Individuals who are on a diet may still want to have a few drinks without overdoing their calorie intake for the day. As a general rule of thumb, sweet drinks and drinks with more alcohol have more calories. Light beers, dry white wines, and certain liquors are considered to be low calorie alcoholic drinks. Certain mixers, like fruit juices, can also add calories to some cocktails.
Dark beers, like porter or ale, generally have more calories than light-colored beer. Beer drinkers who are looking for low calorie alcoholic drinks can check the label, since the calorie amount is usually listed there. They can also choose a light beer, or even an extra or ultra light beer. These have less calories than regular beer.
Wine drinkers may have a harder time choosing low calorie alcoholic drinks. Typically, if the wine has a high alcohol content, or proof, it has more calories. Some types of wines, however, have more calories than others. Port, for example, is high in calories. Dry white wines like chardonnay, on the other hand, usually have fewer calories.
For liquor drinkers, choosing low calorie alcoholic drinks becomes a little bit more difficult. Generally, sweet and creamy liquors contain more calories, and drinkers on a low calorie diet should avoid them. Also, liquors with a high alcohol content will usually have more calories as well. Drinks with several types of liquors, like a Long Island iced tea, typically contain a high number of calories.
Individuals who are on a diet should avoid drinking sweet cocktails, since the mixers can add calories. It is best to drink the liquor straight, if you have a taste for it. If you can not stomach the idea of drinking straight liquor, try mixing it with a low calorie mixer. Water and tonic water are good examples of this, and a lemon or lime added to low calorie cocktails can give them a bit of a zing. Some examples of low calorie cocktails include a bloody Mary, Manhattan, gin and tonic, and vodka and water.
If an individual is on a diet, she will most likely be eating less. This means that she will most likely become intoxicated a little more quickly. When drinking any alcoholic beverages, even low calorie alcoholic drinks, it is important to eat something before drinking. Pretzels or carrots can make good low calorie snacks, for example. Also, drinking alcohol can impair a driver's ability to operate a motor vehicle, so individuals who drink should always have a designated driver.