I am a huge fan of liquid courage in all of its forms. There’s nothing I love more than mixing up a good cocktail, and I’ve even got my own home bar. It sounds silly for a man to say, but I love those tasty fruity cocktails with the little umbrellas in them – and I’ve even invented some myself.
It’s awesome to kick back and relax on the weekend after a good boxing session or run with a cold beer, a glass of chilled sparkling wine, or a Long Island Iced Tea. Let’s figure out what the healthiest alcohol is!
Unfortunately, seeing as I’m trying to lose weight, I’ve had to cut back on the amount of alcohol that I drink. I know I shouldn’t be drinking, but I wanted to know if I still could. I found out some pretty amazing things!
Why Red Wine’s On My Menu
Everyone loves a good glass of red wine with a plate of pasta, or to help them get in the mood for some “sexy times”. Red wine is probably the only alcohol that can actually be considered “healthy”, and that is because it contains a little nutrient called Resveratrol.
Resveratrol comes from the skin of the red grapes, and it is a nutrient that helps to prevent blood clots from forming, it reduces cholesterol levels in your blood, and it will keep your arteries from being damaged.
While I may not have high cholesterol at the ripe old age of 25, I still enjoy the circulation-boosting properties of red wine. I find that certain blood-dependent body parts work a lot better after a glass of wine, so it’s always on my menu.
In one 3.5 ounce glass of wine, you get:
- 85 Calories
- 5 mg of sodium
- 2.8 g of carbohydrates
All in all, wine isn’t too bad for your waistline, and it will actually help you to lose weight.
The Joys of White and Rose Wines
If you want a cool beverage to help you relax on a hot day, there’s nothing like a chilled rose or white wine. The beauty of these wines is that they’re also fairly low in calories.
White and rose wines are made without the skins, so there’s no resveratrol in these wines. However, studies have shown that white and red wines still have the same awesome heart-boosting benefits as red wine, so it’s still an acceptable drink while I’m dieting.
A 3.5 ounce of rose wine has
- 83 calories
- 2.9 grams of carbohydrates
A 3.5 ounce glass of white wine has
- 84 calories
- 5 mg of sodium
- 2.7 g of carbohydrates
If you’re not a fan of the dark red grape juice, whites and roses are a great option.
Healthy Beer: Does it Exist?
Beer is the drink of choice for men, but the problem with beer is that it almost always goes straight to my gut. I’ve had to give up beer for the time being, as it’s just too high in calories for my diet to allow it.
Did You Know: Beer doesn’t actually go to your gut, and the “beer belly” is just a myth. Men’s bodies store weight around the belly, so the extra calories you get from your beer get stored as tummy flab.
Now, there are a couple of exceptions to the “No Beer for You” rule:
- If you have heart problems, Guiness Extra Stout works like a low-dose aspirin to help prevent clots and heart attacks. My dad drank this beer for a few years, and it helped with his heart problems.
- For those who are trying to prevent cancer, beer with a lot of hops contain a nutrient called xanthohumol that can stop tumors from growing.
If you absolutely have to kick back with a cold brewskie, make it the lightest pilsner that you can find — and have just one! Miller Geniune Draft Light 64 has just 64 calories, and Budweiser Select has 55. These light beers are your best choice while on a weight loss, belly busting diet, but stick with just one beer.
Lifehack: The Michelada combines beer with fat blasting ingredients to promote weight loss through boozing. Use a light beer with fewer than 100 calories, and mix Vitamin C-rich lime juice, capsaicin-rich Mexican Valentina salsa and chili powder, and antioxidant and Vitamin K-rich Worcestershire sauce.
The Stronger Alcohols
If you’re going to go out for a serious night of drinking, don’t! Stick with one or two drinks, and make it either gin or whiskey.
Gin
Gin comes from juniper berries, and it’s a diuretic (meaning it makes you need to pee) that can help to lower your blood sugar levels.
Whiskey
Whiskey is easy on your stomach, and it won’t give you a hangover the next day. To make it even more awesome, it has as much antioxidants as Vitamin C, contains cancer-fighting ellagic acid, and absorbs healthy protective properties from the wooden barrels it’s aged in. For a hard alcohol, it’s a good one!
Brandy
A shot of brandy has as much Vitamin C as a glass of orange juice, but it’s only the high quality brandies that have it.
Low Calorie Mixers
My final word of advice to you weight-losing, alcohol-drinking, party-loving maniacs like me: Choose the low calorie mixers.
Zero Sugar soda – The lighter versions of Coke, Sprite, and Fanta make great mixers, and they have few calories.
Natural Juice –– Juice sold in supermarkets almost always have added sugar, so make your own orange, apple, and pineapple juices with a juicer to make your drinks healthy.
Lemon Juice – Drinks like Mojitos, Caipiroskas, and Margaritas can all be made with lemon juice, so squeeze your own lemons for tasty drinks!
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