Watching your waistline? Fifteen easy-to-make summer cocktails that contain 150 calories or less revealed

  • One gram of alcohol has seven calories, the same of food only has four
  • Sugar-filled syrups and mixers could be causing stealthy weight gain
  • Steer clear of creative concoctions made with sugary syrups and mixers 

By Anucyia Victor for MailOnline

Published: 06:38 EST, 10 July 2015 | Updated: 06:41 EST, 10 July 2015

Nothing beats a long, cool drink on a hot, sunny day.

But more often than not, these sugar-packed cocktails are hiding hundreds of stealth cocktails.

You may be avoiding friend chicken, burgers and hot dogs at summer parties, but if you're sipping on colourful alcoholic concoctions, your drink could contain more calories - gram for gram - than food. 

Scroll down for video.  

Cocktails often contain hidden calories as they are made with sugary syrups and mixers 

One gram of alcohol, for instance, has seven calories, compared to the four calories contained in a gram of carbohyrates or protein.

While most distilled spirits contain around 96 calories, it's the mixers used to soften your drink which are the problem.  

Carolyn O'Neil, MS, RD, co-author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous told WebMD: 'It's the mixers, syrups, and sodas that really get people into calorie trouble. 

'Most drinks start with 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits that only have around 96 calories, but mixologists can easily turn that into a drink with hundreds of calories.

Whisky Smash which has only 88 calories
White Wine-Berry Sangria contains 150 calories

Whisky Smash (right) which has only 88 calories. White Wine-Berry Sangria (right)  contains 150 calories

'The number of calories in mixed drinks depends on several things, including the amount and proof of the alcohol; the mixers; and the size of the drink.'

But that doesn't mean steering clear of all cocktails. 

There are delicious drinks that, with a little research and some planning, you can indulge in without inadvertently piling on the pounds.   

Here FEMAIL reveals the 15 easy-to-make, guilt-free cocktails which contain 150 calories or less. 

HOW TO MAKE LOW-CALORIE SUMMER COCKTAILS  

Pococello Granita Slushie has 75 calories
Radish Bloody Mary has 108 calories

Pococello Granita Slushie (right) has 75 calories.  Radish Bloody Mary (right)  has 108 calories

Pococello Granita Slushie, 75 calories per serving

Ingredients: Pococello; lemon juice; water

Method: Combine four parts Pococello, one part lemon juice and five parts water. Pop the mix in ice cube trays, when frozen dispense in a food processor and blitz to slushie.

White Wine-Berry Sangria, 150 calories per serving

Ingredients: Danebury White Wine; one cup lemon-lime soda; half a cup raspberry vodka; half a cup brandy; chopped strawberries and raspberries and blueberries 

Method: Combine the liquids and shake well. Top with the chopped berries

Gin Fizz, 120 calories per serving

Ingredients: 25ml gin;15ml agave;15ml fresh lemon juice; soda water

Method: Combine ingredients in rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with fresh lemon.

Radish Bloody Mary, 108 calories per serving

Ingredients: 100ml vodka; 50ml sherry; half a tablespoon freshly grated horseradish; 25ml Worcestershire sauce; Tabasco to taste; half a teaspoon celery salt; cracked black pepper to taste; 750ml tomato juice; 500g ice cubes; 100g sliced radishes; one lime cut into wedges; four celery sticks to garnish

Method: Mix together the vodka, sherry, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, Tabasco, celery salt, black pepper and tomato juice in a large jug. Fill another large jug with the ice, sliced radishes and lime wedges. Pour the liquid over the ice, and serve straight away in chilled glasses with celery sticks in them. 

The 91-calorie Aperol Spritz

The 91-calorie Aperol Spritz

Tropical Iced Tea-ni, 150 calories per serving

Ingredients (serves four): 2 x 330ml The Berry Company's yellow tea and coconut water; 4x 25ml Vodka; half a lemon (to squeeze); 400ml coconut milk; pineapple, sliced; cup of crushed ice

Method: Pour two cartons of yellow tea and coconut water, the coconut milk and the four single measures of vodka (100ml) into a blender and top up with crushed ice. Blend the mixture together until smooth. Pour the blended mixture into glasses and squeeze the juice from half a lemon into the centre of the cocktail. Add a slice of pineapple for garnish and serve

Gin Blush, 61 calories per serving

Ingredients: 50ml gin; 100ml diet tonic; 15ml Teisseire pink grapefruit; two slices lime.

Method: Add the fin, pink grapefruit and tonic to a glass. Mix then top with ice and garnish with lime.

Aperol Spritz, 91 calories per serving

Ingredients: Bottle of chilled Prosecco, bottle of Aperol; 25ml soda, served from a syphon or chilled bottle; ice cubes; slices of orange

Method: Fill the glasses generously with cubed ice. First pour three parts of Prosecco (75ml) over the ice. Then, pour two parts Aperol (50ml) into each glass in a circular movement. Finish with a dash of soda (25ml). Garnish with a slice of orange.

The One Whisky Smash, 88 calories per serving

Ingredients: Half a lime, cut into small wedges; 40g diced cucumber; five sprigs fresh mint, plus more for garnish; 25ml whisky; ice; 50ml cold limeade (lemonade will work if you can't get limeade)

Method: Muddle the mint in a tall glass, then pour the whisky and limeade and mix. Top with diced cucumber, and lime. 

The Chemmy Martini, 133 calories per serving 

Ingredients: 50ml The Lakes Gin; 25ml freshly squeezed grapefruit juice; 12.5ml Martini Extra Dry; teaspoon of sugar syrup

Method: Thoroughly shake all the liquid ingredients in a cocktail shaker. Serve in a chilled martini glass with grapefruit rind to decorate. 

Gimlet, 120 calories per serving

Ingredients: 25ml gin;15ml agave; 15ml fresh lime juice; soda water

Method: Combine ingredients in rocks glass filled with ice. Garnish with fresh lime.

Agave Old Fashioned, 127 calories per serving

Ingredients: 25ml bourbon; orange slice and cherry; 15ml Agave

Method: Muddle orange slice and cherry in the bottom of a rock glass. Add bourbon, Agave Reál and stir. Fill glass half way with ice. Stir to lift ingredients and fill with ice. (Strain into a fresh glass with fresh ice is optional). 

Altosita with 139 calories
Twisting my melon has 147 calories

Altosita (left)  with 139 calories. Twisting my melon (right) has 147 calories

Altosita, 139 calories per serving

Ingredients: 25ml tequila; 10ml lime juice; 10ml lemon juice; 20ml agave nectar; 50ml lychee juice

Method: Add all ingredients to shaker. Shake and strain over cubed ice into a rocks glass. Garnish with mint and a flower 

Twisting my melon, 147 calories per serving

Ingredients: 15ml gin; 15ml Campari; 15ml Martini Rosso; 5ml lemon juice; 50ml watermelon juice; dash of peach bitters

Method: Rim a tall glass with lava salt. Then build over cubed ice Stir.Garnish with mint and a flower. 

Mojito, 119 calories per serving

Ingredients: 25ml rum; four lime wedges; four to five sprigs of mint; 15ml agave; top with soda

Method: Muddle mint and lime in the bottom of a tall glass. Add rum and agave and stir. Fill glass half  way with ice (crushed preferred). Stir to lift ingredients and fill with ice. Top with soda water. Garnish with a lime slice and mint leaves wedge.

Lavender and Berry Shrub, 144 calories per serving 

Ingredients: 25ml Hendricks ; 12.5ml blackberry and raspberry shrub vinegar; 12.5ml lavender syrup; 30ml apple juice

Method: Build over crushed ice in a brandy glass. Swizzle until glass is frosted. Garnish with lavender 

Please enjoy these cocktails responsibly. Drinkaware.co.uk 


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