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| A Mojito is a great cocktail choice – tasty and relatively healthy |
Alcohol is part and parcel of the year end festivities – almost impossible to avoid (or resist). They may look innocent (liquid, bright and happy!), but these little concoctions can wreck havoc on your waistline and diet plans, adding unwanted calories to your already increased food intake from celebrations and parties. Don’ t believe me? – downing 3 glasses of the popular cocktail, Pina Colada will give you 1800 calories – almost the equivalent of the recommended daily intake of an woman!
The problem with alcohol is that it is rapidly metabolised into by products (Acetaldehyde and Acetyl CoA) which go back into the biochemical cycles to form fat. At the same time, alcohol metabolism stresses the body, suppressing the breakdown of other food fuels. In other words, calories from alcohol pretty much go straight to the waistline as fatty deposits.
While abstaining totally from alcohol will be too much of a killjoy, it is very helpful to know what you are putting into your mouth. A great way is to opt for wines, and spirits with diet mixes (e.g. diet coke) – these are high on taste, and low on calories. Beware of cocktails – especially sweet, milky ones. These can ruin your days spent in the gym very fast. A useful guide on some popular drinks can be found below:
Avoid Drinking Too Much of These (Calories per serving):
Pina Colada (600)
White Russian (430)
Egg Nog (400)
Magarita (200 – 500)
Mai Tai (350)
Sex On The Beach (320)
Opt For These Lower Caloric Content Options Instead (Calories per serving):
Mojito (160)
Matini (150)
Wine (120) – 150ml glass
Light Beer (100) – 330ml bottle
Any Spirit with Diet Coke (about 100)
Champagne (90) – 120ml flute
In general, one cocktail packs about 200 calories in average (1 serving of Gin/Tonic = 200cal) – as always, moderation is the key. Gulping down a bottle of red wine will still set you back by 600 calories. Food intake is important too – too much meats are not only fattening, but stressful for your body as well. Merry Christmas, and Happy New year!
