If it fits through a straw, it can’t contain very many calories, right?
Wrong!
With the exception of water, I find it easy to forget that what I drink adds to my daily calorie tally—and maybe more so than you’d think. For example, a 5-ounce glass of wine has 125 calories and a 12-ounce beer 150 calories. That’s enough to tip even a disciplined dieter over the top.
But what I find downright disturbing is that some of my favorite summer cocktails are chock-full of calories, to the point that I could trade just one of them in for a meal. Yep, that’s right, a meal.
Here’s how much “damage” your favorite summer sipper can do. (Plus, find more than 20 delicious lower-calorie summer drink recipes here.)
Monkeylada = 228 calories
A pina colada boasts about 403 calories. That’s about as much as a hamburger (397 calories).
Blueberry-Lime Margarita = 125 calories
A margarita contains 375 calories, but you could have a hot dog with chili and cheese for 367.
Peach Wine Cooler = 114 calories
You could trade your wine cooler at 200 calories for a scoop of potato salad (203 calories).
By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D.
Brierley’s interest in nutrition and food come together in her position as an associate editor at EatingWell. Brierley holds a master’s degree in Nutrition Communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. A Registered Dietitian, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont.
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