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Find the Food Equivalent of What You Drank

FitSugar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 09:00:38 -0800

The first words out of a host's welcoming mouth are often, "What would you like to drink?" with the expectation that you'll be enjoying an alcoholic beverage upon arrival. Indulging in moderation is just fine, but when we're not pouring our own beverages, moderation is a greater challenge.

The only beverage that can be measured in exact calories is a bottle of beer, but when we're being served glasses of wine, champagne, or mixed drink concoctions, the number of calories in our cups becomes cloudy. For some clarity, check out BBC's cheeky Alcohol Experiment. While it's not entirely accurate because you can't specify types of beer or hard alcohol, the tool gives you a rough idea of the liquid calories you consumed - as well as the junk food equivalent. To find out what it does, read more.

For example, if you drank a double mixed with tonic and a beer, the website calculates the calorie intake (345 calories) and shows the food equivalent: two jaffa cakes (must be a British cookie) and a hot dog. Although I have doubts about its accuracy, the website serves as a reminder that most alcoholic beverages are empty liquid calories, which can affect our waistlines as much as calories we eat. It's something to keep in mind this season when our holiday party hosts ask if we'd like a refill.

Mariah Carey Called Champagne Fattening - Is She Right?

FitSugar — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 08:00:00 -0800

When Mariah Carey tried to get out of a champagne toast with Ellen DeGeneres as a guest on Ellen, she initially reacted to the host's persistence by exclaiming that champagne is fattening. When Ellen proceeded to hand her a glass of bubbly to toast to Mariah "not being pregnant" (a trickster, that Ellen!), Mariah tried another route and said that it was too early in the day for alcohol.

The first thing that comes to mind when I think of champagne isn't the word fattening, as it apparently is for Mariah, but the singer does have a point. When you're attending one holiday party after the next and clinking glasses with everyone you know, those fun servings of bubbly can add some serious calories to the other holiday fare. It's OK to toast the season with a little champagne, but control your calories by drinking this beverage in moderation. One 4.1 fl. oz. glass contains 91 calories (similar to a serving of white wine), while an entire 25.4 fl. oz. bottle has 495 calories.

To see a video of Ellen peer-pressuring Mariah, read more.

Source

Unhealthiest Cocktails of Summer

FitSugar — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 12:00:00 -0700

Summer is a time to let loose, but don't let too loose says Newsweek. When the mercury rises, so do the calories in some of our favorite alcoholic beverages. Here are the top six cocktails that'll do a number on your diet:

Margarita. If you use a sugar-saturated Margarita mix, add tequila or Triple Sec, and then pour the drink into a salt-rimmed glass, the result could set you back 850 calories, Jackie Warner, a fitness trainer and the star of the Bravo network's Work Out says.
Mudslide. A 12-ounce frozen mudslide-made with vodka, Kahlua liqueur, Bailey's Irish Cream, and vanilla ice cream - tastes like an alcoholic milkshake and is just about as unhealthy. It has 820 calories and 27.2 grams of fat.
Piña Colada. If you like piña coladas, watch out: the rum, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut drink can contain up to 650 calories.

There's three more so read more.

Mint Julep. You don't need a straw hat or a horserace to drink a mint julep. But the concoction of bourbon and mint-and-sugar syrup might set your diet back. One glass contains about 472 calories.
Mojito. The classic mojito - a mixture of lime juice, sugar, mint leaves, rum, and soda - will run you about 242 calories.
Daiquiri. A frozen strawberry daiquiri, made from strawberry schnapps, rum, lime juice, sugar, and strawberries contains about 220 calories.

As fun as they are, especially a mudslide - yum! - I think I'll be sticking to my occasional glass of wine. What about you?

Source

Hard Cider vs. Hard Iced Tea

FitSugar — Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:30:00 -0700

Source and Source

Which drink contains FEWER calories?

FitSugar — Fri, 25 May 2007 12:00:00 -0700

Here's the scenario:

You are at a BBQ on this three day weekend and the cooler is filled with bottles of Budweiser and bottles of Mike's Hard Lemonade. If you are watching your calories and want to choose the drink with less calories. Which drink do you choose if you want the beverage with FEWER calories?

***Please note: The bottles are not shown to scale.

Mint Julep vs. Margarita

FitSugar — Fri, 04 May 2007 11:45:00 -0700

Tomorrow, May 5th, is chock full of festivites: The Kentucky Derby and Cinco de Mayo. Both events have drinks associated with them, the Derby drink is the Mint Julep and the Margarita for Cinco de Mayo. Do you know which one has less calories?

Which Drink Has More Calories?

FitSugar — Fri, 13 Apr 2007 13:30:00 -0700

Summer Beverage Breakdown: Alcoholic Edition

FitSugar — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 10:00:16 -0700

When it's sunny and warm and you're craving a crisp, cold beverage, sometimes an iced coffee or fresh-squeezed tangerine juice just doesn't satisfy your thirst. Sometimes, you're in the mood for something with a little kick.

To see a breakdown of your favorite Summer alcoholic beverages keep reading

Rosemary Pear Sparkler

FitSugar — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 03:30:06 -0800

Choosing champagne or sparkling wine to celebrate the holiday season is a nice low-calorie alternative to spirits or beer, but when I'm craving a cocktail, a plain glass of Prosecco doesn't always do the trick.

If you're looking for a nice cocktail to enjoy this holiday season, try my refreshing rosemary pear sparkler. It makes a great aperitif, and the flavors of pear and rosemary really tie together the feelings of Fall.

Check out the recipe when you read more.

Rosemary Pear Sparkler
original recipe

Depending on how many servings you need, make as little or as much of the rosemary-pear mixture as you like. Just keep the ratio of water, pear juice, and agave nectar consistent. The mixture also tastes great in soda water or lemonade.

Ingredients

2 cups water
1 cup agave nectar
1 cup pear juice
1 bunch fresh rosemary
2 pears, peeled, cored, and sliced
Prosecco

Directions

Stir together water, agave nectar, four rosemary sprigs, and pear juice in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat.
Bring to a boil, remove from heat, and let stand for 30 minutes or until liquid has a distinct rosemary flavor.
Strain rosemary from liquid.
Pour liquid into a jar with pears and store in refrigerator overnight (and up to a week).
Add one and a half tablespoons of the rosemary-pear mixture to a champagne glass and top off with chilled Prosecco.
Garnish each glass with a pear slice from the mixture and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

Print recipe with images | without images

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Guess the Calories: Summertime Happy Hour Drinks

FitSugar — Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:00:29 -0700

If cocktails, beer, and wine have become a regular part of your Summer routine, take this quiz to brush up on your knowledge of their calorie counts. While some drinks are refreshing, they also may contain more calories than you imagined. You might just be surprised.

Question 1 of 4

Which cocktail contains over 200 calories per serving?