St. Patrick’s Day is one of the booziest holidays of the year, often serving as an excuse for people to indulge in high-calorie, sugar-packed cocktails at their favorite watering hole in the sake of celebrating the day. If you’re watching your weight, though, it can be hard to find a drink that won’t contribute to a gut and still tastes like alcohol.

and when it comes to weight, the number one factor affecting the waistline is how many calories we consume. Weight gain happens when we consume more calories than we burn, whereas weight loss happens when we burn off more calories than we use. So, listed below are some lower calorie drink options that are still festive and flavorful.

Mojitos

Are you looking for a splash of green in your drink, but would like to steer clear of artificially colored and artificially flavored drinks? Look no further than the popular mojito. It is a refreshing, lower calorie cocktail with a splash of green. Rum is mixed with lime juice, sugar, mint and club soda to offer a light and festive cocktail.

Light Beer

The wave of light beers created over the past several years continue to impress. Light beers usually get a bad rap for being watered down versions of classics, as they are lower in alcohol content and calories. But if you’re planning an all-day celebration, you might be grateful for the calorie savings. For beer lovers, there are plenty of craft-brewed Irish stout-style beers that are low in calories and great alternatives to the usual imports.

Guinness

It’s hard to find a more popular St. Patrick’s Day choice than Guinness. You’d think Guinness was chock-full of calories with its dark color and intense flavor, but somehow the makers managed to create a light calorie beer. In fact, Guinness draught beer has fewer calories than most imported light and domestic beers. So, if you are looking for a light calorie, yet flavorful, festive drink, look no further than a Guinness stout!

Water

A good practice is to drink a glass of water for every drink you consume, so you don’t overdue it and to stay hydrated. And, if you do happen to overindulge this holiday, make sure to drink plenty of water afterwards. Your “go-to” drink for a hangover should always be water. Alcohol is a diuretic, which means it pushes liquids out of the body. When dehydration occurs, the body will draw water from any available source, including the brain causing a headache. Drinking water before heading to bed can help prevent some painful hangover symptoms, but grabbing the water bottle in the morning is also helpful.

Alcoholic beverages CAN be very high in calories and easily lead to weight gain. It is perfectly fine to have a cocktail or two, but if you aren’t careful it could easily add hundreds of empty calories to your daily intake. So enjoy your holiday, but keep your calories in check!

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Seattle Sutton's Healthy Eating encourages you to have a fun, enjoyable and safe holiday. Be sure to drink plenty of water and do not get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. For more healthy living tips, check out the Seattle Sutton blog!