Busting your diet at the bar or social gatherings? Did you know that liquid calories are an easy way to forget your goals and over consume. Along with that, added sugars are also often overlooked when it comes to beverages. Don’t worry, there is still a way to enjoy a few drinks with your friends while remaining smart about your goals!
Key Takeaways
- Track your alcohol consumption carefully, as alcohol can interfere with nutrient absorption and reduce your body’s ability to burn fat.
- Replace sugary syrups with natural alternatives like fresh fruit, fruit juice, or small amounts of maple syrup to create healthier cocktails.
- Make your own mixers instead of using pre-made options to avoid excess calories, sugars, and sodium.
- Try lighter cocktail recipes like skinny margaritas with sparkling water or fruit-based drinks that use natural ingredients rather than artificial flavors.
Things to Remember:
Before diving into a few recipes you can enjoy that might be a bit healthier than your usual options, here are a few things to remember:
- Don’t go overboard
- Knowing your limit and how much you are consuming is important when it comes to drinking. Alcohol damages the absorption of other nutrients you have consumed throughout the day, and it can reduce the amount of body fat your body is trying to burn. Remember to keep a mental note of how many drinks you’ve been consuming and to not overdo it.
- Avoid syrups when possible
- Flavored syrups usually contain loads of added sugars. Trying something such as fruit juice or frozen/fresh fruits in your drink is a good alternative.
- Try making your own mix-in instead of buying pre-made
- By making your own mixers, you can avoid a lot of unnecessary calories, sugars, and sodium.
Cocktail Recipes
Skinny Margarita
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz (a splash) maple syrup
- 1.5 oz silver tequila
- 6 oz sparkling water
- Optional: jalapeños, frozen pineapple, etc…
Pink Lemonade Spindrift Seltzer
- 1.5-2 oz vodka
- juice from 1/2 lemon
- Full can of pink lemonade spindrift sparkling water
- Add in lemon wedges and strawberries
Strawberry Daiquiri
- Honey syrup (made by melting 3 tbsp honey in 3 tbsp hot water) or maple syrup
- 10 oz frozen strawberries
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup white rum
*Mix all ingredients except honey/syrup in a blender then add in honey/syrup and mix again!
Moscow Mules
- 1.5-2 cups sliced cucumber muddled
- 8 basil leaves muddled
- 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
- 16 oz ginger beer or kombucha
- 4 oz vodka (or sparkling water for a mocktail)
- 12 oz sparkling water*serves four
