Watching your sugar intake doesn’t mean you should skip out on enjoying a cocktail or two with your friends or family. Hard alcohol contains little to no sugar; it is the added mixers that turn your cocktail into a sugarbomb. Follow this guide to learn how to curb your sugar intake while still enjoying a delicious cocktail.

The Base of your Cocktail

The following contains 0 grams of sugar:

• Vodka

• Gin

• Whiskey

• Tequila

• Rum

By selecting one of the listed alcohols for your cocktail, you are off to a great start with a total of 0 grams of sugar. However, you don’t have to drink a vodka or whiskey on the rocks all night. There are several mixers you can add to make your cocktail taste great while still keeping it low in sugar.

The Mixer

Select one (or more) of the following to enhance your cocktail and satisfy your taste buds.

• Green tea (0 grams of sugar)

• Sparkling water or club soda (0 grams of sugar)

• Unsweetened coconut milk (less than 1 gram of sugar)

• Pure lime juice (1 gram of sugar)

• Kombucha (3 grams of sugar)

• 100% cranberry juice (8 grams of sugar)

• Tomato juice (great bloody marys, 9 grams of sugar)

• Watermelon for frozen drinks (9 grams of sugar)

• Muddled berries (15 grams of sugar)

Stay Away from:

• Coke (39 grams of sugar)

• Sprite (38 grams of sugar)

• Tonic water (32 grams of sugar)

• OJ (22 grams of sugar)

The Top Off

Cocktails are meant to look pretty and fancy. Of course, you can’t have a sophisticated drink in your hand without a little garnish.

• Mint leaf

• Orange twist

• Lemon wedge or twist

• Lime wedge or twist

• Raspberries

• Basil leaf

• Celery

• Green Olives

Stay Away from:

• Grenadine

• Maraschino cherries

• Simple Syrup

• Pineapple wedges

Tips to Avoid Sugary Cocktails

• Add extra garnish

• Add multiple low sugar mixers to boost your cocktail’s flavor. For example, Vodka, sparkling water, cranberry juice and a mint leaf to top it off.

• Make sure you are adding real fruit juice and nothing artificial. Artificial juices are loaded with sugar!

• Stick to the low sugar alcohols mentioned above. Stay away from liquors such as Bailey’s Irish Cream and Kahlua.

The next time you want to enjoy a cocktail, leave your guilt at home and follow this low sugar cocktail guide. This foolproof guide offers many combinations and recipes for you to try and have some fun with.