Alcohol is key focal point of many social situations. Whether it be birthdays, weddings or just a night out with your friends, alcohol is very likely to be involved. Unfortunately, alcohol contains 7 calories per gram (g) so if you are not careful it can lead to rapid weight gain. That is why today I am here to help minimise the impact of alcohol on your waistline with 4 low calorie alcoholic drink substitutes.
1) BAILEY’S IRISH CREAM FOR CHAMPAGNE:- Bailey’s Irish Cream is a popular night cap and Christmas drink. However, if you want to stay trim this is one drink to avoid as it contains a notable 240 calories per unit of alcohol. So instead of drinking Bailey’s Irish Cream have a glass of champagne. Champagne comes in at a much lower 77 calories per unit of alcohol which represents an overall saving of 163 calories per unit of alcohol.
2) MULLED WINE FOR DRY WHITE WINE:- Mulled wine is another popular festive drink. However, if you are trying to lose weight it is not the smartest choice with a unit of mulled wine containing 140 calories. If you want a lighter choice then swap the mulled wine for dry white wine. Dry white wine contains just 73 calories per unit of alcohol which means by making the switch you will save a notable 67 calories per unit of alcohol.
3) STELLA ARTOIS FOR COORS LIGHT BEER:- Premium lagers are a very popular alcoholic drink. Not only do they contain more alcohol than standard lager but they also taste better. However, this improved taste comes at a cost of 102 calories per unit of alcohol. Fortunately, with Coors Light Beer you can still enjoy your premium lager and save some calories in the process. This premium lager contains less carbohydrates than most and comes in at 90 calories per unit of alcohol. This represents a small but important saving of 10 calories per unit of alcohol.
4) WKD FOR VODKA:- Alcopops such as WKD are really popular amongst teenagers. However, if you are trying to keep the weight off WKD is not a wise choice. A single unit of alcohol in WKD comes in at a massive 178 calories. However, if you strip out the sugar and swap WKD for straight vodka you can save 108 calories per unit of alcohol. Straight spirits such as vodka are amongst the lightest alcoholic drinks available and contain just 70 calories per unit of alcohol.
SUMMARY
Whilst these alcoholic drink substitutes may not seem like much, they can add up to some significant calories savings. For example, if you consume 20 units of alcohol per week you can save 3,260 calories by swapping Bailey’s Irish Cream for champagne. If you cut down on WKD and drink vodka instead then you can save 2,160 calories over the course of 20 units of alcohol. So next time you fancy an alcoholic drink, think back to this list and see if there is a low calorie alcoholic drink substitute available.