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There are so many great things about summer. One of my personal faves? After work happy hours with your friends or colleagues, preferably on a city rooftop. There’s just something about sitting outside in the sunshine, sippin’ on a drink, and laughing with your friends that helps take away whatever stress the day may have caused.
Now, I’m going to burst your blissful bubble. If you’ve ever taken a look at the nutritional facts of cocktails, then you already know they can be very high in sugar and calories. Taste good, yes? Good for you? Debatable.
If you are trying to maintain a balanced diet, then you probably feel like you can’t take part in the fun, but that’s not necessarily true. There are actually some not-so-bad cocktail options out there so drink with less guilty. Here are four to order at your next happy hour festivities:
1. Mojito. Even though this drink is on the sweeter side, it actually can be less than 150 calories. Ask the bartender or waiter to go easy on the sugar or swap out the sugar for honey instead.
2. Tequila/Vodka and Soda. Pairing either of these spirits with club soda is the perfect 100 calorie drink. The best part is if you want to spice them up, many garnishes like cucumber or lime pair well with them and don’t add unnecessary sugar or calories.
3. Bloody Mary. Since this cocktail is already made with tomatoes, it tends to be on the healthier side. But you can make it even more low-cal (under 120 calories!) by swapping out the pre-made mix for fresh tomato juice.
4. Cosmopolitan. This three-ingredient drink (vodka, lime juice and cranberry juice) will only cost you 150 calories. You could also always ask if they have sugar-free cranberry juice to use instead.
