Which Alcohol is Best? (And How to Limit Excessive Drinking)
What is the best type of alcohol to have?
Can I drink and still manage my weight or lose weight?
These are all excellent questions - and I hear them all the time! Don’t worry - I got you. Here’s all the recommendations:
Which Alcohol is Best? (And How to Limit Excessive Drinking)
1. What are the best drinks to get?
I personally think the research is strongest for a diet low in added sugar. Therefore, my recommendation is to drink any alcohol you prefer, but without added sugar mixers if possible. Some examples include:
Wine
Champagne or prosecco or cava
Light beer
Hard alcohol + seltzer or water (e.g. vodka soda)
An important note: Don’t be confused by “tonic water”! Seltzer, or sparkling water, is simply water with bubbles in it. I also don’t mean here the sparkling waters with alcohol in them already - while those can definitely be fine in certain situations, they do typically contain added sugar.
Tonic water, on the other hand, is sugary sparkling water, very similar to Sprite or 7Up.
2. What are the calorie differences with various alcohols?
Here’s the run-down!
White Wine (per 5oz alcohol in a regular glass)
General white wine: 121 calories
Chardonnay, white: 119 calories
Pinot Grigio: 122 calories
Savignon Blanc: 120 calories
Red Wine (per 5oz alcohol in a regular glass)
General red wine: 125 calories
Merlot: 118 calories
Pinot Noir: 116 calories
Cabernet Sauvignon: 122 calories
Malbec: 122 calories
Rose Wine (per 5oz alcohol in a regular glass)
General Rose: 118 calories
Sparkling Wine (per 4oz alcohol in a flute)
Cava/ Brut: 89 calories
Champagne: 91 calories
Light Beer (per 12oz alcohol in a bottle)
General Light Beer: 103 calories
Bud Light: 110 calories
Coors Light: 102 calories
Busch Light: 95 calories
Bud Light Lime: 116 calories
Yuengling Light: 98 calories
Keystone Light: 123 calories
Regular Beer (per 12oz alcohol in a bottle)
General Beer: 153 calories
Budweiser: 145 calories
Yuengling: 135 calories
Hard Alcohol (per 1oz hard alcohol - can include additional seltzer, water, or a diet drink)
Vodka Soda: 64 calories
Rum + Diet Coke: 64 calories
Tequila Soda with lime: 64 calories
As you can see, these drinks are all fairly similar in calories (except for the hard alcohol). I’d recommend sticking with the alcohol you like the best - so you can truly enjoy yourself.
However, if you know you’re going to be drinking a lot of e.g. beer at a tailgate, it may be a good idea to stick with a lower calorie option.
3. Tricks
I also have some great tricks to help manage what you’re drinking throughout the day or night event. Here they are!
Staying hydrated so that you’re not hung over the next day – and make (often) poor food decisions!
Alternate with water or seltzer
By this I mean:
1 drink of alcohol
1 drink of seltzer/ water (not a spiked seltzer, just plain sparkling water)
1 drink of alcohol
1 drink of seltzer/ water
You can even put a wedge of lime in your glass of seltzer or water if you want to make it look like alcohol!
Have the first drink of the night as seltzer or water
This way, you can “set the tone” of the evening. You are the one in control, and aren’t going to overdo it!
Make weak drinks
This works especially well if you’re at a friend’s house or somewhere where you can be more in control of what goes into your glass.
If you’re making a vodka soda, for example, pour a half-shot and fill the rest with seltzer or water. Add some lime wedges if you need more of a taste!
Pour half glasses
Another good trick if you have more control, or aren’t paying for every single drink (e.g. you’re at a friend’s house, at a wedding, etc.) is to pour yourself half glasses - and continue with the alternating trick of 1 alcohol drink, 1 seltzer, 1 alcohol drink, etc. This can help slow you down!
Decide how many drinks you’re going to have for the week (ahead of time)
A good trick is to decide how many drinks you’re going to have ahead of time for the week (on a regular basis) - and then distribute them however you like, or how your social life is looking for that week.
For example, if I know I typically have a beer with Zak on Thursday nights, and maybe I’ll have 2 drinks on Friday or Saturday night, my maximum # of drinks could be 4 for the week (to give myself a little leeway).
Important note: the drinks do NOT role over! :) If I only had 3 drinks this week, it doesn’t mean I get 5 drinks the next week (if my max is 4!).
4. Alright. Things didn’t go as planned. I’m hungover. Help!
If you are hungover, try some greasy eggs & bacon rather than pancakes or fries. You’ll still get the fried taste, but without the extra carbs.
