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Sensible Sipping - 10 Tips for keeping the Alcohol in Check.
Alcohol is full of calories - how much are you really drinking.
Did you know that after fat, alcohol sits second as the most calorie-rich fuel available? To make matters worse, our body doesn’t perceive alcohol as food so you don’t get the feeling of ‘fullness’ after having finished a few high calorie drinks. In fact, alcohol stimulates the appetite which sets the scene for even more calories to find their way in and often after a few drinks, we don’t make the healthiest food choices
Having a few strategies in place for when you are drinking alcohol is a good way to stay in control and to keep the calorie count to a minimum.
10 Sensible Sipping Tips to keep you Happy and Healthy
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Avoid joining in 'rounds'
This way you choose the pace at which you drink. Try to keep to a maximum of 1 drink per hour for a max of 4 hours.
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Stay hydrated
Make every second drink a mineral water. To avoid being harassed by your drinking buddies, choose a mineral water in a tumbler with a lime wedge and ice so that it looks just like a vodka lime soda.
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Drink Spritzers
If drinking wine, why not add some mineral water and make it a spritzer (half wine, half mineral water). You will reduce your alcohol and calorie consumption whilst still feel like you are part of the party.
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Choose low carb or low alcohol options where available
The alcohol companies are constantly making new products which are both low in carbohydrates and / or low in alcohol. These are better options.
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Use low calorie mixers
When we drinking spirits with mixers, the choice of mixer we drink can increase the amount of calories we consume, coke, ginger ale, lemonade are all full of sugar, switch to mixing drinks with mineral water with lemon or soda water with bitters.
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Avoid the creamy cocktails
When drinking cocktails, stick to fruity cocktails and avoid the creamy ones, generally speaking, fruity cocktails are lower in calories and fat.
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Eat a balanced meal before you go out
If you are meeting friends for a drink, ensure you have eaten first. The food in your stomach will give your body more time to process the toxins and will decrease the stomach irritations which can lead to an unpleasant aftermath.
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Drink more expensive alcohol
It has been said that life is too short to drink cheap wine. Not only does more expensive wine often taste better but also it has fewer chemicals called congeners. Fewer congeners reduce the hangover. White wine has less congeners than red wine.
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Take Aspirin before bed
If you have overdone it, then after drinking but before bed take 2 aspirins and a full glass of water. Aspirin contains prostaglandin inhibitors which can decrease the hangover effect.
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Drink plenty of water when you wake up
Drink lots of water as soon as you wake up and before drinking any coffee. The coffee will only dehydrate further which will make matters only worse.
The following list shows the calorie content of a range of drinks. Plan to limit the number of higher calorie drinks if you are actively trying to stay healthy.
Drink |
Number of Calories |
| 1 nip of spirit (30ml) plus a low calorie mixer | 60 calories |
| 1 middy of light beer | 70 calories |
| 1 middy of regular strength beer | 95 calories |
| 1 small glass (150ml) of white wine | 95 calories |
| 1 glass (150ml) of champagne | 95 calories |
| Small port or fortified wine (100ml) | 95 calories |
| 1 small glass (150ml) of red wine | 100 calories |
| 1 can (375ml) of vodka and orange | 220 calories |
| 1 can (375ml) of bourbon and cola | 260 calories |
| 1 cocktail | 300 - 1200 calories |
