10 Low-Calorie Cocktails That Won't Totally Derail Your Health & Fitness Goals
Let's be real: Some of us (cough, like me, cough) having been hitting the sauce just a little extra since we started staying home more.
For a long time, I never really considered that the things I drank were adding calories or sugars to my days — I was careful about eating healthy foods, but my brain didn't connect the dots that my "Quarantine 15" weight gain might have something to do with the ample margaritas I was sipping in the backyard. Whoops.
Gulping down a mixed drink or two in the evening can add a surprising amount of calories and sugar to your diet, as it turns out!
We're not going to call these "skinny" drinks, because we're body positive here at Work For Your Beer. (See our Work For Your Beer Bod campaign). But if you're looking to minimize the impact your cocktail consumption has on your health for whatever reason matters to you, consider these low-calorie options the next time you pour yourself something strong.
And of course, we recommend that you drink in moderation! We're all about balance.
Watermelon Mojito
From Peanut Butter & Peppers, this drink is estimated to have 122 calories.
Ingredients
1 cup watermelon, seeded roughly chopped
1/2 lime, juiced
4 mint leaves
1 oz. white rum
Club soda or sparkling water
Ice
Instructions
In a blender, process watermelon until liquefied. Pour into a glass.
In a small bowl, muddle together the lime juice and mint leaves. Pour over the top of the watermelon.
Fill the glass with ice and top with rum and club soda.
Garnish with mint leaves and watermelon wedge if desired.
Coconut Margarita
From My Crazy Good Life, this drink is estimated to have 100 calories.
Ingredients
1 oz. tequila
1/2 lime, juiced
1 can of coconut flavored La Croix (or other sparkling water)
Ice
Optional: Salt for rim.
Instructions
Optional: Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass and dip the rim in salt.
Fill glass with ice.
Pour the tequila and lime juice over ice.
Top with coconut flavored La Croix.
Garnish with a lime wedge, if desired.
Blackberry Pomegranate Spritzer
From Define Fettle, this drink is estimated to have 100 calories.
Ingredients
1 oz. pure pomegranate juice
1 oz. vodka
1/2 lime, juiced
1 can of lime La Croix (or other sparkling water)
5 blackberries
Ice
Instructions
Either muddle your blackberries, or place the berries at the bottom of your glass and mash them with a fork until they're smashed to the desired consistency.
Fill the glass with ice.
Add in the pomegranate juice, vodka, and lime juice.
Top with lime La Croix.
Stir and allow to chill for 1-2 minutes.
Garnish with lime wedge, if desired.
Savory Cucumber Herb Sangria
From Always Order Dessert, this drink is estimated to have 116 calories.
Ingredients
1/2 lemon, washed and sliced
3/4 lime, washed and sliced
1/4 large green cucumber, washed and sliced
1/4 cup fresh mint leaves, washed and patted dry
1/4 cup fresh basil leaves, washed and patted dry
6 oz. dry white wine
Sparkling water
Ice
Instructions
Combine the sliced lemons, limes, cucumber, mint, and basil in a glass.
Use a wooden spoon to muddle slightly to release some of the juices and natural herb oils.
Pour in the wine.
Stir and chill in the fridge for about 20 minutes, letting the flavors meld.
Stir again, then add ice and top off with sparkling water.
Garnish with lime slice, if desired.
Ranch Water
From The Brunette Nomad, this drink is estimated to have 95 calories.
Ingredients
2 oz. tequila
4 oz. Topo Chico mineral water
1/2 lime, juiced
Ice
Optional: Salt or chili/salt mixture for rim
Instructions
Optional: Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass; dip the rim in salt or chili/salt mixture.
Fill glass with ice cubes.
Pour tequila in the glass.
Add Topo Chico sparkling water.
Cut 1 lime in half, then cut one of the halves into 2 wedges.
Squeeze one lime wedge into the cocktail for lime flavoring, and use the other wedge as garnish.
Colada Sparkler
From My Recipes, this drink is estimated to have 142 calories.
Ingredients
1 oz. white rum
4 oz. pineapple juice
1 can coconut flavored La Croix (or other sparkling water)
Ice
Optional: Fresh pineapple for garnish
Instructions
Fill a glass with ice.
Pour in rum and pineapple juice.
Top with La Croix.
Garnish with fresh pineapple, if desired.
Paloma
From Eating Bird Food, this drink is estimated to have 87 calories.
Ingredients
3 oz. grapefruit juice
1 oz. tequila
1/2 lime, juiced
1 can Pamplemousse La Croix (or other grapefruit-flavored sparkling water)
Ice
Optional: Salt for rim
Instructions
Optional: Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass; dip the rim in salt.
Fill glass with ice.
Add tequila, grapefruit juice, and lime juice. Stir.
Top with La Croix.
Garnish with lime, if desired.
Watermelon Lime Splash
From Dash of Mandi, this drink is estimated to have 160 calories.
Ingredients
1 oz. tequila
6 oz. cold-pressed watermelon juice (Trader Joe's offers this!)
6 oz. lime La Croix (or other sparkling water)
1/2 lime, juiced
Ice
Optional: Salt for rim
Optional: Watermelon chunk for garnish
Instructions
Optional: Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass; dip the rim in salt.
Fill glass with ice.
Add tequila, lime juice, and watermelon juice to glass. Stir.
Top with La Croix.
Garnish with lime or watermelon chunk, if desired.
Vodka Blueberry Lemonade
This drink from Dash of Mandi is estimated to have 75 calories.
Ingredients
1 oz. vodka
10 blueberries
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 can blueberry lemon seltzer (Trader Joe's and Polar offer this!)
Ice
Instructions
Either muddle your blueberries, or place the berries at the bottom of your glass and mash them with a fork until they're smashed to the desired consistency.
Add ice.
Add lemon juice and vodka, then top with blueberry lemon seltzer. Stir.
Garnish with lemon wedge and more blueberries, if desired.
Spicy Limeade Margarita
From Dash of Mandi, this drink is estimated to have 143 calories.
Ingredients
3 oz. jalapeño limeade (Trader Joe's has this!)
1 oz. tequila
2-3 jalapeño slices
1 can lime La Croix (or other sparkling water)
Ice
Optional: Lime wedge for garnish
Optional: Salt or chili/salt mixture for rim
Instructions
Optional: Run a lime wedge around the rim of the glass; dip the rim in salt or chili/salt mixture.
Add jalapeño slices to the bottom of your glass and use a wooden spoon to muddle slightly to release some of the juices and natural oils.
Add ice.
Add jalapeño limeade and tequila. Stir.
Top with La Croix.
Garnish with lime, if desired.
What's your go-to low-calorie drink?
Is it one of the options listed here or something else entirely? Let us know in the comments so we can try 'em out, too!