Calories in Different Types of Cocktails

For the connoisseurs of alcohol, calories hardly matter! But for those who are calorie conscious, the amount of calories going in their body with each sip becomes a major issue! One of the most difficult things for people to give up on when they go on a diet is alcohol! But here is some good news! There is a simple way to restrict the number of calories going into your system when you have a drink; and that is to know how many calories your drink contains to begin with. If you are well-informed about the cocktail you are going to have, you will be sure to select the 'slimmest' of the lot.

Calories in Some of the Most Popular Cocktails

These are cocktails that people usually love to have. They are the most famous, the most liked of the lot. Here is a calorie break up of some of the most popular cocktails. However, I know very well how much it hurts to give up on something you like so much! Hence, find easy ways to drop a few calories out in the 'Slim It Down!' column!

Name of Cocktail	Ingredients	Calories per 100 ml	Slim It Down!
Long Island Iced Tea	triple sec, gin, rum, tequila, vodka, sweet and sour mix and coke	180	Skip the coke. Most bartenders and enthusiasts say it's unnecessary. If you must have it, then opt for Diet Coke in place of the regular one.
Bloody Mary	vodka, lemon juice, tomato juice and Tabasco and Worcestershire sauces	86	Opt for sugar-free tomato juice, if you are using packaged tomato juice. At the bar, ask for freshly squeezed tomato juice.
Mojito	rum, lime juice, sugar, mint leaves and soda	133	Avoid sugar. If you cannot have your Mojito without sugar, replace the sugar with artificial sweeteners, like Splenda.
Margarita	triple sec, tequila and lime juice	190	One of the least calorie-heavy substitute for a Margarita is the Corazon Blanco tequila. Have it with a splash of lemon.
White Russian	vodka, coffee liqueur and cream	150	If you are trying to shed some kilos, there is only one real suggestion I can give - stay away altogether from such cocktails!
Cosmopolitan	vodka, triple sec, lime juice and cranberry juice	177	Insist on diet cranberry juice. Also insist on fresh lime juice. If it is unavailable, ask the bartender to add Splenda in place of syrup.
Pina Colada	coconut milk, pineapple juice and rum	120	Replace the pineapple juice with crushed fresh pineapples. Packaged pineapple juice has a lot of added sugar that you can skip out, and use fresh pineapples instead.
Mai Tai	curacao, rum, lime juice, almond cream and sugar syrup	166	Skip the sugar syrup, go for Splenda instead. Lime juice also must be fresh. Do not go with sweet and sour mix as it usually has a lot of added sugar.

Other fattening cocktails include Champagne Cocktail (250 calories), Fog Cutter (225 calories), Irish Cream (320 calories), Zombie (260 calories), Tequila Sunrise (220 calories), etc.

Playing Bartender? BEWARE!

Many people who like to drink also like to mix their own drinks. People like to welcome friends and relatives to a nice house party with an absolutely new drink. If you are one of those people, you are going to want to know these few tips. While experimenting at the bar and trying to come up with your own new cocktail recipe, try to keep the following few pointers in mind.

• Know the amount of calories in the alcohol that is going to form the base of your cocktail. Choose low calorie alcohols.
• Make sure you choose low calorie additives.
• A good way to learn about calories in fruit juices and other additives would be to check on the packaging; nutritional facts for different packaged foods are usually mentioned on the cartons.
• Avoid using sugar or sugar syrups. You can instead use Splenda or other artificial sweeteners.
• Prefer using club soda over tonic water.
• Prefer using fresh fruit juices over packaged ones while making fruity cocktails. Packaged fruit juices have a lot of added sugar.

I hope you now have a clear idea about which drinks to avoid while dieting! Even otherwise, you can opt to order low calorie drinks at the bar next time you head out with your friends. Alcohol contributes 'empty calories' to the body; something you absolutely don't need! Choose wisely, and have a good time!