As much as your body is your temple, come the weekend you’re not alone if you’re experiencing a heightened desire to sip on a beer (or two). That said, excessive alcohol consumption can cause cancer, liver and heart damage, to name just a few—your standard tipple of vino is an average of 950 kilojoules.
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With that in mind, Belvedere Vodka’s Head of Spirit Creation & Mixology Claire Smith reveals what the best alcohol to drink on a diet really is. Keep reading for how to keeping the kilojoules down:
1. Say yes to tea
Surprising, but tasty, according to Smith, one of the best mixers you can opt for if you’re searching for a healthier tipple is tea. ‘Chilled tea contains zero sugar and you can add extra flavour by using herbs and spices, like mint or vanilla.’ Earl Grey Martini, anyone?
2. Say no to fruit juice
Although the Sex on the Beach may look tempting, cocktails that contain fruit juice are jam-packed with fructose, which will send your kilojoule count through the roof. Did you know? ‘There are approximately 12 teaspoons of sugar in an average glass of cranberry juice’. And that’s not to mention the added sugar in most fruit juice cocktails. Swerve.
3. Say yes to blended drinks
Whilst it’s important to be mindful of your sugar intake, drinks that keep real fruit in the mix do have the added benefit of fibre, which helps your body metabolise the fructose more effectively. You win some, you lose some.
4. Say no to syrup
Most of the syrups used in cocktails are nothing but pure sugar. Even if you’ve picked a healthier option like agave, it’s still 90% fructose. It’s not the best dietary staple as, unlike other food groups, added sugars offer empty kilojoules with no essential nutrients. Give it the swerve.
5. Say yes to sugar-free spirits
Sugar and kilojoules aren’t just about the mixers; alcohol itself often comes with added and natural sugar. A sugar-free spirit will help, but be aware that excessive consumption of alcohol will have detrimental effects on both your health and your waistline.
6. Say no to the usual suspects
Whilst there’s absolutely nothing wrong with enjoying your favourite drinks in moderation if you’re not looking to lose fat, you know the drill when it comes to beer, wine and cider and fat loss. They’re all reasonably high in fat and sugar, so if you’re trying to keep yourself in the healthier remits, it’s easier to opt for lower sugar, fat and kilojoule staples, like vodka or gin.
7. Say yes to water
There’s nothing more kilojoule neutral than water. Boring, but true. Have a glass with every drink and not only will you swerve the ravages of dehydration, you’ll swerve the crippling hangover, too.
From: Good Housekeeping UK
PHOTO: iStock/andresr
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