Whether you’re trying to lose weight or simply want to maintain it, high-calorie cocktails can derail your plans. Sipping on a decadent drink while relaxing on the beach is a great feeling, but if you overindulge, you’ll end up paying for it later with your silhouette.
Most cocktails include hard liquors, and with a higher proof come more calories. However, alcohol isn’t the only danger to your waistline when it comes to the worst cocktails for weight loss. Find out which delicious drinks are also packed with sugar, making them dangerous to any weight loss effort.
Mudslide
This classic trio cocktail is basically a fatty and sugary milkshake with added alcohol. While you can enjoy a little vodka without fear of gaining weight, it’s the Kahlúa coffee liqueur, Irish cream, chocolate syrup, ice cream, and whipped cream that really add calories, making a single serving go up to 850 calories. Stick to a combination of just two types of liquor and avoid the sugary add-ons.
Piña Colada
One of the worst cocktails for weight loss, Piña Colada is usually made from a high calorie premix, going as high as 700 calories thanks to coconut cream. If you’re looking for a low-calorie drink version, go with light coconut milk or simply try club soda with a touch of sugar-free coconut syrup to get the refreshing taste without the added calories.
Margarita
While a low calorie margarita can stay under 300 calories, you can easily go over 500 or even 750 based on the content of fruit juice and high calorie beverages that are used to make it. Frozen margaritas with tasty flavours are the worst offenders, so try to avoid the ones made from premix. Go for an artificial sweetener and fill your glass with a lot of ice.
Long Island Iced Tea
Definitely one of the worst cocktails for weight loss and also for avoiding a hangover, the Long Island Iced Tea has many incarnations, ranging from around 200 to 800 calories. Skip the Coke or other soda additions, and replace the triple sec with fresh orange slices. You’ll still ingest a lot of calories thanks to the mix of vodka, gin, rum, and tequila, so maybe skip it altogether.
Mai Tai
With around 600 calories, a Mai Tai usually includes two types of rum, crème de almond, triple sec, along with sweet and sour mix and pineapple juice. You can try many replacements to bring down the calorie count, but you’re better off enjoying it as a very occasional treat.
Grasshopper Martini
Flavored Martinis are among the worst cocktails for weight loss, and the Grasshopper Martini can pack over 500 calories in a 7 oz serving. The vanilla flavored vodka is already giving you a big dose of alcohol and sugar, but it’s the white chocolate liqueur and crème de menthe that end up delivering the biggest punch to your weight loss efforts.
See also: Health and Fitness: Low-Calorie Cocktails
White Russian
Mixing vodka and milk already amounts to a high calorie drink, but if you use heavy cream and add coffee liqueur, then 5 oz of White Russian can add up to over 400 calories. If you’re not drinking whole milk, then skip this alcoholic version too.
Sangria
Depending on who makes it, Sangria can be one of the worst cocktails for weight loss or a good option for summer refreshment that won’t add too many calories to your diet. Mixing wine with berries is the best way to keep the calorie count down. If the recipe includes brandy, simply syrup, orange liqueur, and even extra sugar, you can go over 300 calories in a single 6 oz serving.
Frozen Daiquiri
Another frozen calorie bomb, frozen daiquiris are also served in big glasses, which means that a single serving can go over 500 calories. Mixing sweet fruit with other sweet syrups makes this drink one of the most sugary cocktails. Stick to fresh fruit and ice, along with rum for a low calorie version.
Don’t miss: Low Calorie Cocktail Recipes
Chocotini
The chocolate flavored Martini is also among the worst cocktails for weight loss, going over 400 calories in a 6 oz serving. The chocolate liqueur, dark crème de cacao, and cream definitely don’t help, but it’s the added melted chocolate that really puts this cocktail on the list of decadent treats that are meant to be enjoyed occasionally.
