Cocktails are often associated with fun, relaxation, and celebration, but many people don’t realize the high amount of sugar that these drinks can contain.
While an occasional sweet cocktail may not pose a serious health risk, regularly consuming sugary alcoholic drinks can lead to various health concerns, such as weight gain, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular problems.
In this article, we’ll reveal the hidden sugars in popular cocktails, offer healthier alternatives, and provide tips for enjoying your drinks while cutting down on sugar.
Why Is Sugar In Cocktails A Concern?
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend keeping added sugars to less than 10% of your daily intake, which amounts to around 50 grams of sugar for someone consuming a 2,000-calorie diet.
Some cocktails contain 30-40 grams of sugar per serving, reaching up to 80% of the daily limit. High sugar consumption can lead to increased calorie intake, weight gain, and other chronic conditions like type 2 diabetes and heart disease.
The sugar in cocktails often comes from syrups, fruit juices, and liqueurs, all of which contribute to empty calories.
High-Sugar Cocktails And Healthier Alternatives
Here’s a breakdown of 10 shockingly sweet cocktails and how you can make them healthier:
| Cocktail | Sugar Content | Reason for High Sugar | Healthier Alternative |
|---|---|---|---|
| Piña Colada | 40 grams | Coconut cream and pineapple juice | Use coconut water or light coconut milk, and reduce juice |
| Margarita | 36 grams | Premade margarita mixes or triple sec | Opt for Ranchwater: tequila with soda water and lime |
| Mai Tai | 32 grams | Almond syrup (orgeat) and orange curaçao | Skip curaçao, use unsweetened almond milk, add orange juice |
| Daiquiri | 31 grams | Sweetened strawberry purees or syrups | Use soda water, fresh strawberries, and lime juice |
| White Russian | 21.5 grams | Coffee liqueur and heavy cream | Mix coffee, vodka, and low-fat milk |
| Long Island Iced Tea | 19 grams | Triple sec and cola | Use diet cola, skip triple sec |
| Cosmopolitan | 19 grams | Cranberry juice and triple sec | Vodka soda with lime and a splash of cranberry juice |
| Appletini | 18 grams | Apple schnapps | Regular martini with a twist of lemon |
| Sangria | 16 grams | Fruit juice, alcohol flavoring, sweeteners | Opt for plain red wine or a red wine spritzer |
| Mojito | 8 grams | Simple syrup or sugar | Rum with soda water, mint, and lime |
Why Sugar Is So Common in Cocktails
Sugar is often used in cocktails to enhance the flavor and mask the strong taste of alcohol. This is particularly common in tropical or fruity cocktails that rely on fruit juices and syrups for their sweet flavor profiles.
However, all this added sugar contributes empty calories to your diet, which can lead to weight gain and other health issues if consumed frequently.
1. Piña Colada
Sugar Content: 40 grams per 8-ounce serving
Piña Coladas are made with rum, coconut cream, and pineapple juice—both of which are loaded with sugar. A single 8-ounce serving can contain as much as 40 grams of sugar, making it one of the sugariest cocktails available.
Healthier Alternative: Swap the coconut cream for coconut water or light coconut milk to reduce the sugar content. You can also decrease the amount of pineapple juice used.
2. Margarita
Sugar Content: 36 grams per 8-ounce serving
Margaritas are another sugar-heavy cocktail, particularly when made with premade mixes or triple sec. These mixes can have around 7 grams of sugar per ounce, contributing to the 36 grams of sugar in a typical margarita.
Healthier Alternative: Switch to a Ranchwater cocktail, which is tequila mixed with soda water and a splash of lime juice.
3. Mai Tai
Sugar Content: 32 grams per 8-ounce serving
Mai Tais are rum-based cocktails mixed with almond syrup (orgeat) and orange curaçao, both of which contribute significantly to the sugar content. Even without added fruit juices or syrups, this tropical drink can pack in 32 grams of sugar.
Healthier Alternative: Use unsweetened almond milk instead of orgeat and skip the curaçao, using a splash of orange juice instead.
4. Daiquiri
Sugar Content: 31 grams per 8-ounce serving
A Strawberry Daiquiri can contain at least 30 grams of sugar, much of it coming from sweetened purees or syrups. Mixes, in particular, can add even more sugar, with some containing up to 34 grams per 4-ounce serving.
Healthier Alternative: Replace the syrup with fresh strawberries and soda water, and add a splash of lime juice.
5. White Russian
Sugar Content: 21.5 grams per 8-ounce serving
The White Russian is a creamy, dessert-like drink made with vodka, coffee liqueur, and cream. Much of the sugar comes from the coffee liqueur, which can have up to 16 grams of sugar per ounce.
Healthier Alternative: Swap out the coffee liqueur for coffee and use low-fat milk or almond milk instead.
6. Long Island Iced Tea
Sugar Content: 19 grams per 8-ounce serving
A Long Island Iced Tea is one of the most boozy cocktails, combining vodka, rum, tequila, gin, and triple sec with a splash of cola. The sugar content comes mostly from the triple sec and cola, resulting in 19 grams of sugar per serving.
Healthier Alternative: Use diet cola and skip the triple sec or simple syrup for a low-sugar version.
7. Cosmopolitan
Sugar Content: 19 grams per 8.25-ounce serving
A classic Cosmopolitan contains vodka, triple sec, cranberry juice, and lime juice. The sugar content mainly comes from the triple sec, which has around 19 grams of sugar per ounce.
Healthier Alternative: A vodka soda with a splash of cranberry juice will give you the flavor of a Cosmopolitan with far less sugar.
8. Appletini
Sugar Content: 18 grams per 8-ounce serving
The Appletini, made with vodka and apple schnapps, contains about 18 grams of sugar per serving, with most of it coming from the schnapps.
Healthier Alternative: Opt for a regular martini with a lemon twist for a nearly sugar-free option.
9. Sangria
Sugar Content: 16 grams per 8-ounce serving
Sangria is made from red wine, fruit juice, and sometimes an alcoholic spirit or sweetener. Depending on how it’s prepared, the sugar content can vary but typically contains around 16 grams of sugar per serving.
Healthier Alternative: Try plain red wine or a red wine spritzer to enjoy the flavor of Sangria without the sugar.
10. Mojito
Sugar Content: 8 grams per 8-ounce serving
Mojitos are refreshing and minty but can still contain 8 grams of sugar per serving, often from simple syrup or sugar.
Healthier Alternative: Make a mojito without the sugar by using soda water, rum, mint, and lime for a light and refreshing drink.
Conclusion:
While cocktails are a fun and flavorful way to enjoy a drink, many contain hidden amounts of sugar that can contribute to weight gain, increased calorie intake, and potential long-term health issues like diabetes and heart disease.
By understanding the sugar content of popular drinks and opting for healthier alternatives, you can still enjoy your favorite cocktails without sacrificing your health.
Simple changes, like swapping high-sugar mixers for soda water or using fresh fruit, can significantly reduce sugar intake and make a big difference in your overall well-being. Enjoy responsibly!
FAQs
1. Why Are Cocktails So High in Sugar?
Many cocktails rely on syrups, fruit juices, and liqueurs to enhance their flavor, contributing to high sugar content.
2. How much sugar is too much in a cocktail?
The U.S. Dietary Guidelines recommend consuming no more than 50 grams of added sugar per day. Some cocktails can contain more than half this limit in one serving.
3. Can I reduce the sugar in my favorite cocktail?
Yes, you can reduce sugar by swapping out sugary mixers for soda water or fresh fruit and using low-sugar liqueurs.
4. Are there any cocktails with little to no sugar?
Classic cocktails like a dry martini or vodka soda contain little to no sugar.
5. What are the health risks of consuming too much sugar in cocktails?
Excess sugar can lead to weight gain, an increased risk of type 2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.