Tips for summer drinks

[Photo/Agencies]

When you want to steal a trace of summer coolness by ordering cool drinks, be careful, because you might unwittingly take in much more calories than you want. However, it is important to keep hydrated during the hot summer days, so liquids are your best friend and you just have to be sugar aware. Here are some tips before you leap out.

1. When you go out for a summertime party, quench your thirst with water. Have a glass of water between drinks. Make your glass of wine a “spritzer” by adding sparkling water to cut the empty calories you get from alcohol.

2. Be wary of cream-based cocktails. That pina colada may sound temptingly refreshing, but with the added coconut cream you could be in for as much as 325 calories and 10 grams of fat.

3. Be a "sipper" to reduce the amount of alcohol you drink. Remember that alcohol dehydrates, so consume your drinks slowly. This can be another vicious circle: the more you drink, the thirstier you get, so the more you drink.

4. Iced tea without added sugar is also a refreshing drink. It can be sweetened with non-sugar sweeteners.

5. Avoid those fat-laden frappuccino. Go for low-fat versions of iced coffee without the cream and sugar.

If you are a sweet tooth, how to sweeten your summer without fattening yourself is the key. Sugar isn’t the only way to flavor cool drinks. Here is some advice:

1. Add a splash of cranberry juice to seltzer.

2. Add watermelon ice cubes to lemonade.

3. Toss fresh mint into a batch of lemonade.

4. Mix thinly sliced cucumbers into a pitcher of cold water.

5. Muddle fresh berries and add to seltzer or sparkling water.

Try one of these creative ways to flavor up your water, and enjoy your sweet and healthy summer.