Holiday libations are a staple at many parties and in households during this December and January season, and yes, some in particular can be more weight-gaining than others.  If you're looking to imbibe during the holidays, but you're trying to not completely sabotage your goals, I have the best adult beverages for you. Below you'll find the lowest calorie and lowest sugar adult beverages for you to indulge in, however, let's start with the ones you may want to steer clear from!

First of all, if it looks like a milkshake, it probably has the calories and sugar to go along with one too. Mixed drinks like mudslides, Pina Coladas, and margaritas made with syrup mixers have upwards of 800 calories--that's more than a Big Mac! Beer isn't particularly high-calorie or high-sugar per serving, however, beer tends to be consumed in larger quantities due to the lower alcohol percentage. So if you take a 150-calorie brewsky (which has 13 grams of carbohydrates) and multiply that by four, five, or six, then some excessive calories and carbs will naturally ensue. So essentially, there are two things to look out for--single serving mixed drinks that are loaded with calories and sugar per serving and then drinks that are relatively low in calories, but can sometimes be consumed in larger quantities. Below are some of my go-to adult beverages for the holiday season.

Wine

There is a large misconception that wine is loaded with sugar--in fact, there are only 1-2 grams of sugar in red wines such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Pinto Noir. White wine has a tad more sugar, however, it only rings in at 3-4 grams per glass in wines such as Pinto Grigio, Sauvignon Blanc, and Chardonnay. To put this in perspective you will find around the same amount of sugar in one can of coke as you will in 30 glasses of red wine, or in 10 glasses of white wine. Not that I would ever suggest to consume that much alcohol but you get the gist!

Champagne

Possibly my favorite festive holiday beverage, Brut Champagne has less than two grams of sugar in a five-ounce flute so yes, it ranks right up there with red wine in terms of being figure-friendly. Want to get into the holiday spirit and create a beautiful sparkling beverage? Simply add some pomegranate seeds, raspberries, or strawberries to you glass--what a way for a few added antioxidants! 

Hard Alcohol

If you're a fan of the hard stuff, it's actually very low in sugar and somewhat low in calories. Typically the thing that makes mixed drinks put the pounds on are the mixers, themselves. Vodka mixed with plain soda water with a wedge of lime is only 80 calories, and it's sugar-free. Now hold the Gin and Tonic though! It's popular misconception that tonic water is the same as soda water but that couldn't be further from the truth. Soda water is sugar-free but tonic water has a whopping 21 grams of sugar per serving, which is comparable to soda, itself. 

Now, as I always say, the holidays can be a time for indulgence--who wants to be on a nutrition plan when there are so many treats (and drinks) during this time of year? If you're one who plans to indulge (and more than once), have a blast and recheck the nutrition goals after the New Year. If you think you'll be looking to shed pounds starting on January 2nd, schedule your free consultation with our in-house nutritionist here, and get your individualized meal plan to have on hand for next month!