There is no doubt that drinking can add pounds to the mid section. Muffin tops and spare tires can be seen at your local bar from patrons who are “belly up to the bar” on any given night. The term (belly up to the bar) comes from a post-prohibition law that stated, “in order to drink in a restaurant that servers alcohol, patrons must be belly up at the bar in order to consume alcohol.” With obesity being a hot topic in America, some states (like Florida – check out www.healtystate.org) are taking a hard line in fighting calorie intake.
The number of calories in mixed drinks depends on several things: the amount and proof of the alcohol, the mixers, and the size of the drink. The mixers, syrups, and sodas really get people into calorie trouble. Most drinks start with 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits at around 96 calories for that serving. That can easily be turned into a drink with hundreds of calories by mixologists unless they are running a “Sinnky Drink” program such as several large restaurant chains are now doing. I do not like skinny drinks as they lack in taste such as cooking with light butter or milk.
Whether you are drinking a beer or a cosmo, the higher the alcohol content, the higher the calories. Let’s look at vodka for example:
80-proof vodka (40% alcohol; the most common type) has 64 calories per 1oz
86-proof vodka (43% alcohol) has 70 calories/1 oz
90-proof vodka (45% alcohol) has 73 calories/1 oz
100-proof vodka (50% alcohol) has 82 calories/1 oz
If alcohol is a culprit, we need to look at mixers too. Take a look below:
Coffee, tea: 0 calories
Sugar-free syrups: 0
Regular soda: 160 calories
Diet soda or diet tonic: 0 calories
Orange juice (6 oz): 84 calories
Light orange juice (8 oz): 50 calories
Cranberry juice cocktail (8 oz): 136 calories
Light cranberry juice (8 oz): 40 calories
Lemon or lime juice (1/2 oz): 10 calories
Light lemonade (8 oz): 5 calories
When it comes to portion size, the average serving size of wine and alcoholic beverages is probably smaller than you think. Beer, on the other hand, is more standardized in bottles and beer glasses, except if you are at Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany.
Most glasses of wine contain 125-150 calories (4 oz), but that can double depending on the size of the glass size and how full it is. Wine glasses are often refilled (seemingly bottomless) before empty, making it especially hard for dieters to track their alcohol and calorie consumption.
Beer can range from 64-198 calories per 12 ounces. Light beers are a better choice because they contain the same amount of alcohol as regular beers but fewer carbs.
So just how many calories are in your favorite cocktail? These calorie counts for popular alcoholic drinks are approximate as it depends heavily on ingredients and portions.
Top – 5 Alcoholic beverages by calorie count (High)
Long Island iced tea (8 oz): 780 calories
Mud Slide (6 oz): 580 calories
Chocolate martini (6 oz): 438 calories
White Russian (6 oz): 425 calories
Pina Colada (6 oz): 378 calories
Top – 5 Alcoholic beverages by calorie count (Low)
Ultra-light beer (12 oz): 64-95
Mimosa (4 oz): 75
Rum and Diet Coke (8 oz): 100
Champagne (5oz): 106-120
Red & White wine (5 oz):120
Studies have shown that some alcoholic beverages can actually aid in health. Look at the best of the best:
Best alcoholic drinks for health:
Red Wine
Red wine is naturally filled with antioxidants, a natural cancer-fighting agent, and is said to aid with digestion. It can also help reduce cholesterol, aid in the formation of nerve cells, and has less sugar than most white wines. The recommended amount of red wine is one 4 ounce glass for women and one or two glasses for men.
Bloody Mary
A Bloody Mary is naturally packed with antioxidants regardless of how it's made. Ingredients such as Cayenne pepper, hot sauce, horse radish and others also carry certain health benefits, as do any vegetables that are in the recipe and/or garnish.
Screwdriver
Vitamin C from the orange juice and the added fiber of it are some of the extra health benefits here. Orange juice is also a source of vitamin B1, potassium, calcium, and more. Vodka's distilling process makes regular brands devoid of sugars and yeasts that can exaggerate hangovers.
Beer
Red Wine
Red wine is naturally filled with antioxidants, a natural cancer-fighting agent, and is said to aid with digestion. It can also help reduce cholesterol, aid in the formation of nerve cells, and has less sugar than most white wines. The recommended amount of red wine is one 4 ounce glass for women and one or two glasses for men.
Bloody Mary
A Bloody Mary is naturally packed with antioxidants regardless of how it's made. Ingredients such as Cayenne pepper, hot sauce, horse radish and others also carry certain health benefits, as do any vegetables that are in the recipe and/or garnish.
Screwdriver
Vitamin C from the orange juice and the added fiber of it are some of the extra health benefits here. Orange juice is also a source of vitamin B1, potassium, calcium, and more. Vodka's distilling process makes regular brands devoid of sugars and yeasts that can exaggerate hangovers.
Beer
Although calories are always an issue with beer, being a grain beverage that is fermented, the natural benefits of the grain are inevitably going to have some effect.
I hope this educational lesson helps you the next time you go out to drink and want to reduce calories. Remember that it is always good to get some form of exercise in between drinking sessions – and no, 12-ounce curls should not be considered part of your routine.
I hope this educational lesson helps you the next time you go out to drink and want to reduce calories. Remember that it is always good to get some form of exercise in between drinking sessions – and no, 12-ounce curls should not be considered part of your routine.
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