April 2009 Archives

If you can’t stand to have Mexican food without a margarita, you’ve probably already noticed just how sugary the regular margarita mixes are. Almost all the major brands have 20+ carbs in a 4-ounce serving. (And who stops at one 4-ounce serving?!)

Lucky for us margarita-lovers, there are now some surprisingly tasty sugar-free options on the market.

Baja Bob’s Margarita Mixes are sugar-free, carb-free alternatives to the sugary stuff. They’re available in powdered form or pre-mixed, with a variety of flavor options in each.

I tried the powdered version of the original margarita mix. I followed the directions, stirring one packet into a 2-quart pitcher of cold water. It was easy to mix — the powder dissolved quickly in cold water.

This mixture can then be combined with ice and tequila to make margaritas, either frozen or on the rocks. I first tried a margarita on the rocks, using their recommended ratio of 3 parts mixture to 1 part tequila.

The flavor is good. Since it’s made with Splenda, it doesn’t have that aspartame aftertaste. It didn’t taste sugar-free to me at all… but then again, I only drink diet drinks, so I may not be the best judge. Still, it seems like a drink regular folks (i.e., non-low-carbers) would like too. My test subject (aka my husband) preferred the frozen version, so you might try hauling out the blender if the on-the-rocks version doesn’t hit the spot.

My only complaint is that the flavor is a little on the tangy side. If it’s too tangy for you, too, try mixing 2 parts of the prepared mix with 1 part Diet 7-Up and 1 part tequila to give it a toned-down flavor (keep in mind, though, that this only works for the on-the-rocks version… carbonated beverages and blenders don’t mix!). Or try one of the other recipes on Baja Bob’s website. There are 10 variations for the margarita mix alone — plenty of things to try if you get bored!

The powder packets are a great deal (about $0.31 per 4-oz. serving, compared to $0.70 per serving for the pre-mixed bottles). Plus their small size makes them cheaper to ship and easier to store til you need them. Once you mix them up in your handy-dandy pitcher (or an empty 2 Liter bottle, in a pinch), they’re just as convenient as the pre-mixed bottles. Either option is great for parties or to have on hand, pre-mixed, for an easy after-work drink. (If you needing a going-out option, they also have single-size mixes, but they appear to have limited availability.)

I give Baja Bob’s Margarita Mix a big thumbs up. Thanks, Bob, for making low-carb Mexican night a little more fun!

If desired, moisten glass rim with lime juice, then rim with salt. Combine ingredients in a shaker. Pour over ice in glass. Garnish with lime wedge (optional).

Mix all ingredients together.

Note: This orange-flavored mixture can be used in place of triple sec, curacao, Cointreau, or Grand Marnier in drink recipes. Makes about 3/4 cup. Serving size is 1/2 oz.

MillerCoors has announced they’re putting their Miller Chill beer on a diet. The reformulated beer will have 100 calories and 4 grams of carbohydrates per 12-ounce serving, down from the current 110 calories and 6.5 grams of carbs. See a comparison of various beers’ carbs & calories here.

Look for the new Miller Chill (in its new clear bottle) in stores next month.

Source: The Business Journal

For most drinks, it’s not the liquor itself that’s high in carbs — it’s the mixers. Whenever possible, opt for diet drinks or unsweetened juices. Be careful about garnishes too — that harmless-looking maraschino cherry has 2 grams of carbs!

Use these sites as reference when you need to look up how many carbs are in various cocktail mixers or garnishes:

• Alcohol Cocktail Supplies Carb Chart: BellaOnline’s Low Carb Site has a chart showing carb counts for various cocktail mixers (includes juice, sodas, and garnishes)
• The Daily Plate: Find nutritional information for just about any food you can imagine (more than 603,600 as of this writing). Search their database when you need to find carb counts for sodas, juices, etc. It can also serve as a handy comparison tool: for example, if you search for “orange juice,” you can sort the search results page to show the brand with the lowest carbs.

Photo by magerleagues (Creative Commons)

Many hard liquors like vodka, whiskey and rum are naturally carb-free… but things get trickier once you start talking about flavored spirits. And cocktail liqueurs like Kahlua or Bailey’s are a whole different story. Check out the following resources for information on a variety of hard liquors and cocktail liqueurs:

Charts

• Alcohol Facts: Has nutrition info (including carb counts) for 8 spirits, including rums, vodkas, whiskeys and tequila. From the Consumer Federation of America.
• Alcohol Carb Chart: Carb counts for 15 various straight alcohols, including bourbon, brandy, gin, and more.
• Low-Carb Alcoholic Beverages - Drinking Alcoholic Beverages on a Low Carb Diet: Article about drinking on low-carb diet. Includes carb counts for 14 types of liqueurs, such as Amaretto, Kahlua, Triple Sec and more.
• Atkins Cocktail Liqueur Carb Count Chart: 16 different liqueurs (including Bailey’s, Grand Marnier, Southern Comfort, etc.) with carb counts for each.

Info on Specific Spirits

• Flavored Vodkas on Low Carb: Info on flavored vodkas from Absolut.
• Smirnoff Low Carb Information: Carb counts for various Smirnoff products
• Rum Carb Counts and Nutrition: Carb counts for 14 different types of rums, including straight and flavored rums.
• Low Carb Bacardi Silver: Reviews of Bacardi Silver, along with carb counts for it and a few other Bacardi rums.
• Jagermeister Carb Counts: Info from Jägermeister on carb counts in their liquor.
• Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky: Carb counts & nutritional info on Johnnie Walker Scotch Whisky
• Whisky / Whiskey / Bourbon Low Carb Information: Carb counts for 14 whiskeys, along with descriptions of each.
• Peach Schnapps Low Carb Information: Info on schnapps and carb count for DeKuyper Peachtree Schnapps.
• Low Carb Brandy / Cognac: Explanation of what brandy & cognac are, how they’re made, and how many carbs they have.

Photo by octal (Creative Commons)

Crush the mint leaves in a tall glass to release their flavor. Stir together Splenda and lime juice until combined. Add rum, then fill with club soda and ice. Garnish with a mint sprig (optional)

Some evidence shows that drinking moderate amounts of red wine may be good for you — helping raise “good” cholesterol while lowering risks of heart disease and cancer. (Read more about wine’s health benefits.)

No matter your reason, if wine is your low-carb drink of choice, you’ll want to pick the best one for your diet. Here are some resources to help:

Charts

• Alcohol Facts: Has nutritional info, including carb counts, for 5 wines (2 Merlots, 2 Cabernet Sauvignons and a Chardonnay). From the Consumer Federation of America.
• Low Carb Alcohol - Beer and Wine Carb Counts: Includes carb counts for 27 varieties of wines.
• About.com Low Carb Alcoholic Beverages - Drinking Alcoholic Beverages on a Low Carb Diet: Includes carb counts for 7 types of wines, along with a discussion about alcohol vs. carbs.

Info on Specific Wines

• White Zinfandel: Carb counts for 3 different white zinfandel wines, with additional info on how white zins are created.
• Champagne and Sparkling Wine: Info about how Champagne is produced and general guidelines on how many carbs you’ll find in a glass. Includes info on which kinds are drier and sweeter.
• Port Wine: Definition of where/how port wine is made, plus a “guesstimate” on how many carbs per glass.

Photo by yashima (Creative Commons)