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Key Points
- The article discusses the high caloric content of popular cocktails like the White Russian, Mudslide, Mai Tai, and various frozen drinks. It compares their caloric content to fast food items to illustrate the potential impact on one's diet.
- The White Russian, made with Kahlua, vodka, and heavy cream, contains 670 calories, equivalent to a McDonald's value meal. A healthier alternative is to use coconut milk instead of heavy cream and add espresso for flavor.
- The Mudslide, a dessert-like cocktail, contains 556 calories, equivalent to a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut. A lower-calorie version can be made with coffee liqueur, vodka, low-fat chocolate milk, and ice cubes.
- The Mai Tai, a beach favorite, contains 620 calories, comparable to a Wendy's double cheeseburger. A lighter version can be made with light rum, orange juice, lemon juice, pineapple, and almond syrup.
- Frozen drinks like margaritas, daiquiris, and pina coladas also have high caloric content. The article suggests using simpler ingredients like fruit juices and club soda to create lower-calorie versions. It advises sticking to cocktails with one type of alcohol and a lower-calorie mixer for healthier choices.
The skinny cocktail has become a popular choice because delicious sweet cocktails can pack a caloric punch. While most alcoholic drinks have empty calories, some can eat up your caloric intake in as little as two servings! Before you go out after a hard week, make sure you understand which cocktails to avoid.
White Russian
This mixed drink was made famous by Jeff Bridges' character in 1998 film The Big Lebowski. However, the White Russian is a calorie offender with ingredients like Kahlua, vodka, and heavy cream. Drinking one White Russian is the same as eating a value meal at McDonald's at 670 calories - yikes!
It is difficult to get a replacement for all that thick, milkshake-y goodness. However, you can replace the ingredients with healthier alternatives to get the same effect with fewer calories. Instead of heavy cream, use coconut milk. Since Kahlua is basically coffee, vodka, and sugar, just add a bit of espresso to your drink and more vodka to get the same taste.
Related: 6 Types of Heart-Healthy Cold Weather Beverages
Mudslide
Keeping with the dessert drink theme, Mudslides are the fancy version of a White Russian. It is a chocolaty drink that you have to bat your kids away from because it looks like a tasty milkshake. Mudslides are made of Baileys, Kahlua, chocolate and vanilla ice cream, and heavy cream, adding up to 556 calories - the same as chowing down a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut.
Once again, it is hard to find a suitable replacement for the delicious mudslide. But when you want to cut calories, you have to make sacrifices. Just blend coffee liqueur, vodka, low-fat chocolate milk, and ice cubes to get your new low-calorie mudslide.
Mai Tai
When you think of Mai Tai, you think of sitting on a beach while sipping on your delicious drink. Mai Tais, however, are one of the most hostile drinks for your bathing suit. This is because there are three kinds of sugary alcohol in this drink - spiced rum, coconut rum, and curacao. Mai Tais have a surprising 620 calories per nine ounce drink, comparable to Wendy's double cheeseburger.
For a low-calorie version of this drink, stick to light rum only, and then add orange juice, lemon juice, pineapple, and almond syrup instead of grenadine.
Related: The Harsh Reality of College Drinking
Frozen Concoctions
Frozen drinks come in all varieties, including margaritas, daiquiris, and pina coladas. Anything that is frozen uses a sugary pre-mixture to make the drink come to life. A margarita has 550 calories, the same as a seven layer burrito and beef chalupa from Taco Bell. The Daiquiri has 300 calories that you can also get from a piece of fried chicken at KFC. The Pina Colada has 586 calories, also found in 16 Thin Mint Girl Scout cookies.
For a margarita replacement, just mix tequila with lime and orange juice. A Daiquiri only needs pureed strawberries and rum. Pina Colada ingredients can be replaced with coconut rum, pineapple juice, and club soda.
Related: Your Summer Cocktail and 5 Things That Don't Mix
In general, it is a good idea to stay away from cocktails that have multiple kinds of alcohol. Going basic with just one type of alcohol and a lower calorie mixer is usually a safer choice.
Frequently asked questions
Why have skinny cocktails become a popular choice?
Skinny cocktails have become a popular choice because traditional sweet cocktails can be high in calories. Many people are looking for lower-calorie alternatives that still offer great taste.What makes a White Russian a high-calorie cocktail?
A White Russian is a high-calorie cocktail due to its ingredients, which include Kahlua, vodka, and heavy cream. These ingredients make the drink equivalent to a value meal at McDonald's in terms of caloric content, at 670 calories.How can a White Russian be made with fewer calories?
A White Russian can be made with fewer calories by substituting some of the ingredients with healthier alternatives. For example, you can replace the heavy cream with coconut milk and add a bit of espresso and more vodka instead of Kahlua.What makes a Mudslide a high-calorie cocktail?
A Mudslide is a high-calorie cocktail because it is made with Baileys, Kahlua, chocolate and vanilla ice cream, and heavy cream. These ingredients add up to 556 calories, equivalent to a personal pan pizza from Pizza Hut.How can a Mudslide be made with fewer calories?
A Mudslide can be made with fewer calories by substituting some of the ingredients with lower-calorie alternatives. You can blend coffee liqueur, vodka, low-fat chocolate milk, and ice cubes to create a lower-calorie version of the drink.Why is a Mai Tai considered a high-calorie cocktail?
A Mai Tai is considered a high-calorie cocktail because it contains three kinds of sugary alcohol: spiced rum, coconut rum, and curacao. This results in a drink that has 620 calories per nine ounce serving, comparable to a double cheeseburger from Wendy's.How can a Mai Tai be made with fewer calories?
A Mai Tai can be made with fewer calories by using light rum only, and then adding orange juice, lemon juice, pineapple, and almond syrup instead of grenadine.What is a general rule to follow when trying to choose lower-calorie cocktails?
A general rule to follow when trying to choose lower-calorie cocktails is to avoid drinks that have multiple kinds of alcohol. Opting for a basic drink with just one type of alcohol and a lower-calorie mixer is usually a safer choice.
