Calories in Cocktails

Whether you’re trying to lose a few pounds or just looking to maintain your current weight, it’s important to make every calorie count. And that means skipping the dessert in a glass: sweet, salty or creamy cocktails that can contain 500 calories or more per serving. Wouldn’t you rather indulge in a cheeseburger or a slice or two of pizza?

The good news is that you don’t have to cut out cocktails completely in order to cut down on calories. Here are a few healthier swaps for your favourite drinks:

Instead of… a Long Island Iced Tea

Calories: 780

Ingredients: vodka, tequila, rum, gin, triple sec, sweet and sour mix, cola

Try… a Cuba Libre

Calories: 200

Squeeze the juice of half a lime into a highball glass, and then add 2 oz. light rum. Fill the rest of the glass with cola and ice cubes.

You save: 580 calories

Instead of… a White Russian

Calories: 600

Ingredients: vodka, heavy cream, coffee liqueur

Try… a Mudslide

Calories: 326

Add ¾ oz. each of vodka, coffee liqueur and Irish Cream liqueur to an old-fashioned glass filled with ice cubes.

You save: 274 calories

Instead of¦ a Cosmopolitan

Calories: 250

Ingredients: vodka, triple sec, lime juice, cranberry juice

Try: a Sour Apple Martini

Calories: 160

Stir 2.5 oz. sour mix and ¾ oz. each of vodka and sour apple liqueur over ice cubes in a mixing glass. Strain into a martini glass.

You save: 90 calories

Instead of… a Champagne Cocktail

Calories: 250

Ingredients: champagne, cognac, lemon juice, sugar

Try a… Bellini

Calories: 95

Add 1 tbsp of peach syrup to a champagne flute and fill with champagne or sparkling wine. Garnish with a peach slice and sprig of mint.

You save: 155 calories

Instead of… a Margarita

Calories: 740

Ingredients: tequila, triple sec, margarita mix

Try: a Mojito

Calories: 300

Muddle four sprigs of mint with club soda in a pint glass. Halve a lime and squeeze the juice of both pieces into the glass, leaving one hull in the mixture. Add 2 oz. light rum, stir and fill with ice. Top with club soda and garnish with a sprig of mint.

You save: 440 calories