How to Select a Healthy Cocktail!

Cocktails tend to be a taboo topic in nutrition, but I’m realistic. 

I personally love a good cocktail and believe in moderation. 

My go-to cocktail has been a vodka soda with extra lemon for years now. I love the simplicity of the drink, it’s light, fresh, low in calories, low in sugar…and it’s gluten free!

The danger in most cocktails is not the alcohol itself, but the mixers. Most drink mixers are full of sugar, empty carbohydrates, and calories. In fact, it’s actually the mixers that can give you the worst hangovers (not to mention a super high spike in blood sugar). 

Here are my top 3 Lean and Green Body® rules for a healthy cocktail…

1. Pick your liquor wisely.

Vodka has 96 calories per 1.5 ounces 

Tequila has 64 calories per 1.5 ounces

Rum has 97 calories per 1.5 ounces

Gin has 110 calories per 1.5 ounces

Vodka, tequila, rum and gin are all low in calories, have zero carbohydrates and no sugar (due to the distilling process). When you begin to add flavors or ‘spices’ to these liquors that is when the calories, carbohydrates and sugars increase dramatically.

2. To mix or not to mix?

As I mentioned above mixers are where the empty calories hide …and often lead to weight gain.

There are 3 mixers I love…and will always be Lean and Green Body® approved.

1.Club soda….no calories, no sugar (no blood sugar spikes), and no empty carbohydrates.

2. Ice…yes, I’m considering ice a mixer because sipping tequila (or your liquor of course) on the rocks is actually a drink. By adding ice to your drink it will actually take you longer to sip, and will slowly dilute the alcohol, thus taking longer for your body to process.

3. Real fruit. You can either choose to add fresh or frozen fruit to your cocktails adding some flavor (without the chemicals and added sugars found in most mixers) OR you can soak your liquor in fruit for days and then utilize the now freshly flavor liquor that way. 

3. Beware of the garnish.

I love a beautiful garnish in my cocktail, especially an umbrella or a beautiful straw. They can create a serious moment of “WOW” when your drink arrives, without harming your health or throwing your diet totally out of whack. 

Many drinks come with a salty or sugary rim…loaded with sugar! Did you know that many bars dip the glass in liquid sugar and then into the salt or sugar for the rim? That’s extra sugar going into your body, ultimately spiking your blood sugar and sending your hormones out of whack. If you love a good rim, try to do just a half rim next time!

Fruit in cocktails can be a great option especially when used as part of your mixer {see to mix or not to mix above}. However, when the fruit has been soaked for days…or dare I say weeks…in a sugar syrup or in alcohol…then we need to be cognizant of what else (besides the fruit) we are putting in our bodies.

Say you are having an old fashion, and you have a whisky soaked cherry in the bottom of your drink. The cherry may complete the look and you may get a real IG moment there when your drink arrives, but what’s in the cherry? We certainly can’t pick fresh cherries out at the store that look like that. These cherries are typically soaked in a sugary syrup for months at a time (super shelf stable), removed from the syrup and either added to your drink or soaked in liquor for days at a time before being added to your drink. 

Does this mean that your days of fighting with the ice to score the cherry at the bottom of your drink are over, no! I am simply here to educate you on the nutritional facts, what you choose to put in your body is your choice…ultimately you are the gate keeper. 

I believe if we nourish our bodies perfect (for us) 80% of the time, we have 20% to play with. So eat the cherry, just make sure you are eating enough alkalizing foods to balance it out. In the end that’s what it all comes down to, balance. 

So although cocktails, and alcohol in general, are considered a taboo topic in nutrition and wellness I believe in balance. I am realistic nutritionist, and can appreciate the joy of a glass of celebratory champagne, or ending your week with a vodka soda at sunset, or even a glass of wine with your S/O in northern California. The point is understand what is in your drinks and how it will ultimately impact your body, so that when you make that toast your family at Sunday dinner or cheers your best friend at her wedding you can feel really good about your choice!

Cheers! xx

Healthy Ideas for Memorial Day!!

Memorial Day is typically thought of as the start of summer. In my home that weekend is filled with bike rides, beach walks, barbecues and sunsets. 

This year is going to look very different since we are dealing with a world wide pandemic. However, we are determined to make it fun, be outside and soak in the start of summer!

Here are some ways that you can soak in the magic of this long weekend at home. 

Go for a morning bike ride!

Make a fun summer salad, here’s one of my favorites!

Grill out! Take your favorite proteins or veggies and grill them outside in the sunshine. No grill, no problem. You can easily do this stovetop with a grill pan.

If your state/county allows go to the park….keep the recommended 6 ft distance…and soak in the outdoors. Bring your favorite book or play frisbee with a friend. 

Cut up some watermelon…and maybe even enjoy some fresh seasonal fruit!

Here is the list of Florida’s seasonal produc

Watch sunset {ideally at the beach} but watching it from your home with your loved ones is just as special. 

Enjoy a refreshing summer cocktail! Here is my favorite Lean and Green Body® approved cocktail

VODKA SODA

Ingredients:

1 glass with ice 

1 oz Tito’s Vodka

Juice from 1 whole lemon

4 oz of club soda

Directions:

Stir and Enjoy! Happy Memorial Day!

As someone with a long line of military heroes in my family, I just want to take a moment to say THANK YOU to all who have served past and present. This country would not be what it is today without you, thank you for all you continue to do for us.