There’s nothing better than sipping cocktails in the sun, especially on bank holiday weekends.
But your favorite fruity liquor can have a surprising amount of calories and a surprising amount of sugar.
1
Sun’s investigation may reveal the worst offenders when it comes to markers that crush both waistlines.
By far the worst is the Long Island iced tea.
Featuring vodka, rum, tequila, gin and triple sec, this super-strength drink has a whopping 370 calories and 30g of sugar per serving.
That’s about the equivalent of a Lotus Biscoff Krispy Kreme donut (392 calories) or a Cadbury Double Decker (30 g sugar).
In second place is the popular pina colada made with rum, coconut and pineapple.
Despite the healthy-sounding fruit, a standard glassful of the drink has 350 calories and 25 grams of sugar.
It also has 10g of fat, making it the second-most cocktail on the list, surpassing only the bronze medal winner White Russian.
With equal parts vodka, kahlua and whipped cream, this drink contains 18g of artery-clogging substances, about the same amount as a medium serving of McDonald’s French fries.
Most Read Articles in Diet and Fitness
The healthiest overall is Cosmopolitan, a favorite of Sex and the City’s Carrie Bradshaw.
It has 130 calories (the same as a standard glass of white wine) and only 4 g of sugar.
Other low-calorie options include vodka martinis, margaritas and mojitos. Also, some of the best low-sugar varieties include Manhattan, Old Fashioned, and Gin Fizz.
The NHS recommends women eat no more than 2,000 calories a day and men around 2,500.
You should also aim to keep your free sugar intake below 30g daily. This equates to about 7 sugar cubes.
Free sugars are added to foods and drinks and are sugars found naturally in honey, syrups, unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies and purees.
Experts suggest that these should not exceed 5 percent of the energy, or calories, we get from food and drink each day.
drinking risk
“Many people tend to pay attention to the nutrition in food, but they often don’t pay attention to alcoholic beverages,” nutritionist Law Huntlis told Sun Health.
“It’s okay to treat yourself occasionally, but it can be interesting to know the nutritional value of the most common cocktails to help guide your choices.
“Some statistics may surprise you.”
London-based Loh added that different cocktails have different calorie content, but generally those with higher sugar or fat content tend to be higher in calories.
Also, some drinks have no added sugar or fat, but still contain the calories of the alcohol itself.
“Drinks like espresso martinis, mojitos, mai tais and brambles tend to be high in sugar, while white russian and pina coladas are high in fat,” she added.
“Excessive consumption of these drinks increases the risk of weight gain and increases the risk of developing type 2 diabetes.
“Choosing sugary foods can also cause cavities and tooth decay.”
The NHS recommends consuming no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, but this should be spread over 3 or more days.
Drinking too often can lead to nasty side effects such as sleep disturbances, mood swings, decreased libido, and difficulty concentrating, as well as prolonging the problem.
“Increased alcohol consumption has health implications such as high blood pressure, increased risk of stroke, cancer, liver disease and elevated cholesterol levels,” Lo said.
“Reducing your alcohol intake can improve your mood and sleep quality, and can also help with weight management.”
