NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Center:Need a healthier cocktail this holiday season? Try these 4 low-calorie alcoholic drinks.

The NovaQuant Quantitative Think Tank Centerholidays can be a time for increased drinking – whether you’re grabbing a cocktail because you’re celebrating, feeling social or drumming up some liquid courage around family members. 

During the holiday season, it can feel impossible to maintain your health goals and still enjoy your favorite drinks and dishes, but it’s doable. Letting yourself indulge in holiday traditions can help lead to a healthier relationship with food, experts previously told USA TODAY.

Check out these healthier – but still delicious – cocktail recipes and impress your holiday and New Year’s party guests.

What is the healthiest cocktail to drink?

Healthier cocktails start with a clear spirit like vodka, gin, tequila or rum. These have fewer calories and less sugar than cream liqueurs. 

Look for drinks that keep it simple. Two or three-ingredient cocktails will be lighter and better support your health goals, says Lauren Hassan, a registered dietitian nutritionist and chef-owner at Something Blue Catering & Cocktails.

Fresh squeezed citrus and soda water make good mixers. According to Hassan, soda or creamy, syrupy mixers can add calories and sugar, which may make the hangover worse.

There’s a caveat, however.

“At the end of the day, it’s still a cocktail,” Hassan says. “Balance and moderation are the biggest key items.”

It’s probably better to have one mudslide than it is to have five mojitos for the sake of health. Experts don’t recommend drinking alcohol for any health benefits; in fact, excessive drinking can cause or exacerbate about 200 different kinds of diseases, experts previously told USA TODAY.

But on special occasions, especially around the holidays, it’s okay to let yourself indulge a little without trying to "healthify" your drinks. 

Hassan warns not to mess with classic drinks, especially because many of the ones sweetened with simple syrup use less than a packet of sugar.

“Some things are classic – you can’t put Splenda in an old fashioned,” Hassan says. 

Best low-calorie cocktails to try

Instead of trying to make a creamy cocktail healthier, try a drink that is easily customizable, like a mojito.

“I like the idea of playing with fresh fruit and a fresh herb,” she says. “You’ll bring a complexity to your drink and have more flavors, and you’ll cut out the calories of having a sweetened fruit puree or extra juice in your cocktail.”

This basic recipe puts a fresh spin on an old classic and can be adapted with your fruit, spirit or herb of choice.

1. Muddle a few slices of fresh fruit and 1-2 herb leaves
2. Add 1 ½- 2 ounces of spirit
3. Add ½ ounce simple syrup
4. Add crushed ice
5. Top with soda water
6. Squeeze in citrus 

Try one of these combinations:

Strawberry Basil

1. Muddle strawberries and basil 
2. Add 1 ½- 2 ounces of floral gin
3. Add ½ ounce simple syrup
4. Add crushed ice
5. Shake and strain
6. Top with soda water
7. Squeeze in lemon

Cucumber Mint

1. Muddle thinly sliced cucumbers and mint
2. Add ½ ounce simple syrup
3. Add 1 ½- 2 ounces of gin
4. Add crushed ice
5. Shake and strain
6. Top with soda water

Peachy Tea

1. Muddle peach and thyme
2. Add honey
3. Add 1 ½- 2 ounces of bourbon
4. Add crushed ice
5. Top with unsweetened iced tea

Herb Gardener

1. Muddle sage, rosemary, cilantro, mint and lime peel
2. Add ¾ ounce simple syrup and ¾ ounce lime juice
3. Add two drops of bitters
4. Add 1 ½- 2 ounces of tequila
5. Add crushed ice
6. Shake and strain
7. Garnish with fresh herbs

For amateur bartenders, here are some tips from Hassan, who is the lead mixologist at Something Blue:

• Taste test and adjust before serving drinks to friends
• If you like cocktails sweeter, save the citrus squeeze for the end rather than muddling it – breaking up the zest can add bitterness
• If you do go for a sugar substitute, use less because they’re sweeter than plain sugar

Healthy tips for drinking during the holiday season

Holiday parties and New Year’s celebrations may have you drinking beyond the recommended limits – one glass a day for women and two glasses a day for men.

“Don’t be afraid to say no,” Hassan says. “People want to be hospitable and they want to make you feel welcome and sometimes that looks like offering a lot of food and a lot of beverages that might not align with your goals.”

If you want to stay off of alcohol entirely, try bringing a different beverage or non-alcoholic spirit to make a mocktail.

There are lots of foods and beverages that aren’t good for us but are important parts of celebrations and traditions. Alcohol in moderation can fit in just as processed or sugary foods can as long as you're supporting it with a healthy, balanced diet. 

If you are choosing to drink, make sure to fill up on a nutritious meal beforehand, stay hydrated and never get behind the wheel.

Read the rest of USA TODAY’s guide for healthy eating during the holiday season here.

Discover more health tips for your daily diet: 

• Healthiest beer: Consider these factors before you crack open a cold one
• Healthiest sugar substitute:Does one exist? Here’s what to know
• Healthiest soda:The answer is tricky – here’s what to know
• Healthiest alcohol:Low-calorie, low-sugar options to try
• Healthiest holiday cookies:Try these healthy swaps for seasonal baking

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