By Nathan Rhodes
Among the most common New Year’s resolutions is to lose weight – and your weight is affected by more than just what you eat.
If you want to keep the calorie count down on what you drink, too, consider some liquors from the lighter side of the cabinet.
In general, the lower the alcohol content of a liquor, the lower its calorie content. You can most effectively keep the calories down by drinking it straight, but if it’s mixers you seek, read on.
Absolut Vodka
Calories per fluid ounce: 67
Carbs per fluid ounce: 10
Try it in: A Bloody Mary
Recipe: Combine 4 oz. vodka, 4 oz. tomato juice, 1 oz. Worcestershire sauce, ½ oz. lemon juice, 1 tsp. horseradish and four dashes of hot sauce in a tall glass. Garnish with a celery stick and a lemon wedge.
Dewar’s Scotch
Calories per fluid ounce: 69
Carbs per fluid ounce: 0
Try it in: An Old Fashioned
Recipe: Muddle 1 tsp. sugar, 2 dashes bitters, an orange slice and a cherry with a splash of water or soda water in a rocks glass. Add 1 oz. Scotch and ice, then garnish with another cherry and orange slice.
Malibu Rum Original
Calories per fluid ounce: 51
Carbs per fluid ounce: 5.3
Try it in: A Tropical Swizzle
Recipe: Mix 1 oz. rum, 2 lemon wedges, 6 mint leaves and 3 1-cm. watermelon cubes over crushed ice in a tall glass and top off with soda water. Garnish with watermelon and mint.
Patron Silver Tequila
Calories per fluid ounce: 69
Carbs per fluid ounce: 0
Try it in: A Berry Melon Tequito
Recipe: Mix 1 oz. tequila, 1 oz. melon liqueur, ¾ oz. lime juice, ¼ oz. soda water, 4-6 cranberries and 4-6 strawberries in a martini glass. Garnish with mint leaves and a lemon wheel.
Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey
Calories per fluid ounce: 65
Carbs per fluid ounce: 0
Try it in: A Manhattan
Recipe: Combine 1 ½ oz. whiskey, ½ oz. sweet vermouth and a dash of bitters over ice. Garnish with a cherry.
Nathan Rhodes is a contributing writer. Feedback welcome at gbishop@cityscenemediagroup.com.
