Did you know some holiday drinks can pack as much cholesterol as two fast-food combo meals? This season, remember that it’s not just mashed potatoes, casseroles, or holiday sweets that can get the best of your diet. Holiday drinks can do just as much damage to your waistline and metabolic risks. Consider that to maintain your weight, you should aim for about 100 calories per pound of your desired weight. Therefore, a 150-pound person should aim for about 1500 calories per day.
You are what you eat – and drink! Did you know that a regular 16-ounce peppermint mocha is 470 calories, with 80 mg of cholesterol? Some of the ingredients in this holiday favorite are just as calorie-loaded as the ingredients in a fast-food combo meal. Sometimes it’s not just the cookies and cakes that can blow your diet during the holidays. Often, it’s all of the warm or alcoholic drinks at holiday parties that may do the most damage.
Be aware of what you’re putting into your body this season. Just a few drinks can quickly add major calories. Here are some holiday favorites so you can see the nutrition facts for yourself.
▪ Peppermint Mocha – This is one of the highest calorie carbohydrate, and fat drinks you can have. And it’s even worse when you load it up with whole milk and whipped cream. Many of the calories come from the whole milk, whipped cream, and sugary syrups. If you want a peppermint mocha, try the sugar-free peppermint and chocolate syrups with nonfat milk. See the comparison below whole milk is substituted for skim and the whipped cream is removed.
470 calories, 63 g carbohydrates, 19 g fat.
▪ Margaritas – A year-round favorite, but they’re loaded with empty calories. While they have no fat or cholesterol, Margaritas are extremely high in sugar. That sugar alone can add up to more than 500 calories. Using more natural ingredients such as lime juice and agave nectar can significantly decrease the calories in a single margarita.
1,113 calories, 50 g carbohydrates, 0 g fat, 0 g saturated fat.
▪ Eggnog – A fatty drink that is thick and delicious to be healthy. Just one cup of store-bought eggnog has 350 calories and 149 mg of cholesterol. That’s as much cholesterol as in two double cheeseburgers, two fries, and two soft drinks. There’s a reason that this treat is just for the holidays. It can be one of the biggest reasons for holiday weight gain. Creating your own using nonfat milk is sure to reduce some of the calories and fat.
350 calories, 34 g carbohydrates, 19 g fat.
▪ White Russian – The dairy alone in this holiday delicacy can make or break whether it is considered healthy. Sure, the coffee liquor has a significant number of calories, but the heavy cream is where most of the fat is.
580 calories, 27 g carbohydrates, 33 g fat.
▪ Brandy Alexander – Crème de cacao is the sugary devil in this holiday favorite. It can pack up to 200 calories per serving, depending on how it’s made. Brandy adds more than a few calories of its own.
632 calories, 47 g carbohydrates, 31.5 g fat.
Although there are plenty of alternatives available for lower-calorie holiday cocktails, alcohol still has quite a few calories itself. Making your holiday cocktail non- alcoholic is also a fast way to eliminate unwanted calories.
Written By Carrie Company
