Ready to drink, VitaFrute lower calorie
cocktails reduce the sugar calories in
cocktails. Photo courtesy VeeV Spirits. |
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Typical mixed drinks can pack on the calories. The standard 1.5 ounce serving of 80-proof alcohol has 96 calories, which seems reasonable. But start to add mixers:
Cranberry juice cocktail (8 oz.): 136 calories
Light orange juice (8 oz.): 50 calories
Orange juice (6 oz.): 84 calories
Soft drink (cola, 7-Up, etc., 8 oz.): 100 calories, 25g sugar
Piña colada mix (6 ounces): 130 calories, 25g sugar
But there are calorie-saving solutions:
LOOK FOR REDUCED CALORIE READY-MADE COCKTAILS
One easy way to control a sweet cocktail while controlling the calories is the new line of VitaFrute cocktails from VeeV Spirits, in Margarita, Organic Lemonade and Organic Cosmopolitan. The base spirit is VeeV, the world’s first spirit made from the superfruit açaí.
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Sweetened with low-glycemic agave nectar, cocktails are under 125 calories per serving. By comparison, a four-ounce glass of wine has 125-150 calories.
The suggested retail price of VitaFrute is $13.99 to $14.99 per bottle. Learn more about VeeV spirit and VitaFrute cocktails at VeeVLife.com.
Here are more tips to cut back on the calories in cocktails:
HOW TO REDUCE THE CALORIES IN MIXED DRINKS
If you can, choose savory, not sweet, cocktails, such as the popular Bloody Mary and Martini.
Use calorie-free flavored club soda instead a soft drink mixer (lemon seltzer instead of 7-Up, for example).
Use club soda and bitters, or diet ginger ale, instead of ginger ale; and use the diet versions of other soda mixers (cola, lemon-lime, tonic water, etc.).
Use “light” or diet mixers: eight ounces of light cranberry juice have 40 calories, light lemonade has 5 calories, diet soda or diet tonic water has 0 calories.
Avoid premade cocktail mixes; there’s sugar hidden in everything, including spicy Bloody Mary mix.
Look at coffee- and tea-based cocktails such as a Chai Tea Martini or Espresso Martini; coffee and tea have zero calories.
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Use low glycemic agave nectar or noncaloric sweeteners to sweeten cocktails.
Use sugar-free, calorie-free syrups from DaVinci or Torani to sweeten and flavor cocktails.
Try sugar-free mixers. We’ve tried Baja Bob’s Margarita and Sweet ‘n’ Sour mixes, but find that we prefer agave nectar and fresh lime juice for a Margarita, and fresh lemon juice and agave for a Whiskey Sour; .5 ounce of lemon or lime juice has just 10 calories.
Use fresh fruit and herb garnishes to add flavor and eye appeal.
Avoid creamy cocktails, whether dairy cream (Brandy Alexander, White Russian) or cream of coconut (Piña Colada). Substitute coconut water to add coconut flavor to a cocktail, or use coconut-infused vodka (see our next tip).
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VeeV, the açaí-based mother spirit of VitaFrute cocktails.
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Try infused vodkas straight instead of a similarly-flavored mixed drink; UV Vodka has every flavor under the rainbow including chocolate, and Skyy Infusions’ 12 infused vodkas are a NIBBLE favorite (Pineapple vodka is our replacement of choice for the high-calorie Piña Colada). The infusions add no calories.
Dilute your cocktail with club soda or sparkling water (we’ve been enjoying wine spritzers since we were old enough to drink) to half and half, with a squeeze of lime juice.
Finally, our favorite calorie-saving cocktail strategy:
Alternate cocktails with no- or low-calorie “mocktails”: noncaloric or low-calorie drinks, from club soda with bitters to a Virgin Mary.
If you’ve got additional tips, use the Contact Us link to send them in!
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