3 drinks that won't bust your diet

If it fits through a straw, it can’t contain very many calories, right?

Wrong!

With the exception of water, I find it easy to forget that what I drink adds to my daily calorie tally—and maybe more so than you’d think. For example, a 5-ounce glass of wine has 125 calories and a 12-ounce beer 150 calories. That’s enough to tip even a disciplined dieter over the top.

But what I find downright disturbing is that some of my favorite summer cocktails are chock-full of calories, to the point that I could trade just one of them in for a meal. Yep, that’s right, a meal.

Here’s how much “damage” your favorite summer sipper can do. (Plus, find more than 20 delicious lower-calorie summer drink recipes here.)

Monkeylada = 228 calories

A pina colada boasts about 403 calories. That’s about as much as a hamburger (397 calories).

Try this lower-calorie version of a pina colada, made with ripe bananas, fresh pineapple and coconut milk—the Monkeylada.

Blueberry-Lime Margarita = 125 calories

A margarita contains 375 calories, but you could have a hot dog with chili and cheese for 367.

Try EatingWell’s Blueberry-Lime Margarita for just 125 calories, plus you’ll get some potassium, vitamin C and antioxidants.

Peach Wine Cooler = 114 calories

You could trade your wine cooler at 200 calories for a scoop of potato salad (203 calories).

Save yourself a few calories with this easy homemade Peach Wine Cooler.

By Brierley Wright, M.S., R.D.

Brierley’s interest in nutrition and food come together in her position as an associate editor at EatingWell. Brierley holds a master’s degree in Nutrition Communication from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University. A Registered Dietitian, she completed her undergraduate degree at the University of Vermont.

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