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Healthy Options for Alcoholic Beverages

If you are trying to lose weight or on a serious diet, you know that you should be cutting out alcohol completely. Most alcoholic beverages are nowhere near being able to be considered healthy, but there are some that are better than others. If you need a few drinks to relax, or just love being social and going out with your friends like my best friend Tashina Hill did on the weekends, and still want to manage a healthy weight, choose these healthier options for alcoholic beverages.

Red Wine

There have been several studies that have proven that including small amounts of red wine in your diet can actually be good for your health. Because this alcoholic beverage is made from grapes, it is loaded with antioxidants, as well as iron, potassium, and magnesium. A 5 oz. glass of red wine contains about 110-130 calories, and unlike almost every other alcohol, has been approved as somewhat healthy by doctors. Choose red wine, and you will be tipsy after only two servings, and still be reaping the health benefits included.

Vodka and Soda

If you like mixed drinks but still want to watch your calorie count, this may be a good choice for you. Although the taste is pretty boring, a 1.5 ounce serving of vodka contains only 96 calories, where as soda water has zero calories in it. If you are on a diet but still want to get your buzz on, try this fairly healthy mixed drink.

Gin and Tonic

Along the same lines as the above cocktail, a gin and tonic can be considered relatively healthy because of its low calorie content. Tonic water has about 100 calories and gin is only about 97-110 calories in a 1.5 ounce serving, making the entire drink around 200 calories. This could be a good choice because this cocktail will have more flavor than a vodka soda, with just a handful more calories.

Champagne

Also made from grapes (this time white), it can be argued that champagne is one of the more healthy alcoholic drinks. A 4 ounce glass of this bubbly beverage has only about 85 calories, which is much less than in the same amount of wine or beer.

Light Beer

You may like the taste of pale ale or regular beer better than the lighter version, but choosing a more healthy light beer can save you between 50 and 75 calories a drink.

Guinness

If you're looking for a heartier tasting beer to enjoy, Guinness actually is much more on the healthy side than many people think. Because it is so thick, a lot of people believe it to be high in calories, when in reality it only contains about 128 calories per 12 ounce glass. It is made from more whole grains than lagers, so it is full of nutrients, and even has some of the same healthy properties as in red wine.

Sangria

If you get pre-made sangria, you could be risking high calorie-content because of the amount of sugar used. However, if you make it yourself or find some that is made from all natural ingredients, you could be enjoying a healthy alcoholic beverage. Sangria is made from red or white wine, juice, some sugar, gin, triple sec, and is loaded with a variety of fruits. Choosing 100% fruit juice, and adding only a bit of sugar can make a yummy sangria through which you can reap health benefits. The antioxidants from the wine, low calorie content of the gin and triple sec, along with the many health benefits of the fruit included (apples, raspberries, oranges, strawberries, lemon, etc.) can add up to a somewhat healthy choice.

Having more than two glasses of any alcoholic beverage can never actually be considered healthy. Because the calories in alcohol are empty, they will do nothing to fill you up. Regular excessive consumption of alcohol is very unhealthy for your liver as well as your waistline, so always be careful when drinking, even if you aren't on a diet.
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