only that but when you are consuming less sugary foods and drinks it’s better for your health.
The Alcohol and Drug Foundation states on its website the recommended guidelines for consuming alcohol for men and women is no more than 10 standard drinks per week and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day to help in reducing the risk of harm from alcohol-related disease or injury.
I just wanted to note that alcohol should be consumed responsibly and in moderation, regardless of whether you are choosing low-calorie or unsweetened mixers.
Drinking in excess can lead to a range of negative health issues and can even be dangerous. Please be mindful of your drinking habits and never drink and drive. If you choose to consume alcohol, do so in moderation and always drink responsibly.
I want to clarify that I am not a professional and I do not encourage or endorse excessive alcohol consumption. My suggestions for low-calorie alcoholic drinks are simply options that can be considered for those who choose to consume alcohol responsibly and in moderation.
Non-Alcoholic Beverages
Non-alcoholic drinks are becoming a popular alternative to alcoholic drinks and for good reason.
Non-alcoholic drinks are an excellent substitute for alcoholic drinks. Not only are they usually lower in sugar and lower in calories, but they also come with zero to very low alcohol content for everyone to enjoy.
Alcohol is one of the most common causes of hangovers, causing symptoms such as fatigue, headache, and dehydration.
The upside of consuming non-alcoholic drinks is that you won’t wake up with the dreaded hangover the next morning!
I have written an article here on Sans Drinks: A non-alcoholic Alternative, you can check out and find out more.
Low-Calorie Alcoholic Drinks – Final Thoughts
In current times, people are becoming increasingly conscious of the calories they consume. This has resulted in low-calorie cocktails and alcoholic drinks being in high demand.
If you’re having a party and need a cocktail, choose one that contains low-calorie ingredients, You can find some inspiration and recipes here.
Remember to try to steer clear of juices and sugary syrups and opt for mixes that contain zero or low-sugar mixes. Another great option is kombucha, which has a cider-like taste with approximately only 25 calories per half a can.
It is fortunate that today we have an abundance of variety when it comes to choice and being able to stick to our goals and choose healthier alternatives.
I want to clarify that I am not a professional and I do not encourage or endorse excessive alcohol consumption. My suggestions for low-calorie alcoholic drinks are simply options that can be considered for those who choose to consume alcohol responsibly and in moderation.
What’s your favourite low-calorie alcoholic drink of choice? Let me know on my Socials.
Amy xx
This page contains affiliate links. If you choose to make a purchase after clicking a link, I may receive a commission at no additional cost to you.
