The holiday season is all about eating, drinking, and being merry. But if you struggle with weight issues, you know what the drill is…
You have to use your willpower to keep carbs to a minimum. And during the holidays, many of us consume a lot of carbohydrates through alcoholic drinks.
But there are low-carb drink choices that are delicious and festive.
Here’s how popular alcoholic beverages break down for carb content:
- Beer. Bad news if you’re a beer lover… Barley is used to make beer. The fermented grain adds up to a high-carb beverage. You might as well be scarfing down dinner rolls. Some beers have as many as 14 grams of carbs in a 12-ounce bottle.
Light beer is a better option. Budweiser’s Select 55 Premium Light Beer has only 1.8 grams of carbs per serving. Michelob Ultra has 3 grams. Corona Premier has 2 grams. Some craft breweries also have low-carb options.i
- Wine. Dry wines are a great low-carb choice. Carbs average out at about 2 grams per glass. Even better…champagne has just 1 gram per glass. Sweeter wines aren’t actually much worse. Sweet riesling has about 4 grams per glass. And dry red wines such as pinot noir or cabernet sauvignon top out at between 3.4 and 5.5 grams per glass.ii
- The hard stuff. Tequila, gin, brandy, vodka, and whiskey have little or no carbs…by themselves, that is. If you mix them with juice or soda, it’s a different story.
A typical margarita, for instance, has 8 grams of carbs. A gin and tonic has 16 grams. A vodka and orange juice (screwdriver) has 28.
Drink hard liquor neat or on the rocks. Or add a low-carb mixer like seltzer.
- Coolers. Avoid them. There’s a reason they call them “alcopops.” Whether we’re talking wine coolers, spirit coolers, or hard lemonade, they’re chock full of sugar.
Winter Sangria Recipe
This festive, fruit-filled drink is bursting with colors and flavors. It’s a sure to be a holiday crowd pleaser.iii
Ingredients
1 lime thinly sliced, seeds removed
1 lemon thinly sliced, seeds removed
1 pear cored and chopped into ½-inch cubes
1 navel orange chopped into ½-inch cubes
½ cup fresh cranberries
1 tablespoon honey
3 cinnamon sticks
3 cups sparkling water or seltzer
1 bottle dry red wine (Beaujolais preferred)
2 ounces brandy
Fresh mint (optional)
Place orange, ¼ cup cranberries, in 2-liter or larger pitcher. Use a wooden spoon to muddle the fruit, releasing some of the juices.
Add remaining fruit, cinnamon sticks, wine, brandy, and honey. Stir and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes and up to four hours.
Right before serving, pour in sparkling water and stir. Garnish with mint and fruit if desired.
Editor’s Note: Have you gained weight during the pandemic? You’re not alone. Americans have packed on an average of two pounds a month during the coronavirus crisis, according to a recently study.
Read our monthly journal Independent Healing to discover a better way than dieting to lose weight. You don’t have go hungry, give up your favorite foods…and it works better than dieting. Go HERE to find out more.
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