The Skinny on Holiday Drinks
Last updated: Dec 07, 2011
By Joy Pierce Mathews for Summit Medical Group
Reviewed by Susan Canonico, RD
On average, it only takes an additional 500 calories per day (3,500 calories a week) to gain one pound. For many of us, those extra calories go down all too easily during the holiday season. But having a plan for eating and drinking that balances the number of calories you eat with your level of activity can help keep unwanted pounds off during the holidays and year ‘round. One way to keep extra calories from expanding your waistline is to give up certain foods and drinks to save calories for your special holiday treat. Another approach is to substitute healthy options for traditional, high-sugar, high-fat treats.
You can enjoy delicious alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages and still maintain a healthy calorie intake during the holidays. For example, if you know you’ll want a glass of champagne or hot dessert drink in the evening, offset your total calories for the day by giving up something else. If you’re used to having a sandwich at lunchtime, exchange it for a leafy green salad with oil and vinegar dressing. Other tradeoffs can include bumping bread and butter from your dinner plate, passing on potatoes, and ditching dessert.
Try these suggestions and recipes to help you enjoy holiday drinks while watching your waistline:
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Alcohol Adage
Maintain moderation! A 5-ounce glass of white wine has approximately 120 calories, a 4.1-ounce vodka martini has about 210 calories, a 4-ounce whiskey sour has about 120 calories, and 1.4-ounce jigger of scotch has approximately 103 calories. If you have only 1 of these drinks and substitute it for a 100- to 200-calorie food during the day, you can stay well within your total allotment of calories for the day!
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Blushing Bloody Mary
For an old-fashioned favorite that’s on the lighter side, mix 1 cup of vodka and with 4 cups of Clamato juice. Add 1 teaspoon of Worcestershire sauce, 1 teaspoon of Tabasco sauce, 4 teaspoons of creamed horseradish sauce, and salt and pepper to taste. Squeeze a fresh quarter of lemon over each glass and serve this lively libation on ice in a beautiful glass. Add a perky piece of celery with leaves on top for added seasonal color! Because this recipe serves 8 people, one glass of the delightful drink is only 126 calories.
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Heart-healthy Hot Cocoa
Substitute skim milk for whole milk and cut up to 70 calories and 8 grams fat from your cup of hot chocolate. Start with a good unsweetened cocoa powder such as Droste’s®, and use half the recommended amount of sugar. You’ll be surprised how satisfying this classic concoction can be without the typical amount of sugar and fat. Whipping up the mixture in an immersion blender creates a festive, frothy, warming winter drink! Don’t forget to plop in a few miniature rather than large marshmallows and go easy on them! You’ll be getting 90 to 100 calories for an 8-ounce cup of this cocoa with 7 mini marshmallows.
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Magical Mango Mimosa
For a tropical twist, try a mango mimosa! With a 4.1-ounce glass of champagne at 80 calories and a splash of mango juice as little as 20 calories, you can enjoy your mimosa without guilt. When served in a beautiful flute with a fresh leafy sprig of mint, you can enjoy the appearance of this bubbly, blithesome beverage as much as its taste!
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Not-so-naughty Nog
Make this yummy Yuletide drink with fat-free half and half to save hundreds of calories per cup. Use half the amount of sugar and half the number of egg yolks in your traditional recipe. Cut the alcohol altogether or reduce it by half to limit your calories. Add the usual amounts of vanilla and cinnamon and top your nourishing nog with freshly ground nutmeg for extra flavor. You’ll be amazed at how tasty it is without the extra calories and fat! A 6-ounce cup of this noteable nog yields approximately 197 calories.
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Perfect Pear Potion
Combine 5 ounces of pear nectar with 3 ounces of unflavored seltzer. Add ½ teaspoon of freshly squeezed lime juice and pour the mixture into a red wine glass filled with crushed ice. Stir gently and hang a glittering slice of candied ginger and freshly clipped mint sprig on the side of the glass for festive flare! A 5-ounce glass of this delightful drink has 145 calories.
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Scroogedriver
Combine 5 ounces of freshly squeezed orange juice with 1 ½ ounces of vodka. Pour this lighthearted libation into a handsome highball glass filled with crushed ice. Hang a succulent slice of fresh orange on the side to accentuate its appeal. This drink has approximately 162 calories per 5-ounce glass and offers a nice shot of vitamin C!
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Sparkling Spritzers
Instead of sugary soda, try a refreshing glass of seltzer with just a splash of fruit juice for flavor. Cranberry, orange, pineapple, mango, and apricot juice make tasty additions to icy cold seltzer. Serve these delicious low-calorie drinks in a beautiful glass such as champagne flute or wine glass with a sprig of mint, wedge of lime, or slice of orange for a festive feature at your holiday gathering! Compared with an 8-ounce glass of Coke or Pepsi at 100 calories, these drinks can be as little as 20 calories depending on the amount of juice you add.
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Vanishing Vanilla Cream Cozy
Heat 8 ounces of skim milk in a saucepan. Add 3 tablespoons of malted milk powder and 1½ teaspoons of vanilla extract. Stir and pour the mixture into your favorite festive cup. Top your drink with a dollop of low-fat whipped cream and sprinkle it with cinnamon and freshly ground nutmeg. This seasonal sensation yields 150 calories per 8 ounces.
“If you’ve set your sights on a sweeter, richer holiday drink such as a hot toddy, hot buttered rum, hot brandy Alexander, buttered wine, or something that’s liqueur-based, be sure to start offsetting the extra calories early in your day—even at breakfast!” says Summit Medical Group registered dietitian Susan Canonico. “Trimming calories here and there throughout the day can add up enough to equal the number of calories in your favorite holiday drink."
Ms. Canonico adds, "Remember that some holiday drinks can pack in as many as 1,000 calories and make it difficult to keep off unwanted pounds! You can also cut your overall calories or increase your activity for the next few days to help get back on track!”
