Lowest Calorie Alcoholic Beverages
Drinking can be a recipe for disaster in terms of trying to maintain a healthy weight. Alcohol is calorically dense, with little nutritional value, and it lowers our inhibitions making us more apt to go on late night pizza runs. It is metabolized in the liver, and in order to break it down, our bodies have to work double-time diverting metabolic function away from food digestion, slowing our metabolisms down, which definitely is a bummer. Drinking is quite often a major part of socializing though, and it's definitely okay to knock back a couple of drinks with your friends from time to time. Moderation is the key, and it helps knowing what the best bets are calorically, so you can make an informed decision and avoid sabotaging all of your hard work.
As far as beers go there are tons of options:
MGD 64- 64 Calories, the jury is out on this one, I've heard it's unpleasantly watery and I've heard it's okay.
Beck's Light- 64 Calories
Amstel Light- 95 Calories
Michelob Ultra- 95 Calories
Miller Lite- 98 Calories
Bud Select- 99 Calories
Heineken Light- 99 Calories
Coors Light- 104
Bud Light- 105
Miller High Life Light- 110
Bud Light Lime- 116
The best thing about beer is you know exactly what the portion is and what you're getting. Mixed drinks and shots are a little more difficult to judge, but there are some basic rules of thumb to follow.
1 oz of 80 proof liquors will set you back roughly 65 calories. 1.5 oz of 80 proof liquors will set you back about 100 calories. When the proof goes up, so do the calories. Mixers can really send the calorie count sky-high, so if you're inclined to be super vigilant go with club soda, ice tea, or diet beverages over juices and regular soda. Be aware though, that diet beverages do not slow the rate of absorption of alcohol into the bloodstream like sodas and juices do, so it's extra important to be moderate unless you're hell-bent on blacking out and maybe causing a scene.
Wine calorie counts vary by the alcohol content of the wine, but on average, a 5 oz glass of red wine has approximately 106 calories and a 5 oz glass of white has approximately 100 calories.
Most health professionals agree that moderate drinking can be a part of a healthy lifestyle. Moderate is considered one alcoholic beverage a day for women and two for men. On nights when moderation goes out the window, at least your diet won't. Be safe, have fun, and please remember not to drink and drive.
To see the shocking number of calories in a few common mixed drinks check out my article on the highest calorie alcoholic beverages.
