We all know how quickly a cheeseburger can undo even the strictest of diets, but do you realize how often you actually drink your calories?
Alcohol has a funny way of lowering our inhibitions when it comes to late-night pizza runs and skipping Bikram yoga class the next morning.
But what many people often forget is just how fattening alcoholic drinks are alone—even without the 2 a.m. cheese fries!
Still, many experts agree that drinking alcohol in small amounts can actually help you lose weight—as long as you know what to drink.
In fact, one Archives of Internal Medicine study found that people who down one or two drinks a day are actually less likely to gain weight over time.
Overindulging in anything—especially alcohol—is never a good idea for your diet, but some drinks are definitely better than others.
Without further ado, here are the best (and worst) alcoholic drinks you can order on a diet:
BEST
Wine: Packed with healthy antioxidants, red wine seems to get all the attention for being a somewhat “healthy” drink for dieters. But it’s white wine that actually contains fewer carbohydrates! Whichever taste suits your palate, both red and white wine will only set you back about 100 to 120 calories per glass—well, as long as you’re planning on having a standardized 5-ounce glass.
Vermouth: Essentially wine with a higher alcohol content and infused with tasty spices and herbs, straight vermouth is a big calorie saver. While a simple glass of vermouth won’t bust your diet, mixing it with something else will. With about 15 to 18 per cent of alcohol, each glass only contains roughly 64 calories. The only downside is that most people don’t actually drink vermouth by itself. Once you mix it into a martini or Manhattan, you can expect to consume far more in calories and sugar!
Straight Liquors: A straight shot of booze will always be your best bet for consuming the most alcohol with the least amount of calories. In terms of calories and carbohydrates, there isn’t much of a difference between most 80-proof hard liquors. In fact, the calories barely even increase with the alcohol content. For instance, a shot of 86-proof whiskey contains about 105 calories, while the same shot of 80-proof vodka has roughly 97 calories. A helpful rule of thumb to remember is that sweeter tasting alcohol—even a straight shot—will always contain more calories.
Light Beer: In general, light beers are the go-to drinks for beer lovers trying to lose a few pounds. Most light beers rarely contain more than 90 calories for a 12-ounce serving, while extra-light beers have even fewer. Still, that doesn’t mean you should feel free to drink twice as many beers as you normally would. Light beers actually tend to have a higher percentage of their calories coming from alcohol, compared to standard brews.
WORST
Cocktails: We hate to break it to you, but a margarita has enough calories, carbs, and sugar to count as an entire meal! Unfortunately, these sugary drinks usually end up making us feel extra hungry on top of all those fatty calories. The massive amount of sugar combined with the alcohol also makes it harder for your body to metabolize these cocktails properly. Instead, the sugar usually ends up getting stored as extra fat!
High-Alcohol Craft Beers: We all have that one friend who can’t drink a beer that wasn’t made in a craft brewery. Over the past few years, the popularity of craft breweries has been soaring! Not only are these beers delicious with their own unique taste, but many of them also have a high-alcohol content. More alcohol and a better beer? This sounds like a dream come true! So, what’s the problem? Well, don’t forget that more alcohol also means more calories. In fact, each gram of craft beer may contain as many as seven calories.
How do you save calories on alcohol while you're dieting? Tell us in the comments!
Photo Copyright © 2015 Ralph Daily/Flickr
