Tag Archives: cocktails

Smoking Alcohol Cuts Calories, Could Kill You

Go home America, you’re drunk. Of course “smoking alcohol” is a thing now, trending with young men at college campuses nationwide. The weight conscious are beginning to adopt the practice, as the inhalation of alcohol cuts all the calories and sugars.

The concept is simple. Alcohol can be smoked by pouring liquor over dry ice and inhaling the fumes, or freebasing the stuff, like crack. YouTube videos depicting the charming act have been popping up with increased frequency and a bar in Chicago even hosted a freebasing night in January.

Smoking alcohol provides a much more supreme high than merely drinking the stuff, and naturally, it’s devastating to the body.

smoking-alcohol

The human body prevents alcohol poisoning by forcing itself to throw up the alcohol it has ingested, but since smoking alcohol doesn’t involve the digestive system, the body does not have a surefire way to protect itself. Dr. Harris Stratyner, regional clinical vice president of Caron Treatment Centers in New York, told the New York Daily News that, “When you inhale alcohol, it goes directly into the lungs and circumnavigates the liver.” Once you skip the only organ actually designed to process alcohol, the inhaled booze-fumes make a beeline to the brain.

(more…)

Talenti Frozen Sangria Kicks Off Spring Break Celebrations

In college there was a bar near campus called The Mont. I say was, it’s still very much there. When I visit campus I like to sit on The Mont patio, order the frozen sangria half of their famous Swirl, and catch up with old friends. I know it’s a lot of sugar and a lot of calories, but it’s not something I get to do very often. In college, I did it a lot more often and well, it showed. Discover what diet plans were rated as the best by reading the list of the highest rated diets.

With spring break next week, it’s got me thinking about my favorite college dive. It’s not so easy to just run to campus for a Swirl, but I can make my own, and even control those pesky calories. Since, you know, I’m a little older and I care a little more!

I don’t have a frozen drink machine at home, but I do have a blender and access to Talenti Gelato and Sorbetto. Yes, I’m going there. Talenti is one word that will bring a girl to her knees, at least this girl. Mix it with wine and I’m done. Click the link here to see a comprehensive listing of the best diet plans.

Yes, Taleni Frozen Sangria is a thing. Or, I’m making it a thing. You’re going to want to make this your thing. (more…)

10-Calorie Fresh Sweet and Sour Mix for Your Skinny Cocktails

We keep experiencing these little glimpses of spring, which immediately puts me in the mood for summer. Does that make me an over achiever or impatient? Either way, both seasons make me want to sit on my patio, sip something delicious, and revel in my family and friends. I can’t be alone in this – just look at the Mason Jars full of beverages on Pinterest. We’ve all got the itch.

The scratch? My Sweet and Sour Vodka. It’s as light and refreshing as a tart glass of lemonade but has that little somethin-somethin to bring you back down after a long day. It’s. Amazing.

I stopped buying the jug o’ drink mixer at the grocery store years ago. Master of Mixes’ Sweet ‘n Sour has 110 calories and 25 grams of sugar per four-ounce serving. Our recipe has TEN calories and LESS than 1 gram of sugar. That neon yellow color, ridiculous after taste, and undesirable ingredient list left me thirsty for something better.

The answer was in front of me all along – my own lemons and limes squeezed to cocktail-mixing perfection. (more…)

The Diet Booze Trend Continues with Fergie’s Endorsement of Voli Vodka

Fun-loving Fergie from the Black Eyed Peas is not only the perfect party guest because she always knows which song to spin next, but she’s also got the inside skinny on the best cocktails. She’s the face of Voli Vodka, a line of lower calorie flavored vodkas. She told Chelsea Handler this fall that her daily vodka consumption varies by the week, saying, “If I have one drink a day, I feel better the next day than if I don’t drink at all. I’m just gonna start drinking daily.”

She’s clearly fit, firm and fabulous (Fergalicious to be exact), so how does she do it if she’s swilling vodka on a daily basis? Certainly her 4-6 workouts in the gym every week, but she’ll also tell you it’s because she’s not drinking just any vodka. She’s drinking Voli Vodka, which has 74 calories per shot. A standard shot of vodka has about 100 calories.

Sure, 26 calories is a fair savings when you’re drinking one cocktail or a few, especially daily. But does it really matter when they are still nutritionally void, empty calories? Bonnie Taub-Dix, MA, RD, CDN, author of Read It Before You Eat It and nutrition expert in NY, says not so much.

“My take on this is that many people think that if you don’t chew — it doesn’t count — and that’s simply not true.” Those calories most certainly still count, and maybe more than most because they’re typically accompanied by a lot of sugar – like juice and other mixers.

We showed Bonnie the Fergatini, Voli’s branded version of a Cape Cod, with Voli Lyte, Fresh Lime Juice, and Cranberry Juice.

“Think about it — in this cocktail of 82 calories — only 1-1/2 oz or 1 jigger of vodka is used. How many of us pour just one shot?,” she asked. “That won’t happen at a friend’s party! It also only includes one ounce of juice. That rarely happens too because many of the calories in alcohol are contributed by the mixers.” (more…)

Holiday Cocktail Calories Make More Work for New Year’s Resolutions

A new study on the drinking patterns of adults finds that the average adult American consumes 100 calories on a daily basis from alcohol alone. Does that not sound like much? It’s actually about 16 percent of total daily calories.

Nutritionist Connie Diekman, in a report by HealthDay, explains that even 100 unneeded calories per day from alcohol translates to a ten pound per year weight gain.

Not surprisingly, men aged 20 to 29 had the highest rates of alcohol consumption at 174 calories per day, and their chosen drink was beer. One 12-ounce beer is 150 calories. The study found that six percent of women and 20 percent of men consume more than 300 calories from alcohol each day.

Of course, not everyone drinks every day, and even if they do, moderate alcohol consumption is not necessarily unhealthy. The catch is what kinds of alcohol Americans are drinking, because a glass of red wine is a lot different than a piña colada.

For the approaching holidays, cut out much of the unwanted weight gain by remembering that liquid calories count and restricting your alcohol consumption or by replacing unhealthy drinks with slimmed-down options. (more…)

Health Buzz June 1: US Olympic Dietitians, Toys Fighting Childhood Obesity, and Healthy Asian Cuisine

Hopefully Memorial Day didn’t throw off your week too much. Before you get right back in to weekend mode, take some time to catch up on some news from DIR and our friends.

US Olympics Team is Taking a Record Number of Dietitians to London

The summer Olympic Games are approaching and we have to give you all the details about the fantastic event. Jennifer Gibson and Shawn Dolan, two of the dietitians traveling to London with the US team, took some time to give DIR an interview. 

 5 Companies Fighting the Childhood Obesity Epidemic

Five companies developed toys in effort to fight childhood obesity. Some toys range from kid-sized medicine balls, kettlebells, and barbells. Fruit and vegetable kits are another toy helping kids teach kids to eat health. Teaching our nation’s children the importance of health and fitness is just what the country needs.

9 New Summer Sandwich Recipes That are Fresh, Simple, and Healthy

Try our simple and healthy summer sandwich recipes. These sandwiches go further than just ham and cheese. There are 9 different recipes, one is bound to be a crowd pleaser! Test them out at a BBQ, get together, or just have them as a snack! (more…)

Jillian Michaels’ 3 Skinny Summer Cocktail Recipes

Cocktails and summer go hand-in-hand, but the calories take out all of the fun. Empty calories at that, you’re sipping on something that contributes nothing nutritionally but demands more of you at the gym. It’s practically a lose-lose. Except that there are ways to make “skinnier” cocktails, those with lower calories thanks to fresh ingredients rather than mixers.

“Some of these calories can end up being 600 calories, like a pina colada… rum and coke, all this crap is way way up there,” said Jillian Michaels about the calorie counts in popular cocktails. “But when you use little teeny bits of splashes of flavor, or fresh juices, soda water, and healthier things…the damage isn’t so bad.”

She’s one of the most popular and renowned fitness experts in the country, but did you know she’s also a former bartender? She created three cocktail recipes perfect for summer and each has 130 calories or less. That’s a steal that won’t land you in the gym a minute longer than you want to be. (more…)

Truvia Thai Blueberry Old-Fashioned Cocktail Recipe by Anthony Caporale

I wanted to create a no-added-sugar version of the classic Old Fashioned that would remain as true as possible to the spirit of the original while incorporating modern flavors and drink-making techniques.

My road map while developing this cocktail was to build upon the characteristic spice that rye whiskey brings to a cocktail, so I started with Tuthilltown Spirits™ particularly spicy Hudson Manhattan Rye Whiskey.

For a non-sugar sweetener, I chose Truvia® natural sweetener because it has a unique vanilla-citrus character that works well with whiskey, and it can easily be made into a flavored syrup to bring down Hudson’s higher alcohol content.

I wanted to keep the rye whiskey forward in the cocktail so I incorporated ginger into the syrup instead of adding it directly to the build, and also included lemon grass to bring out Truvia’s natural mellow citrus notes. (more…)

Grapefruit and Lime Mimosas Complement a Cinco de Mayo Brunch Fiesta

Americans have adopted the Mexican holiday of Cinco de Mayo as one of our very own. And why wouldn’t we? It’s colorful, flavorful, and down right fun. In a world that could always use one more excuse to celebrate, we say why not!

Typically, Cinco de Mayo is a veritable smorgasbord of all-things-cheese-coasted with endless chips, salsa, and margaritas. Hopefully, you’re all waiting until it’s at least 5 o’clock somewhere to dig in! This year, being that Cinco de Mayo falls on a Saturday, we think you should start the party early with a Mexican-themed brunch. The centerpiece of which should be our Grapefruit and Lime Mimosa.


It’s as bright and bold as the culture of Mexico, and will certainly be a refreshing departure from your standard OJ and champagne. (more…)

Disguise Your Halloween Party as a Guilt-Free Good Time

While some Halloween activities are geared towards children, there are plenty of ways to celebrate as an adult that don’t involve the words “trick or treat.”

If you want to celebrate the most ghoulish holiday of the year with your grown-up friends, think a little classier than candy and round up your scariest snacks and creepiest cocktail recipes to scare up some Halloween party fun.

Offer creepy and crawly (if any) candy. When you’re watching your weight, it’s always best to avoid candy and processed sugar. On Halloween,  if you have your heart set on eating Halloween candy, serve the creepy-crawly variety. Gummy worms and spiders, although high in sugar, are often fat-free and will do less damage to your diet than creamy or chocolate candy.

(more…)

Cheers to Fall: Healthy Recipes for Festive Fall Cocktails

By Alison Lewis

Is there such thing as a healthy cocktail? I believe cocktails don’t have to be unhealthy, and with the right combination of ingredients, you can actually enjoy a slimming cocktail that is bursting with flavor. With the excitement of fall holiday parties, tailgating parties and Halloween parties upon us, these creative ideas and recipes are great examples on how to create “healthier” fall cocktails.

I recently created a survey on Facebook asking, “What are your favorite fall ingredients?” My social media friends’ answers included what you would imagine: cinnamon, cranberry, pumpkin, pomegranate, nutmeg, allspice, apple pie spice and ginger. Now, how fun to try them in some festive fall cocktails! These favorite fall ingredients can actually kick up the flavor of fall cocktails without adding fat and calories.

Fall Cocktail Pairings

Here are some great pairing combinations using fall flavors:

  • Wine, limes, lemons, apples, oranges
  • Champagne and fresh grapefruit juice
  • Bourbon and apple cider
  • Champagne and fresh fruit purees
  • Vodka and low-sodium vegetable or tomato juice
  • Brandy, honey and water
  • Brandy, cider and cinnamon
  • Rum, fruit juice and fresh fruit
  • Vodka and light cranberry juice, apple, or pomegranate juice, light orange juice or fresh grapefruit juice (can you say Appletinis?)
  • Brandy, Wine, cloves, allspice and ginger
  • Apple cider and ginger (more…)