Healthier Summer Cocktails

Thanks to the dozens of different diet crazes out there, we’re all abundantly aware of carbs, protein, and fat, and we all have different opinions on which is the most evil. But we shouldn’t forget that alcohol has calories too—7 per gram. That’s more than carbs or protein and almost as much as fat.

The most obvious solution is abstinence, but what fun would that be? Since we can’t remove the alcohol from these popular summer drink recipes without calling them “mocktails,” here are six summer cocktails that we’ve tailored to help you still reach your goals. That said… these would all make delicious mocktails if you make them without alcohol!

1. Margarita. Your biggest caloric enemy in the margarita is prepackaged margarita mix. There are “light” versions available, but their taste is less than extraordinary. Here’s another option that’ll cut your calories in half without sacrificing flavour.
Ingredients:

• Juice of 1½ limes
• 3 oz. water
• 2 oz. tequila
• 1.5 oz. triple sec
• Ice
• Salt (to taste)

Mix lime juice and water together. Add tequila and triple sec, then either pour over ice or put in blender with ice. Add salt to taste. Sip while looking amazing in your swimsuit, pretending you’re on a beach in Mexico. (Calories before: 435; Calories now: 180)

2. Cosmopolitan. The sneaky trickster here is regular cranberry juice cocktail, which should be called “sugar with cranberry flavouring.” This light version uses only one type of alcohol, which drastically cuts your calorie count.
Ingredients:

• 3 oz. low-calorie cranberry juice drink
• 1 oz. raspberry vodka
• Squeeze of lime
• Lime twist, as garnish

Pour ingredients over ice and shake. Strain ice cubes and pour into martini glass. (Calories before: 413; Calories now: 98)

3. Tipsy Arnold Palmer. Sweetened bottled versions of lemonade and iced tea can be pretty loaded with sugar. However, if you brew your own iced tea and squeeze your own lemons, then add 2 ounces of vodka, you can make a really tasty cocktail that doesn’t have so many calories.
Ingredients:

• Juice of 1 lemon and 3 oz. water
• 2 teabags steeped in 3 oz. boiling water and cooled
• 2 oz. vodka
• Sprig of mint (for garnish: optional)
• Ice

Mix first two ingredients. Add vodka and pour over ice. Stir. Garnish with mint (if desired). Enjoy. Just don’t try to play golf after two of these. (Calories before: 156; Calories now: 71)

4. Strawberry daiquiri. Nothing says “vacation!” like a drink that a little umbrella will stand up in. Here sugar is yet again the culprit we’re trying to cut out. Try this version for a vacation flashback that’ll be reminiscent of the good times (not of ordering seconds on dessert).
Ingredients:

• ½ cup sliced strawberries
• 1 Tbsp. lime juice
• 1.5 oz. light rum
• Ice

Throw it all in a blender and let the good times begin. Please don’t have so many you try to drink the umbrella. (Calories before: 299; Calories now: 118)

5. Piña colada. Made correctly, a piña colada is the taste of summer. If not made correctly, it tastes like suntan lotion in a glass. This recipe replaces sugar and cream with fruit and skim milk.
Ingredients:

• 1 8-oz. can chunk pineapple (with juice)
• 1 tsp. coconut extract
• 1 cup nonfat (skim) milk
• 1 cup ice cubes

Place ingredients in blender and blend well, then garnish with a small plastic monkey, and (mentally, at least) escape to the Caribbean. (Calories before: 297; Calories now: 146)

6. White wine/light beer/champagne. These all seem like fairly obvious “light” drink choices and don’t require recipes, but it’s worth mentioning that white wine has about 100 calories per 4-ounce serving, and it’s delightfully refreshing on a summer day, especially if you add some club soda to make it into a spritzer. Beer comes in very light versions now, some of which have fewer than 70 calories. And not only is champagne fantastic with brunch, but it also only has around 100 calories per serving. With any of these, just be sure to measure your amounts so you don’t end up overdoing it (and/or ending up with a splitting headache afterwards).

​And there you have it. A handle on your summer cocktails, without adding to your love handles. Now put on your swimsuit and let the rest of the summer be the party it was meant to be!

BY: Stephanie Saunders