Cocktails often contain excessive calories. (Image Credit: Istock)
Cocktails are one of the best ways to enjoy your alcohol. From classic Margarita and Cosmopolitan to Gimlet, Mojito, and more, there are endless varieties of cocktails out there. They all taste incredibly delicious, making them perfect to enjoy on any occasion. But as much as we love sipping on them, we can't ignore the fact that they also contain excessive calories. They contain sweeteners, mixers, syrups, and other additional ingredients that can have a drastic impact on the calorie count of the drinks. For people who are trying to follow a healthy lifestyle, this may not be ideal. Does this mean you should stop drinking your favourite cocktails at all? Absolutely not! Instead, you can experiment with them and make them a lot healthier. Here, we'll take you through some clever strategies that'll help cut calories in your cocktails to a great extent.
Also Read: Beyond Cosmopolitan: 5 Unique Vodka-Based Cocktails You've Got To Try
Here Are 5 Easy Tips To Reduce The Calorie Count In Cocktails:
1. Choose your alcohol wisely
The type of alcohol you use to make your cocktail determines how many calories it'll have. Some liquors have fewer calories as compared to others, making them a smart choice when making cocktails. Gin, tequila, and vodka fall into this category of low-calorie spirits, all of which have about 90-100 calories per shot. Not only this, but they are also extremely versatile, allowing room for experimentation.
2. Keep it simple
We know it can be quite tempting to add multiple ingredients to your cocktail. But this is exactly where you go wrong. If you want to reduce the calorie count, it's best to keep things as simple as you can. Stick to using minimal ingredients and avoid adding any extra sweeteners. The fewer ingredients in your cocktail, the healthier it will be, and you can enjoy it guilt-free.
3. Ditch store-bought juices
If you're making a juice-based cocktail, avoid using store-bought juice. Not only are they high in calories, but they also contain artificial flavours and additives. While you can make your cocktails with them, they'll end up being too sweet and lacking that authentic flavour. Instead, consider making fresh juice at home. It still has calories, but significantly fewer than the store-bought ones. So, make this smart swap and see the change for yourself.
4. Use water instead of soda
The type of mixer you decide to add to your cocktail is a matter of personal preference. However, if you want to be mindful of your calorie count, then there's no better option than water. It may not give your cocktail that fizziness, but you'll be able to sip on it without any worries. Even if you like having soda, make sure not to add too much. Additionally, you can even add tonic water.
Also Read: It's Gin O'Clock! 5 Tempting Gin Cocktails For Your Weekend Gathering
5. Exercise portion control
This last tip is often overlooked, but it is the most important. After all, no matter how healthy you make your drink, you're still consuming calories at the end of the day. Always exercise portion control when drinking cocktails. It may seem like it won't make much of a difference, but you don't even get to know when you've consumed too much. This ends up defeating the purpose of making your cocktail healthy.
So, the next time you make cocktails at home, keep these tips in mind to enjoy them guilt-free.