St. Patrick's Day: Low-Cal Beer Options

April Daniels Hussar, SELF magazine

St. Patrick's Day falls on a Saturday this year (tomorrow!) -- the perfect day for revelry. But whether you're planning a pub crawl or a night at home with friends, here's what you need to know to get your green on without gulping down too manycalories. Cheers!

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"Wear green, don't drink it!" says Rachel Berman, registered dietitian and director of CalorieCount.com, when we asked for her tips on making sure your St. Patty's celebration doesn't turn into a calorie fest. "Green cocktails get their green from creme de menthe or Midori, which are both high in calories and sugar," she explains.


Instead, Berman recommends regular light beer, whiskey or Guinness to get in the Irish spirit. "Light beer is typically better than having a mixed cocktail, and will run you anywhere from 60 to 120 calories per 12 ounces," she says.

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Oh and by the way --
beer in moderation has health benefits (it may help prevent heart disease and osteoporosis)! Some of Berman's top beer picks for St. Patrick's Day:

Guinness Draft!
No one can accuse you of not getting into the spirit of the day with a glass of Guinness. Berman says 12 ounces will cost you 120 calories.

Miller 64.
Formerly known as Miller Genuine Draft 64, a 12-ounce bottle of this has only -- you guessed it -- 64 calories.

Bud Light and Bud Light Platinum.
Berman says Platinum is a new, tastier version of Bud Light, but know that regular Bud Light has 110 calories per 12 ounces, while Platinum contains 137 calories per 12-ounce serving.

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As with all festive events, though, be sure to drink in moderation and to hydrate with water in between alcoholic beverages, Berman warns. "Staying hydrated can help prevent you from overeating as well, so that you don't confuse thirst for hunger," she says.

Finally, need a great way to burn off some of those extra calories? Dance! Berman says dancing (to traditional Irish music of course!) and getting involved in the celebration will minimize the amount of alcohol and calories you consume and help burn calories, too. Happy St. Patrick's Day!


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