Best Alcoholic Drink When You're Watching Your Weight

[nmnita]

I drink vodka and diet tonic or white wine with a little lemon juice and an once of soda or diet tonic. BTW, someone posted the calories in various drinks: that can be different in some cases, but you will see the breakdown is similar. I have seen white, more often listed at 110 and red 120. As for drinking to get a buzz, I am amazed at how many think that is why we drink. I don't think we all drink to get a buzz, I think we drink because we enjoy the taste or it is a tradition we have formed through the years.

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by nmnita

As for drinking to get a buzz, I am amazed at how many think that is why we drink. I don't think we all drink to get a buzz, I think we drink because we enjoy the taste or it is a tradition we have formed through the years.

And I think... and there's quite a bit of scientific evidence to back me on this... there's denial in a statement like that. And with years of experience as a professional bartender, I've got I-don't-know-how-many thousands of hours of personal observations of people's drinking habits to draw on in making the statement.

If if it were true that you just like the taste, you'd drink the diet tonic, hold the vodka. It's a lot cheaper. And nobody actually likes the taste of ethanol, they just get used to it.

I can mix several flavorful cocktails, including a spicy Bloody Mary, in such a way that I could defy you or anyone else to tell me by taste alone whether they contained alcohol or not. But then if you went ahead and sipped that cocktail in normal fashion, I'm sure that you, or almost anyone else I gave this challenge to, could tell me accurately within about 15 minutes whether there was alcohol in the drink or not.

I'll grant you that "buzz" is too strong a word to use, but people definitely drink for the effect alcohol has on them. Even when they drink out of habit, the habit is based on the way alcohol makes people feel. People describe the phenomenon in different ways as "relaxing," "improving my mood," "stress relief," "letting my hair down," "makes me happy," "helps me sleep," etc.

And the effect can be measured physiologically as well, as changes in blood pressure and pulse and breathing pattern, even after only relatively small amounts of alcohol are consumed. It absolutely can be measured as changes in brain activity and blood chemistry. And though the changes may be too subtle to notice consciously, they happen, and your body responds in a way that feels pleasurable.

Without the alcohol effect rum and Coke would just be Coke, screwdrivers would just be a glass of orange juice, and wine would just be sour grapes.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by OpenD

And I think... and there's quite a bit of scientific evidence to back me on this... there's denial in a statement like that. And with years of experience as a professional bartender, I've got I-don't-know-how-many thousands of hours of personal observations of people's drinking habits to draw on in making the statement.

If if it were true that you just like the taste, you'd drink the diet tonic, hold the vodka. It's a lot cheaper. And nobody actually likes the taste of ethanol, they just get used to it.

I can mix several flavorful cocktails, including a spicy Bloody Mary, in such a way that I could defy you or anyone else to tell me by taste alone whether they contained alcohol or not. But then if you went ahead and sipped that cocktail in normal fashion, I'm sure that you, or almost anyone else I gave this challenge to, could tell me accurately within about 15 minutes whether there was alcohol in the drink or not.

I'll grant you that "buzz" is too strong a word to use, but people definitely drink for the effect alcohol has on them. Even when they drink out of habit, the habit is based on the way alcohol makes people feel. People describe the phenomenon in different ways as "relaxing," "improving my mood," "stress relief," "letting my hair down," "makes me happy," "helps me sleep," etc.

And the effect can be measured physiologically as well, as changes in blood pressure and pulse and breathing pattern, even after only relatively small amounts of alcohol are consumed. It absolutely can be measured as changes in brain activity and blood chemistry. And though the changes may be too subtle to notice consciously, they happen, and your body responds in a way that feels pleasurable.

Without the alcohol effect rum and Coke would just be Coke, screwdrivers would just be a glass of orange juice, and wine would just be sour grapes.

absolutely not the case: yes, blood pressure, etc can change with only a small amount of alcohol, that is why people who drink a lot and stop, normally have a rise in their BP for awhile, but that does not mean one doesn't like the taste of alcohol...Why does my husband drink his good scotch on the rocks or straight, but lesser brands he wants a little soda or water with it? Why do we like different kinds of wine, I may like a dry red and my neighbor wants a Rose? What you are saying is actullay opposite of how it works..As for sleeping, most of us know, alcohol interfers with your sleep, it does not help, especially if you drink enough to feel the effects of it...
There are many reasons people drink, yes, in some cases it is for the effects, some because they want to be social and some because they do like the taste or they like the taste when it is mixed with something.

Nita

[OpenD]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Why does my husband drink his good scotch on the rocks or straight, but lesser brands he wants a little soda or water with it? Why do we like different kinds of wine, I may like a dry red and my neighbor wants a Rose? What you are saying is actullay opposite of how it works..

Not at all.

Your husband drinks good Scotch whisky straight because he has learned to enjoy the taste of the aged liquor, which aging helps to mask the taste of the ethanol it contains. Was whisky invented to be a tasty beverage? No, it was invented because of the effect on the body and mind that the ethanol produced. Matter of fact, it originally tasted rather foul and rough, but they kept making it, and kept drinking it, precisely because it made them feel euphoric.

It was only over time, and mostly by accident, that they discovered that prolonged aging in wooden barrels smoothed out the roughness and made the taste more pleasant. And now the end result is a very sophisticated tipple which can command impressive prices, and great brand devotion, but which is definitely an acquired taste. Most people dislike the taste at first. Could a Scotch be produced that tasted that way but which contained no alcohol? Yes, technically it is possible, but there would be no market for it. The reason for drinking Scotch in the first place is for the alcohol effect. Without the alcohol there's just no point.

Originally Posted by nmnita

There are many reasons people drink, yes, in some cases it is for the effects, some because they want to be social and some because they do like the taste or they like the taste when it is mixed with something.

People who want to be social without the effects of alcohol drink club soda with a wedge of lime, or a soda, or a non-alcoholic beer, as designated drivers and recovering alcoholics the world over demonstrate. But a great many people like the "socializing" effects of alcohol, which is why we're not all drinking Shirley Temples.

As for mixed drinks, the wonderful artistry of that profession which provided my living for years is all about hiding the taste of ethanol with something pleasant. I can make a great tasting Margarita without tequila, but very few people would order it. Without the alcohol there's just not much point.

Why did the Sumerians invent brewing? (or was it the Chinese?) Because of the alcohol effect. Why did early Americans let barrels of cider go "hard" and then put them outside to freeze so the alcohol would concentrate? Because of the alcohol effect. Why did people go to great lengths, during Prohibition years, to obtain booze illegally, or to make it at home? Hint: it wasn't because of the taste.

[hugepossum]

Yes, yes; everyone has their own reasons for drinking. So let's get back to the original post...

My suggestion would be to switch to spirits either neat or mixed with a non-caloric mixer such as water, seltzer, diet soda, or perhaps just ice. This will give you a few less calories than a light beer or white wine choice and, for the love of FSM, do not drink margaritas, screwdrivers, or any other sweet mixed drinks. They will ruin your diet very quickly indeed.

The spirits needs to be something not spiked with sugar; one of your standards of vodka, whiskey, gin, scotch, tequila, etc. Not schnapps.

Somewhat obviously, you have to find something that tastes good to you. For instance, I have been drinking El Jimador reposado tequila with just a bit of water. This tastes fine to me, but I would probably rather drink battery acid than do the same with standard Jose Cuervo. That stuff is just nasty.

Good luck to you.

[moonwatcher]

Vodka martini or Chardonnay.

[Haaziq]

Originally Posted by OpenD

Not at all.

Your husband drinks good Scotch whisky straight because he has learned to enjoy the taste of the aged liquor, which aging helps to mask the taste of the ethanol it contains. Was whisky invented to be a tasty beverage? No, it was invented because of the effect on the body and mind that the ethanol produced. Matter of fact, it originally tasted rather foul and rough, but they kept making it, and kept drinking it, precisely because it made them feel euphoric.

It was only over time, and mostly by accident, that they discovered that prolonged aging in wooden barrels smoothed out the roughness and made the taste more pleasant. And now the end result is a very sophisticated tipple which can command impressive prices, and great brand devotion, but which is definitely an acquired taste. Most people dislike the taste at first. Could a Scotch be produced that tasted that way but which contained no alcohol? Yes, technically it is possible, but there would be no market for it. The reason for drinking Scotch in the first place is for the alcohol effect. Without the alcohol there's just no point.



People who want to be social without the effects of alcohol drink club soda with a wedge of lime, or a soda, or a non-alcoholic beer, as designated drivers and recovering alcoholics the world over demonstrate. But a great many people like the "socializing" effects of alcohol, which is why we're not all drinking Shirley Temples.

As for mixed drinks, the wonderful artistry of that profession which provided my living for years is all about hiding the taste of ethanol with something pleasant. I can make a great tasting Margarita without tequila, but very few people would order it. Without the alcohol there's just not much point.

Why did the Sumerians invent brewing? (or was it the Chinese?) Because of the alcohol effect. Why did early Americans let barrels of cider go "hard" and then put them outside to freeze so the alcohol would concentrate? Because of the alcohol effect. Why did people go to great lengths, during Prohibition years, to obtain booze illegally, or to make it at home? Hint: it wasn't because of the taste.

Yep, that's why there is in fact a market for non-alcoholic beer.

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