Who doesn’t love dressing up, letting your hair down and having a good time while knocking back a few cocktails? But sugar syrups and flavour enhancers go straight to your hips and add to that muffin top. Don’t freak out, we’re not asking you to give up alcohol altogether, we don’t believe in killing the buzz. Instead, we give you a few tips to keep in mind while drinking and recipes for some low calorie cocktails to keep those inches off your waist! Though you’ll have a few less sorrows to drown with your super svelte figure.
A Few Things To Keep In Mind While Drinking
Binge Drinking Isn’t So Much Fun For Your Body
Saying “I got so wasted last night” is okay once in a while, but you’ll end up doing more damage to your system than to your image if you get sloshed too often. Binge drinking can cause headaches, indigestion, bloating and liver infections too. So make sure you keep a count of your drinks (there are apps for this too!), or assign a friend whose the designated driver to make sure you don’t go CRAZYYY!
Keep A Bottle Of Water Next To You
Red wine is proven to be good for the heart but having 3 glasses of your favourite Merlot could also mean severe dehydration. It is a known fact that booze in general is a diuretic and soaks up all the water in your body. The easiest and quickest way to make up for all that’s lost is by drinking 1 glass of water every time you finish a drink.
Make Healthy Eating Choices While Drinking and Save Those Calories
We don’t need to remind you to eat something when going hard with liquor, right? Good. If you’re at a friends’ party where there are fried fritters going around, skip them and go for the dips. When you’re out and doing the ordering, please order a grilled appetizer, salads, nuts or some good ol’ hummus and pita bread.
Low Calorie Cocktails To Try
Now that we’ve got these basics covered, we think mixing your own drinks and trying out recipes at home is great fun! So here are our top recipes which can also be found at new generation clubs, bars and lounges. Make your own bar at home with a collection of booze-appropriate glasses, peg measurer, cocktail mixer and a few flavoured liqueurs.
1. The Fauxhito
Any Mojito fans out there? Well here’s one without all the sugar, and maybe even tastier.
You need:
- 3-4 mint leaves
- 1 lime wedge
- 30 ml white rum (Bacardi or Captain Morgan would do)
- 30 ml Diet Soda like Sprite Zero
- Ice
How to: Muddle lightly crushed mint leaves with white rum and a few drops of lemon juice. Pour the muddled mixture into your glass, fill with crushed ice, and top off with diet soda.
You can run a lime wedge dipped in granulated sugar around the rim of the glass to go pro.
Makes 1 drink
2. Golden Gates
If you love your whiskey as much as your old man, this recipe is a must-try. It’s definitely one of the healthiest cocktail recipes we have ever come across.
You need:
- 60ml JW Gold Label
- 60ml Green Tea and spices decoction
To prepare the green tea and spices decoction, you need:
- 1000ml strong green tea
- 1 tsp castor sugar (optional)
- 10 cardamom pods
- Half of a nutmeg seed
- 50 g cinnamon
- 1 orange peel
How to: Boil all ingredients for 20 minutes and cool it down. Fine strain the spices. Mix this with Gold Label and you’re good to go!
Makes 1 LARGE drink
3. Raspberry Lemonade Martini
This one has vodka and is really quick to make, so you can try it at home!
You need:
- 30 ml vodka (Grey Goose or Absolut would do)
- 30 ml Triple Sec
- 20-30 ml Tropicana Raspberry Lemonade
How to: Mix vodka, Triple Sec and as much juice as you like in a mixer. Shake it all with ice and pour it into a chilled martini glass. Add a twist of lemon and you’re all set!
Makes 1 drink
4. Red Wine Sangria
This one is a girlie favourite. It can really get a party going and is a must-know!
You need:
- 750 ml (1 bottle) red wine
- ¼ cup Triple Sec
- 1 orange, sliced
- 1 lemon, unpeeled and sliced
- 230 g of pineapple, chopped in chunks
- 2 cups Naturally flavoured lime water or low cal Lemon-lime soda
- Apples/any citrus fruit for garnish
How to: Combine wine, triple sec, the orange slice, lime slices and pineapple in a large pitcher. Stir it thoroughly and keepin the fridge for at least 4 hours if not overnight. When serving, add the soda/lime water to the ready pitcher. Finish with ice and a fresh fruit garnish.
Makes 4-6 drinks
5. Goodmorning Princess
If you’re out in the day or just enjoying some alone time, gin can never go wrong.
You need:
- 60 ml gin (Gordon’s Gin works well here)
- 20 ml lime juice
- 30 ml Triple Sec (Orange flavoured liqueur like Grand Marnier would be useful)
- 1 bar spoon of orange marmalade
How to: Give the gin, Triple Sec and lime juice a good shake in the mixer. Add some marmalade to it and mix it just a bit. It’s ready to serve!
Makes 1 large drink or 2 small drinks
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