You can tell a lot about
a person by his choice of drink. A Manhattan fan revels in old-school class,
while a margarita lover enjoys a fiesta. Well, even if you’re following a
weight-loss plan, you can still go out and enjoy a few cocktails with friends.
Just use common sense when ordering, and stick to some easy rules.
Mind Your Mixers
- Juice is comparable to soda in terms of PointsPlus™
values, but if you use 100% juice, at least you’re getting extra vitamins.
- Carbonated mixers, such as colas, sweetened clear sodas, and
tonic water, all pack a PointsPlus value of about 1 per four
ounces.
- A lot of frozen drinks contain dairy-based mixers with added
sugar, which can add a PointsPlus value of 2 or more for every
ounce.
- Powdered
add-ins, like sour mix or
pure sugar, may seem like mere flavoring but do add some extra PointsPlus
values.
Drink Less By …
- Eating
before going out. It helps prevent late-night food-fests.
- Alternating
drinks with water. It’ll
keep you hydrated, and helps with hangovers.
- Drinking
slowly.
It makes PointsPlus values easier to track.
- Talking. It’ll prevent you from drinking too
quickly, and you’ll be less likely to over-imbibe.
Lessons in Liquor
- Drinks combining different liquors will have
a higher PointsPlus value. A 12 oz. long island iced tea, containing gin, rum,
tequila and vodka, has a PointsPlus value of 9. A 4 oz. rum and coke only
has a PointsPlus value of 4. A 12 oz. frozen mudslide, with vodka,
coffee liqueur, Irish cream and chocolate ice cream has a whopping PointsPlus
value of 30!
- Note the glass-size. If a bartender hands
you a large glass or pours in a lot of booze, adjust the PointsPlus
value. Or request the size or amount you want.
- Remember that most liquor has 4 PointsPlus
values per 1.5 ounces, and there’s little difference among
varieties. One ounce of whiskey is equal to one ounce of rum, gin, etc.