Choose Your Booze

Being that it's Monday and the mayhem of the weekend is still lurking in my memory, I thought I would take this time to address drinking. Many people don't realize the amount of calories they are consuming on an average night out. So here's the breakdown on your favorite beverages. Keep in mind that the alcohol content in a 12 oz beer= 5 oz of wine= 1 and 1/2 oz liquor.

Beer (12 oz):

Amstel Light: 95
Bud Light: 110
Stella Artois: 140
Sam Adams Lager: 160
Sierra Nevada Stout: 210

Verdict: While most people don't prefer the taste of domestic light beer, it is clearly the "healthiest" option. I definitely recommend an Amstel Light (though it is made by Coors, most people don't know that, and you can remain looking somewhat dignified while watching your diet).

Wine (Average 5 oz glass):

Cabernet: 127
Merlot: 119
Rose: 100
Chardonnay: 120
White Zinfandel: 139
Riesling: 120
Champagne: 100

Verdict: Avoid sweeter choices and anything with added sugar like wine coolers, flavored wines, and sparkling wine.

Liquor: All hard alcohol has about 100 calories per 1 1/2 oz shot.

The calorie count of your drink will depend on mixers. Your best option is using club soda (zero calories) and a splash of some sort of juice. I prefer to add pineapple and cranberry (A.K.A. the "Troop Trouble"). You can also try sugar-free red bull, diet soda, or fresh lemon or lime juice.

Pretty much all drinks that sound delicious, like margaritas, mojitos, and cosmopolitans, are obviously packing a ton of calories. There really isn't a way to make them healthy at the bar. However if you are making them at home you do have alternatives...

Baja Bob's makes tasty sugar-free mixers for all your party favorites. They even just created portable single serving packets you can take sneak into the bar! http://www.bajabob.com/

Note: Calorie counts come from calorieking.com, a great database for all your calorie questions.