The Lowest-Calorie Alcohols To Sip If You’re Trying To Lose Weight

If weight loss is a practice that’s important to you right now, for whatever reason, that’s great. You might be reevaluating the food you put into your body, what time you’re eating, and more. And one place that can be a little tricky to navigate when focused on weight loss? Understanding the lowest-calorie, healthiest alcohols to drink for weight loss.

“People order the seemingly fun cocktails that are really more of a sugar bomb, like a daiquiri or frozen margarita,” explains Marissa Meshulam, RDN, who runs MPM Nutrition. Having more than one of these drinks can really add up in terms of fullness and calorie intake.

On top of all that, “Alcohol also tends to lower our inhibitions and makes it much harder to be mindful during meals, which can lead many of us to overeat or choose options we normally wouldn’t,” says Meshulam. Not to mention the fact that hangovers, well, kind of suck. “If we wake up hungover we are more likely to skip our normal workout class or grocery shopping and, instead, Seamless a bagel and not move,” Meshulam says. (Been there.)

Sooo…how do you know which alcohol to drink that best supports your lifestyle goals? Should you focus just on the calories in a beverage, per se, or the ingredients in the actual drink? Maybe both? If you’re confused, no worries. That’s why WH tapped experts for all the details on the best low-calorie alcohols and better-for-you drinks. Keep reading.

First, how many calories are in different types of alcohol?

In general, different types of alcohol have about the same number of calories explains Amy Gorin, MS, RDN, owner of Amy Gorin Nutrition, who also adds that a 100-calorie drink on its own isn’t going to sabotage your goals. Truth is, what makes drink super filling isn’t the alcohol itself, but rather what that bartender is adding into your drink, like sugary mixes, simple syrups, etc.

For reference, here’s a breakdown of each type of alcohol’s caloric information:

• Vodka: One shot contains 97 calories (0 carbs, 0 sugar)
• Rum: One shot contains 97 calories (0 carbs, 0 sugar)
• Whiskey, bourbon, scotch: One shot contains 105 calories (.03 grams of carbs per ounce, .03 grams of sugar per ounce)
• Gin: One shot contains 110 calories (0 carbs, 0 sugar)
• Tequila: One shot contains 105 calories (0 carbs, 0 sugar)
• Champagne: One 4-ounce glass contains 90 calories (3 carbs, 1 sugar)
• Beer: One 12-ounce bottle contains 153 calories (13 carbs, 0 sugar)
• Wine: One 5-ounce glass of wine contains 123 calories (4 carbs, 1 sugar)
• Baileys: One shot contains 147 calories (11 carbs, 9 sugar)

What is the best way to order an alcoholic drink if you’re trying to lose weight?

Now that you know the calories in each alcohol, it’s time for you to think about how you’re going to order your drink, exactly. Here are a few tips for your next tab, according to experts:

• Keep your drinks simple. “Once you start using more than one type of booze, your calories really start to get up there,” says Keri Gans, RD, author of The Small Change Diet. For example, if you can take your gin neat with a squeeze of fresh lime, your weight-loss goals will be better off than if you went for the standard, sugar-loaded G&T.
• Meet your new BFF: whiskey. Your best bet for ordering the lowest-calorie alcohol is starting with whiskey or scotch and adding water to help open up the vivid flavors, or a no-calorie mixer like club soda, says Gorin.
• Make an ingredient switch. You can always make a few simple swaps to help lower the number of calories in your original drink of choice. For instance, “Ask for a margarita with less agave, [or] a mojito with less sugar,” says Gorin. “Ask if the bar is serving 100 percent juice or a juice cocktail, [the latter of] which is a keyword for added sugar and calories.” Easy.
• Add all the fruits for flavor. If you want to give your alcohol an oomph, try adding in all the fruits to your bevs, says Meshulam. “Get flavor from muddled fruit and herbs instead of juices, soda, or sugar,” says Meshulam, noting that adding splashes of lemon, lime, and soda water can elevate your fruit-filled drink.

The Best Low-Calorie Alcoholic Drinks For Weight Loss

Need a quick tip sheet for ordering a drink without maxing your weight-loss goals? Here are the *best* drink orders that include each of most popular spirits and more, according to our pros.

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