It’s the homestretch of the driest month of the year. By now, we’ve all been inundated with articles and news stories about the negative effects of drinking alcohol on your body and mind. We all know it harms the liver, can lead to increased anxiety, and send next-day productivity in a downward spiral. And yet, most of us are still looking forward to that first drink (or three), and maybe even falling back into old habits. However, there’s another part of the alcohol equation that you might be blissfully ignorant about.
We’re so sorry to be the one to tell you this, but alcohol has a lot of calories. Like, a TON of calories. Let’s break some hearts by breaking it down by genre, and give you some suggestions on where to shave off a few excess calories to still enjoy your favourite drinks.
Cocktail lovers
Aah, who doesn’t love a mojito on the deck, or a glass of sangria by the fire? Cocktails offer incredible flavours and aromas(not to mention feeling as fancy as a Bridgerton in the summer season). But, those sipping favourites pack a decent caloric punch. Here are a few examples of mixed cocktails and their caloric loads:
Martini (gin, dry vermouth, olive) - 203 calories
Moscow Mule (vodka, lime juice, ginger beer) - 212 calories
White Russian (vodka, coffee liqueur, heavy cream) - 294 calories
Long Island Iced Tea (vodka, gin, white rum, tequila, triple sec, lime juice, Coke) - 383 calories
Pina Colada (white rum, Coco Lopez, pineapple juice) - 644 calories (!!!)
Solution: Try lower calorie concoctions - a good rule of thumb is to stick to vodka or tequila-based drinks. The sweeter the drink, the more calories it likely has. If you don’t want to be one and done, try mixing an alcohol free cocktail. Alcohol free cocktails can be just as tasty with less calories (and headaches).
Straight shots
Forget all the extras - shots of alcohol have to be low in calories, right? Wrong. We all know that shots are kind of like potato chips - you can’t have just one. Here’s a breakdown per 1 oz shot:
Vodka - 64 calories
Tequila - 64 calories
Gin - 73 calories calories
Whiskey - 70 calories
Schnapps - 195 Calories
Solution: If shots are your go-to on a Friday night, try switching to your favourite alcohol with soda water on ice. It’ll take you longer to consume and still give you the strong flavour, so you won’t be so tempted to hit up the bar for another too early.
Beer lovers
Brace yourselves, this one’s gonna hurt. The beer you know and love doesn’t always love you back. For this set, we’re calculating the averages based on a 355 mL can (because calculating by pint was too depressing for all involved):
4% Stout - 125 calories
4.5% Lager - 140 calories
5% Red - 170 Calories
6.5% IPA - 210 calories
9% DIPA - 250 calories
