It’s been a while since you’ve spent time with friends or family. Caught up in work and life’s other responsibilities, you’ve had no time to share any of the wonderful events that have happened recently. Changes like a new job, new baby, a promotion, or just feeling better about yourself are always reasons to get together.
Why not celebrate a special holiday? Now is the perfect time to round up the troops and host an unforgettable party. All you need is food, music, and a fun place to rock out to some awesome tunes right? Oh wait, what liquors and cocktails can you serve that lets you enjoy the memorable occasion, without pushing you overboard when it comes to calories and carbohydrates?
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Decreasing the carbs in your lifestyle doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice drinking alcohol. You can still be the ‘host with the most‘ at the next gathering by serving a variety of low carb alcoholic drinks to suit your guests. They’ll appreciate your thoughtfulness in providing low carb alternatives, you’ll appreciate not having to give up your favourite drinks in order to have a good time.
Check out these choices the next time you are shopping for alcohols and mixers:
- Distilled Spirits
- Carbonated Soda/ Water
- Fruit & Vegetable Juice
- Cocktails & Mocktails
- Beer
- Wines & Liqueurs
Distilled Spirits
You’ll be happy to know that distilled spirits such as vodka, rum, gin, whiskey, and tequila are free of carbohydrates. Although they are created from grains, alcohol is all that remains after the distilling process. Spirits can be served in a shot glass, over ice, or with a mixer. Simple mixers like tonic water and club soda offer the perfect ‘zero-carb’ drink to move the party out of neutral.
Carbonated Soda/ Water
Add some excitement back into your bar cart with a variety of carbonated sodas as a drink mixer. The more popular brands like Coca-Cola, Pepsi, or Canada Dry Ginger-Ale, offer a diet version containing little to no carbohydrates per serving. Mixing these beverages with some distilled spirits can offer up tasty ‘zero-carb’ options that are sure to quench the thirst of your guests. Coca-Cola Zero with white rum over ice is very popular. It isn’t that different from enjoying rum and a regular Coke but minus the heavy load of carbs!
Here are some drink mixer options:
- Seltzer Water/ Sparkling Water
- Diet Tonic Water
- Flavoured Water
- Diet Soda
- No Carbohydrate Flavoured Water
Fruit & Vegetable Juice
For drink mixers made with fruit juice, I recommend using them in small amounts. Take some time to check out your local grocery store to see what is available. Many store-bought products are high in calories and carbs. Choose ‘not from concentrate’ juices over the concentrated version as they have lower sugar content.
Some popular commercial beverages carry ‘light juices’ next to their regular brand. These ‘slightly sweet’ tasting juices often contain an artificial sweetener which makes them low in carbs and low in sugar.
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Another option is ‘diet’ fruit drinks. Readily found on the grocery shelf next to the light juices, these fruit drinks boast a no-carb-no-sugar alternative. They’re mostly made of juice with the addition of an artificial sweetener.
For instance, a commercial brand diet Cran-apple drink has only 2 grams of carbohydrates per 240 ml, 1 cup serving, and 1 gram of sugar. That is a stark contrast to their regular brand cranberry apple juice that has 28 grams of carbohydrates per 1 cup serving. Not to mention the whopping 26 grams of sugar that you would also consume in this drink.
However, if time permits, try making fresh juices and juice blends by combining fruits and/or vegetables in a blender or, running through a press or juicer. Keep in mind, that some fruits and vegetables are both high in sugar and carbs. Choosing fruits like watermelon, raspberries, strawberries or blueberries will add tons of flavour to your drinks without a lot of carbs. Some good choices for vegetables are cucumber, celery, and tomatoes.
Cocktails & Mocktails
Most cocktails consist of some type of alcohol, a mixer, and a sweetener. You can create a simple syrup from any of your favourite low carb sweeteners ( I use this brand) by mixing equal parts with water. Simmer in a sauce pan on the stove until combined but don’t stir vigorously! Cool then store in a glass jar until ready to use.
Not into making you own syrup? That’s okay. If you prefer to skip this step, try using a store-bought sugar-free syrup instead.
Click below on these popular brand of syrups that blend well in drinks and have a variety of flavours:
Classic cocktails that use simple syrups in their recipes:
- Whiskey Sour
- Lemon Drop
- High Tea
- Absinthe Frappe
- Vodka Collins
Offer a variety of cocktails that includes rum/diet cola/gin and a diet juice as a healthier choice to party-goers. For the more sophisticated, flavour-loving palette, try low carb margaritas, mojitos and berry daiquiris.
Mocktails, which is a blended drink made up of juices, syrups, spices, herb, creams, or milk but does not contain any alcohol, can also be served as a delightful alternative. Substitute items that contain sugar with any of the low carb or `sugar-free` products mentioned above.
Beer
For those who would enjoy having a beer without the high amount of carbs that go with it, serve a non-alcoholic version instead. The carb count in a light beer can vary from 2.4 to 7 grams per 12 ounces. Look for beers like Miller 64, Coors Light, and Bud Light, which offer between 2.4 to 6.6 grams per serving. Ales contain around 5 to 9 grams.
Stouts and darker beers vary in composition. It’s best to consult the Brewer’s website or the label for the specific carbohydrate breakdown.
Wine & Liqueurs
Wines and liqueurs differ not only by producers but also in sugar content. A wonderful tasting yet ultra-sweet wine ( like an ice wine) isn’t recommended on a reduced carbohydrate regime. Nor could you have a port or moscato wine. You should aim for wines with a sweetness level that is considered to be ‘dry’ or ‘extra dry’.
Some medium sweetness level wines are acceptable. But for most, it comes down to the taste. The sweeter a wine tastes the more sugar and carbs it has in it. The same goes for liqueurs.
Here are some low carb wine recommendations:
- Reisling
- Pinot Grigio
- Melot
- Cabernet Sauvignon
- White Zinfandel
- Chardonnay
Always check the product information to confirm if the brand of wine you are choosing is indeed low carb.
Experiment with Different Combinations to find Your Signature Drinks
Take the party’s conversations to another level by serving drinks designed by you. This is the time to get creative! Try mixing up different alcohols and juices to create your favourite cocktails beforehand. Give them a name with an interesting story attached then advertise their availability upon everyone’s arrival.
Ask attendees to provide feedback. Maybe they’ll like it the way it is or suggest other flavours to enhance the taste. Either way, the booze will be flowing while you’ll be earning the title of ‘most excellent bartender‘ for the evening.
Conclusion
Offering a variety of high and low carb alcoholic drinks at your next gathering is a great way to enjoy a celebration even if your tastes differ from everyone around you. Some party members may not even know what drink choices are available to them.
Explore various producers of wines, spirits, beers, and other beverages. They come from all over the world. Try researching online for widely distributed brands. They may also include product reviews with food pairing recommendations.
Most importantly, please remember to drink responsibly.
If you are still unsure of what drinks to serve at your next engagement, leave your comments below.
To Your Health,
welowcarbliving.com
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