Light Drinking: The 7 Best Low-Calorie Cocktails to Make at Home

* Quick cocktails that curb the calories
* Recipes easy to mix at home
* Hacks for keeping the taste, losing the excess sugar

There’s probably nothing more relaxing than unwinding at home after a long day with a well-deserved drink. But if you’re trying to maintain or lose weight, alcohol can be a caloric foe, with some mixed drinks on par with the calorie count of a small meal.

So here, we’ve researched the 7 best low-calorie cocktails to make at home, which should prove especially useful for times you’d like to indulge in more than just one.

1. Mojito

Mint, lime, and soda water are all naturally low-cal, a shot of rum is about 100 calories, and 2 tablespoons of sugar (half the normal serving) in the form of syrup is about 40 calories. So if you’re tracking your intake, this 140 calorie-drink still keeps it in the lower-cal range compared to other cocktails. To make, just muddle the sugar, 6 sprigs of mint, and 1 ounce of lime juice together; add the rum and strain over ice or serve on the rocks.

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2. Rum and Diet Coke

Again, a shot of rum (about an ounce) averages 100 calories, and if you replace regular Coke with Diet, that number can stay the same. Give it little extra kick by choosing a spiced rum, like Captain Morgan’s Original. (More rum-based cocktail ideas, here).

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3. Tequila Soda

Ditch the sugar-laden margarita and say viva la tequila on the rocks with club soda for a 100-calorie drink. Add a squeeze of lime to up the refreshment factor.

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4. Paloma

This fancy-sounding drink consists of tequila, grapefruit juice and club soda, for a caloric total of 166. Tequila is already low-calorie, at 69 cals a shot and if you want to keep that number but still get the citrusy zing, try it with a True Grapefruit sachet, a powdered version of grapefruit that has zero calories and zero sugars.

5. Gin and Tonic

There are 103 calories in an ounce of gin and 3 ounces tonic, making this simple, straight-forward drink a refreshing and easy to concoct cocktail.

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6. Vodka Soda

Vodka averages 96 calories per 1.5 ounces. Soda water, of course, has no calories, making this a dieter’s delight. Add a little squeeze of lime and enjoy guilt-free.

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7. Champagne

There are 95 calories in a glass of champagne, at about 4 ounces a serving. And if you’re really out to celebrate, an entire bottle, which is about 25 ounces, clocks in at 570 calories. Bonus: Champagne has been found to have many of the same health benefits as red wine. Bottoms up!

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