Calories in Christmas booze
You've been sticking to your Christmas diet, so can a few glasses of wine really undo all your hard work? Alcohol can be surprisingly calorific, so if you're watching what you eat at the buffet table, you'll want to keep an eye on what goes in your glass too. Discover how many calories are in your favourite festive drinks...
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Baileys Irish Cream
Christmas is a time to treat yourself and rich liqueurs are often on offer - but if you're watching your weight, think twice before you take a sip of Baileys. A 100 ml of the rich Irish cream contains a whopping 350 kcal and 15.7g of fat. That's more than a Mars bar.
Mulled wine
A glass of mulled wine is fantastic for warming you up on a cold winter's day - but don't think it contains fewer calories than a normal glass of red. In fact, it can contain much more. One glass of mulled wine contains 245 calories. That's 160 calories more than your average glass of red.
Cocktails
What better way to get in the party mood than with a round of cocktails - just beware that not all cocktails are made equal. Avoid anything made with lots of shots (a Long Island contains 292 calories) whereas an Applemartini contains just 150 calories. Also, watch those mixers. A shot of sugary coke will add on more calories, so remember to ask for the diet version instead.
Champagne
What better way to celebrate Christmas morning than with a glass of the sparkly stuff? A 120 ml glass of champagne contains 89 calories - just a little more than a glass of dry white wine, which contains 77 calories. Adding a little orange juice may up the calorie total but it's worth it to stop you feeling fuzzy headed come lunch time.
Whiskey
A wee dram may give us a warm glow (temporarily at least) but is it a good choice if you're watching those calories? Whiskey contains 50 calories per small (25ml) pub measure, which is relatively low, as long as you sip it and make it last.
White wine
It's easy to enjoy a few glasses of white wine but be careful as the calories soon add up. A small glass of dry white wine contains around 80 calories. Many pubs offer large glasses as standard - these hold around 250ml, which means 180 calories per glass. Be careful though, as three large glasses of wine is equal to one bottle (giving you 540 calories not to mention a hangover). Plus, drink a whole bottle of wine and you'll have consumed the equivalent to chicken with cashew nuts and egg-fried rice from your local Chinese takeaway.
A seasonal pint
A pint of lager contains on average 230 calories, where bitter contains 182. If you want to limit the number of calories you consume, opt for the beer or lager with the lowest percentage alcohol. For example, a pint of Grolsch contains 244, whereas a pint of Carling (with a lower alcohol percentage) contains just 187 calories.
