Which Cocktail Has the Least Calories? | The Food Party! | Laura Stec | Palo Alto Online |

Local Blogs

The Food Party!

By Laura Stec

E-mail Laura Stec

About this blog: I've been attracted to food for good and bad reasons for many years. From eating disorder to east coast culinary school, food has been my passion, profession & nemesis. I've been a sugar addict, a 17-year vegetarian, a food and en...  (More)

View all posts from Laura Stec

Which Cocktail Has the Least Calories?

Uploaded: Dec 9, 2018

I recently ordered a *** (name below) and the bartender said, “Oh, you want the drink with the least calories.” Really? I had never considered my cocktail choice as a skinny mini or fat cat. Makes sense to think about during the holidays.

Many moons ago we Food Partied! about drinking rituals and the importance of the toast. Here’s Lookin’ At You, Gorgeous reminds us whatever nectar we quaff, there is power in looking into the eyes of our friends as we clink. Don’t look at the glass, look at the person, and feel warmth and connection. Try it – you’ll like it.



But calories? Honestly, I haven’t even thought about the calories hiding in my glass, and I guess I should. Ten percent of daily calories can come from alcohol, so it’s worth a look-see.

The drink I ordered was the humble, but always effervescent…

Vodka Soda… coming in at 97 calories.

It shares that low count with a rum and diet coke, and is actually just a touch more than your average 4 oz glass of champagne (90 calories – but who drinks only one?).


Diane Choplin Photography

Even lower is a shot of Tequila (64 calories).

Here’s a few more:

Cosmopolitan (1/2 cup) 100 calories (but 23.9 grams carbs /22 g sugar)

Coors Lite: (12 oz) 102 calories, 5 grams carbs

White wine: (5 oz) 123 calories, 0 grams carbs


photo LSIC

Red wine: (5 oz) 125 calories, 5 grams carbs


photo LSIC

Gin and tonic (5 oz) 130 calories, 14 grams carbs (tonic has as much sugar as a soda!)

Sierra Nevada IPA (12 oz) 175 calories, 14.1 grams carbs

Bloody Mary (10 oz ) varies, but average 180 calories


photo LSIC

Angry Orchard hard cider (12 oz) 190 calories, 30 grams carbs

Margarita (8 oz): 400 - 680 calories

Long Island Ice Tea (7 oz) up to 780 calories

Don’t forget to drink a glass of water between each cocktail, and happy celebrations to you all!





Community.
What is it worth to you?

Comments

Posted by 10% Doesn't Cut It, a resident of Portola Valley,
on Dec 9, 2018 at 2:30 pm

"Ten percent of daily calories can come from alcohol,"

That's not very much. The late Queen Mother (Queen Elizabeth II's mother) drank a 1.75 quart of gin every day and she lived past 100.

While not advocating the consumption of that much booze, 25% (spread out through the day/evening) provides a bit more latitude without having to be a drunkard.


Posted by Doing the Math, a resident of Woodside,
on Dec 9, 2018 at 6:14 pm

Average recommended caloric intake for adults is what...about 2000?

!0% = 200 or roughly 2 light beers OR a couple of shots OR about 1.5 glasses of red wine.

10% is feasible but 20% more reasonable...one regular 12 oz. beer at lunch and a couple of glasses of wine with dinner. No one's going to accuse you of being an alcoholic for that amount.





Posted by Dave Hoffman, a resident of Crescent Park,
on Dec 10, 2018 at 11:33 am

Sorry, but the Queen Mum didn't drink 1.75 liters of gin per day -- though, she definitely was a heavy drinker by any standard.

Web Link


Posted by The Royal (F)lush, a resident of Old Palo Alto,
on Dec 10, 2018 at 1:10 pm

The Queen Mother drank about 8 cocktails a day...large ones. Pics indicate they were at least doubles.

So to play it safe, let's just say that she was fully capable of polishing off a 4/5 quart of booze daily (about 17 shots).

They say Queen Elizabeth II is also a moderate drinker (7 drinks over the course of a day).

Heavy drinking is more along the lines of Mickey Roarke and Faye Dunnaway in the movie Barfly.




Posted by Fun, a resident of Portola Valley: Ladera,
on Dec 10, 2018 at 1:16 pm

We need a list for cannabis next :)


Posted by A Talking Cat, a resident of Old Mountain View,
on Dec 10, 2018 at 3:02 pm

A Talking Cat is a registered user.

Pure alcohol is 7 calories per gram. A liquor of 40% alcohol (e.g. most vodkas or gins) are 64 calories per ounce. So a 1.5 oz "shot" of tequila is actually 96 calories, if it's a full shot. Same reason why a "rum and diet" or "vodka and soda water" are also 96 calories.

The calories in other kinds of alcoholic beverages come from sugars (in beers, wines, liqueurs, mixers, etc.).


Posted by The Bottle Was Dusty But the Liquor Was Clean, a resident of Menlo Park,
on Dec 10, 2018 at 5:54 pm

> We need a list for cannabis next :)

Goes great with a few shots of Jaegermeister + a couple pints of your favorite brew.

Over 250,000+ Deadheads can't be wrong.


Posted by Ugnh, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Dec 11, 2018 at 2:29 pm

"Over 250,000+ Deadheads can't be wrong."

But they're happier without the booze, less hung over as well.


Posted by Ex Eating disorder, a resident of Midtown,
on Dec 11, 2018 at 2:44 pm

As a person suffering from an eating disorder, any recovering FROM an ED are advised to NOT count calories.


Posted by Free Advice!, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Dec 11, 2018 at 2:51 pm

People with diabetes should watch their alcohol intake
Oh, and recovering alcoholics should as well.

Now, everyone OK with the discussion now that all the safety nets have been noted? Sheesh.


Posted by Laura Stec, a resident of Portola Valley: Westridge,
on Dec 12, 2018 at 6:53 am

@ Talking Cat - ahh yes! thank you for that clarification. @Free Advice! - I was thinking the same thing :)


Posted by Fellow Chef, a resident of Menlo Park: other,
on Dec 12, 2018 at 3:46 pm

FYI - Here's what the NRA (Nat Restaurant Association) chefs say are the hottest bevvie trends for 2019:

Nearly 65 percent of respondents indicate that craft, artisan, and locally produced spirits is the number one alcoholic beverage trend on the What's Hot in 2019 Culinary Forecast.

Almost 60 percent of respondents said locally produced spirits, wine, and beer would be among the hottest beverage choices in 2019.

More than 50 percent identified house-brewed beer as a hot trend.

On the non-alcoholic side, 51 percent said craft/house-roasted coffee would simmer over in 2019.


Posted by Even Hotter Trend, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Dec 14, 2018 at 3:10 pm

Ditching the booze marketed to you by chefs who are simply guessing and hoping that's what their customers buy because that's where their margins are sky high.
Actually, ditching booze all together is the hottest trend among my younger "Hip" friends.


Posted by Doing the Green, a resident of another community,
on Dec 14, 2018 at 3:23 pm

> hoping that's what their customers buy because that's where their margins are sky high.

Which is why cannabis-infused 'call' vodka is the next big thing. An easy $25.00+ shot and besides, high-end customers are suckers for just about anything new.

Looks kind of like Midori but world's apart.


Posted by Even Hotter Trend, a resident of Another Mountain View Neighborhood,
on Dec 14, 2018 at 3:33 pm

The cool kids are skipping the booze all together. The ones I know are rock climbers and mountain bikers. I think the booze is counter to getting up and doing real stuff the next day.

The wine and martini geeks will be all over that vodka though. I bet they'll even think they feel the effects, which they won't in such small amounts.
It's like Golschlager (sp)...A novelty that gives them something to slur to each other about.


Follow this blogger.
Sign up to be notified of new posts by this blogger.

Email:

SUBMIT

Post a comment

Sorry, but further commenting on this topic has been closed.

Stay informed.

Get the day's top headlines from Palo Alto Online sent to your inbox in the Express newsletter.

Holiday Fun in San Francisco- Take the Walking Tour for An Evening of Sparkle!
By Laura Stec | 8 comments | 3,293 views

Boichik Bagels is opening its newest – and largest – location in Santa Clara this week
By The Peninsula Foodist | 0 comments | 2,281 views

I Do I Don't: How to build a better marriage Ch. 1, page 1
By Chandrama Anderson | 0 comments | 1,388 views

 

Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund

For the last 30 years, the Palo Alto Weekly Holiday Fund has given away almost $10 million to local nonprofits serving children and families. 100% of the funds go directly to local programs. It’s a great way to ensure your charitable donations are working at home.

DONATE TODAY