Drinking To Your Health – Picking the right mix can make a difference
The use of “healthy” mixers such as tea, juices, water, etc., in place of sodas, tonics and on-the-rocks for a healthier drink is the requested topic for this article. I bring this up because “healthy” is not a term normally associated with alcohol. So, I wonder how I am going to make this one work?
Well, needless to say, I love a challenge. My beautiful wife Lauren would call it being stubborn. That being said, let’s get this rolling! We can start by understanding what calorie and nutritional content is found in alcohol. You probably have heard the saying that “clear” alcohols (gin, vodka, light rum) are fewer in calories than the “browns” (whiskey, scotch, tequila). Well, that isn’t exactly true.
Distilled alcohol — rum, gin, vodka, whisky of 80 proof and higher — contains little or no sugar and carbohydrates, and they all contain close to 65 calories per 1 ounce measured shot. This excludes any of the schnapps or liqueurs, or generally any of the heavier concoctions available on the market since they have a higher caloric and carb content.
It’s pretty simple to control the nutrition of the mixer being used in your cocktail. You can use diet soda, tea, fresh-squeezed fruit, and then choose the complementing alcohol. The calories start adding up when you get the sugar-sweetened drinks, the premixed cocktails, etc. So the key is to stay with the diet and fresh ingredients. Some of these take a little more time to put together, but they are definitely worth the wait.
Since we are on the subject of low-cal beverages, there is a good chance that mixing of the different alcohols might just take place here at the Lake. I’ve heard of things like that happening. Jim Sterling told me that, in fact, it does happen on occasion, but we both don’t remember when we talked about it!
Seriously though, folks, if you do mix different alcohols, you should know a few things about the calories of beer and wine. The beer market has been flooded with the “low-carb, low-cal” beers. The latest entry is from Budweiser with the Select “55.” Take a look at the following chart:
| BRAND | ALCOHOL | CALORIES (12oz) | CARBS |
| Bud Light | 4.20% | 110 | 6.6g |
| Budweiser | 5.00% | 145 | 10.6g |
| Budweiser Select | 4.30% | 99 | 3.1g |
| Budweiser Select 55 | 2.40% | 55 | 1.9g |
| Busch Beer | 4.60% | 133 | 10.2g |
| Busch Light | 4.10% | 95 | 3.2g |
| Coors | 4.91% | 149 | 12.2g |
| Coors Light | 4.15% | 104 | 5.3g |
| Keystone Light | 4.13% | 103 | 5.0g |
| Keystone Ice | 5.90% | 142 | 5.9% |
| Michelob Beer | 5.00% | 155 | 13.3g |
| Michelob Ultra | 4.10% | 95 | 2.6% |
| Miller Genuine Draft | 4.70% | 143 | 13.1g |
| Miller Genuine Draft Light | 4.20% | 110 | 7g |
| Miller Genuine Draft 64 | 2.80% | 64 | 2.4g |
| Miller High Life | 4.20% | 110 | 7g |
| Miller Lite | 4.20% | 96 | 3.2g |
| Milwaukee’s Best | 2.30% | 128 | 11.4g |
| Milwaukee’s Best Light | 4.50% | 98 | 3.5g |
| Milwaukee’s Best Ice | 5.90% | 144 | 7.3g |
| New Belgium Fat Tire | 5.20% | 160 | 15g |
| Pabst Blue Ribbon | 5.00% | 153 | 12.01g |
| Sam Adams Boston Lager | 4.75% | 160 | 18.0g |
You may have figured out that one way to cut down the calories and carbs is by reducing the alcohol content of the beer. There also is a belief, though not scientific, that the “thicker and heavier” the beer, the higher the calories and carbs.
The wine industry has not had many wineries initiate a low-carb, low-cal push, yet a fiveounce glass of red wine averages 106 calories, 13 percent alcohol and 2.51 grams of carbohydrates, while a five-ounce glass of white wine comes in at around 100 calories, 13 percent alcohol and 1.18 grams of carbohydrates. Compared to other drinks based on alcohol percentages, the calories and carbs of wine come in quite a bit lower.
So, now I have written about the calories and carbs of alcohol since I was asked to write about “healthy” mixers. Studies on health benefits from alcohol don’t turn up any results of significant importance, while studies on the health benefits of wine have.
Wine contains antioxidants and resveratrol, which have been shown to help with the heart and has a way to fight against cancer. Not all wines have these benefits equally. Red wines have the most benefit because the skins of the red grape contain the vast majority of antioxidants and resveratrol, which gives the wine its health benefits. I am not a doctor, so please consult a physician about any health benefits from wine.
If health and wellness are important to you, but you aren’t sure how to regulate the caloric intake when having a drink, just remember there are tools out there for you to learn more about what course is best for you. You don’t have to cut out having a cocktail occasionally as long as you remember the ingredients to stick with and the ones to avoid.
And, of course, the most important thing to remember with any diet is moderation. To make sure you don’t add extra pounds, budget your calorie intake. Please do drink responsibly and don’t get behind the wheel of anything when you have been drinking. Designate a driver.
Category: Blog, Entertainment Dining Wine Spirits
great post as usual!