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10 low calorie drinks for summer
These low cal drinks options offer a slightly lighter alternative to your favourite summer sippers.
There are ways to enjoy conventional drinks without worrying so much about calories, by drinking dry wine for example. However, the booming sector of low calorie drinks options is hugely innovative, with high demand for low sugar and low alcohol alternatives.
This list features drinks for all manner of seasonal occasions, from picnics in the park to barbecues at the beach, from 0% offerings to stronger spirits .
Shima sake spritz: yuzu & elderflower – 98 calories per 250 millilitre can
Japanese rice wine is gaining international momentum. Londoners Hector and Matt certainly thought it had market potential, beginning their sake experiments with cocktails before developing this spritz. Bubbly (from the carbonation), tart (from the yuzu) and floral (from the elderflower) – this 4.6% ABV beverage is sure to refresh and delight.
£18 for a six pack of 250ml cans
Lucky Saint Unfiltered Lager – 53cal per 330ml bottle
Low calorie, low alcohol and vegan might not have been a recipe for a good time ten years ago, but attitudes have changed and production techniques have improved. Lucky Saint is leading the way, even securing a partnership with the Kia Oval. Howzat!
£22 for a 12 pack of 330ml bottles
Corona Tropical – 96cal per 330ml can
Marketed as an “alternative to beer” by AB InBev, this fruity 4.5% ABV concoction comes in the UK in three flavours: guava & lime, raspberry & lemon and grapefruit & lemongrass. Alcoholic sparkling water (distinct from a hard seltzer in terms of production method) brings fizz without the fat.
£16 for an eight pack of 330ml cans
Slim Zero Sugar Sparkling White Wine – 69cal per 125ml glass 
When consumed in moderation, wine can be a perfectly good low cal option, but some producers take it a step further and try to cut out calories where they can. This 10% ABV Piemontese fizz is made from Pinot Blanc and Chardonnay which is fermented to dryness.
Served Hard Seltzer – 57cal per 250ml can
Celebrity seltzers could well become the next big craze as spiked sparklers sweep the world. Singer Ellie Goulding’s Served recently became something to sip on when surveying the silver screen at Everyman Cinemas. Sibilance aside, it’s also gluten-free.
£15 for a six pack of 250ml cans (three lime, three raspberry)
Bolle – 50cal per 740ml bottle
Not to be confused with the affectionate nickname for a certain Champagne brand, this sparkling wine proves that you can sacrifice alcohol and calories while still preserving flavour. It has no alcohol thanks to Roberto Vanin’s pioneering Zero Gradi brewing technology and is available in two flavours: Rosa, with notes of berries and an underlying herbaceousness, and Oro, with aromas of apple, pear and wet stones.
Grey Goose Essences: strawberry & lemongrass – 82cal per 50ml
Vodka is actually a fairly reliable lower calorie option when enjoyed in moderation. But beyond the often ruthless simplicity of typical vodkas, infusing it with other flavours can make it a great addition to cocktails, or just on its own after work. Bacardi introduced Grey Goose Essences to the UK earlier this year, and though it doesn’t market itself as such, the 30% ABV vodka-based spirit has fewer calories than many of its competitors.
Trulo Coconut Low Calorie Rum Liqueur – 34cal per 25ml
Though the heady aroma of rum and coconut may transport you to a distant Caribbean beach, this 14.9% ABV liqueur was actually concocted in sunny Wales. Liqueurs can be a sugary minefield for those in search of a more slimming option, but this one has the same sweetness at a lighter toll.
Luxlo Blood Orange – 28cal per 25ml
Orange you glad you picked up a bottle of this. Terrible, overused jokes aside, this 20% ABV flavoured gin has a reduced alcohol level and therefore a lower calorie content. Blood orange has both sweetness and bitterness, making this gin great in a long drink, or as a cocktail component.
Saint Louis de Provence – 79cal per 125ml glass
For many, summer is the season of rosé, and a glass of this will whisk you away to the sun-dappled meadows of Provence. Rose petals on the nose, followed by cranberry and strawberry – it has flavours to match the colour. Also, at 13% ABV it’s certainly not skimping on alcohol content.
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