Nutritionists Rank the 10 Lowest Calorie Alcoholic Drinks

It’s more than understandable to want to kick back with a drink at the end of a long day, especially after you have one of those days. But, while there’s no shame in that game, it’s easy to forget about those liquid calories you’re sipping.

Unfortunately, they can add up fast—especially if you’re drinking on the regular. And, before you know it, you’ve sabotaged the healthy eating plan you’ve laid out for yourself.

“Calories from alcohol can add up fast,” Christy Brissette, MS, RD, owner of 80 Twenty Nutrition, tells Health. “And, because alcohol doesn’t provide nutrients or fill you up, these calories are usually in addition to what you’re already eating and drinking.” Drinking also can make you feel less inhibited, so you’re more likely to overeat, she says.

While some forms of alcohol contain a fair number of calories on their own (looking at you, triple sec), a big issue in all of this is mixers, Keri Gans, MS, RD, author of The Small Change Diet, tells Health. “Many of the mixers we add to alcoholic drinks are high in sugar and provide no nutritional benefit,” she says.

The good news is that you don’t need to swap your chardonnay for seltzer every time you want to celebrate. Just make wiser decisions when it comes to choosing what to drink.

“To cut calories in most drinks, you can play with the ratios of ingredients,” Beth Warren, MS, RD, founder of Beth Warren Nutrition and author of Secrets of a Kosher Girl, tells Health. She recommends trying tricks like adding more ice or sparkling water, which have no calories, topping your drink off with a fresh fruit juice with no added sugars vs. doing a heavy pour, and trying a natural sweetener like stevia instead of regular sugar or syrup.

With that in mind, these are the lowest calorie alcoholic drinks you can serve up, including easy tweaks to some popular favorites.

RELATED: 7 Ways to Keep Alcohol From Ruining Your Diet

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