I didn't drink until I was 21, but you had better believe that I have made up for lost time. My friends tell me I can drink more than any of their other friends. it's not a bragging point and I don't know if that means I have a problem or if I'm just damn good at it.
Even if we may be well known as the star of the bar, it's never too late to learn about drinking and how we can do it better. And that better may mean cheaper, longer, but probably most of all, healthier.
Alcoholic drinks can be a sneaky source of calories, sugar, and even salt—but not when you play bartender. Try to get a few healthier alternatives under that (suddenly much looser) belt to impress friends and family and order with confidence when out at the bar. Here are the eight key guidelines that make our drinks healthier options: – greatist.com
- Use only fresh-squeezed or 100 percent fruit juice.
- Choose seltzer water over other carbonated waters.
- Make simple syrup with honey.
- Use whole fruit instead of sugar or flavored syrups.
- Choose light alcohol over dark alcohol.
- Limit yourself to one shot per drink.
- Size matters—keep drinks around the 8-ounce mark.
- Choose nutritious ingredients.
Looking at this list, we could do numbers 2, 5, 6, and 7 at any bar this weekend without much work at all. Seltzer, light, 1 shot per drink, and small. Easy to remember, right?
But what about 1, 3, 4, and 8? This would take a little more commitment and possible changing your favorite watering hole to somewhere else. These are really all about the ingredients, honey and fruit. Some research will have to be done to see which places would help you meet these four suggestions.
But what other suggestions should you consider to drink healthier and maybe a little more responsibly?
One of my suggestions for all to consider and one that I never follow but need to is alternate between drinks and water. I like certain drinks for the taste, but I am what I consider a volume drinker. No, I don't look to see how much I can put down in one night, but I drink large volumes of anything. If there is liquid in front of me, I'll be drinking it. Water, soda, juice, alcohol, everything. The only beverages I don't drink are coffee, gin, and mezcal. So in order to make it through in a healthier fashion, I will once again try to alternate with water. The biggest problem is that I only remember to alternate when I'm writing stories like this and not in the bar.
The other suggestion is food. Any good drinker knows there needs to be food. Give me some food as a base and let's get drinking! The only times I have had major issues when it has come to drinking was because of the lack of food.
Besides not drinking, which is a very acceptable and overlooked option, what are your hints on getting through a night of drinking?
Happy New Years Eve y'all.
h/t: greatist.com