With rising rates of obesity and diabetes, many people are looking to cut back on sugar in their diets. For those who enjoy an occasional cocktail, finding sugar-free drink options can be a challenge. Thankfully, there are many delicious mixed drinks that can be made sugar-free by swapping out key ingredients.
Why choose sugar-free cocktails?
Here are some of the top reasons to opt for sugar-free mixed drinks:
- Reduce overall calorie and carb intake – Sugary mixers like juice, soda, and sweet liquors can pack a lot of calories into each drink. Going sugar-free saves calories and carbs.
- Manage diabetes – For those with diabetes or prediabetes, limiting sugar is a must. Sugar-free drinks remove the worry of spiking blood sugar.
- Promote weight loss – Scaling back sugar intake can help shed excess pounds by reducing empty calories.
- Avoid energy crash – Mixers with lots of sugar lead to an energy spike and crash. Sugar-free drinks provide energy without the dramatic ups and downs.
- Protect dental health – Sugar contributes to cavities and tooth decay. Sugar-free options help keep teeth strong and healthy.
The best sugar-free base spirits
When constructing a mixed drink, the foundation is the base spirit. Below are some of the most common zero-sugar base spirits to use in sugar-free cocktails:
- Vodka – This neutral spirit is naturally sugar-free. Opt for unflavored vodka to keep drinks sugar-free. Flavored vodka may contain added sugars.
- Gin – Like vodka, gin contains no sugar or carbs. Use a good quality gin for cocktails.
- Rum – Clear rum such as silver rum or white rum contains no sugar or carbs. Steer clear of spiced rum or rum with added flavors, which often include sugar.
- Tequila – As long as tequila has not had flavors added, it is sugar and carb-free.
- Whiskey – Bourbon whiskey, rye whiskey, and Scotch are zero sugar options for mixed drinks.
- Brandy – Plain brandy with no added flavors is sugar-free. Avoid honey-flavored or fruit-flavored brandies.
Low and no sugar mixers
In addition to a sugar-free base spirit, you’ll need a low or no sugar mixer. Try these options:
- Seltzer water – Plain seltzer is carb and calorie-free. Look for unsweetened seltzer without added sodium or flavors.
- Club soda – Like seltzer, club soda offers fizz without sugar or carbs. Avoid tonic water which contains sugar.
- Diet soda – Diet coke, Diet Pepsi, and other diet sodas offer zero sugar fizz to cocktails.
- Unsweetened tea – Brew plain iced tea or use diet iced tea. Skip presweetened bottled teas.
- Black coffee – A splash of unsweetened black coffee can add rich flavor to mixed drinks.
- Nut milks – Unsweetened almond milk, coconut milk, or oat milk add creaminess without carbs.
- Low-carb energy drinks – Sugar-free energy drinks like Rockstar Zero Carb or Red Bull Zero can provide an energy boost.
Sugar substitutions
Some recipes call for simple syrup or other high-sugar mixers. You can recreate the sweetness using these sugar substitute options:
- Stevia – This natural, plant-derived sweetener contains zero calories and carbs. Use just a few drops to lightly sweeten drinks.
- Monk fruit extract – Monk fruit provides natural sweetness at zero calories. It’s 100-250 times sweeter than sugar.
- Erythritol – Unlike some sugar alcohols, erythritol does not cause digestive issues. It’s about 70% as sweet as sugar with minimal carbs.
- Allulose – This rare sugar offers the taste and texture of sugar with only 10% of the calories and carbs.
You can create easy sugar-free “simple syrup” by stirring stevia, monk fruit, erythritol, or allulose into boiling water until dissolved. Let cool before using in cocktails.
Fruits and garnishes
Fresh fruit adds flavor, vitamins, and visual appeal to sugar-free drinks. Opt for fruits that are naturally tart rather than sweet. Try grapes, berries, grapefruit, lemon, lime, or pomegranate seeds. Herbs, spices, and dry rubs also make flavorful garnishes. Cinnamon sticks, fresh mint, rosemary, grated nutmeg, and salt or sugar rims can enhance sugar-free cocktails.
Sugar-free cocktail recipes
Now for the fun part – delicious sugar-free cocktail recipes to mix up! Try these flavorful options:
Sugar-Free Mojito
- 2 oz white rum
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 5-6 fresh mint leaves
- 1 tsp powdered monk fruit/erythritol blend
- 1 cup soda water
- Lime wedge and mint sprig (for garnish)
Muddle mint leaves and sweetener in a glass. Add rum, lime juice, and ice. Top with soda water. Garnish with lime and mint.
Skinny Classic Margarita
- 2 oz tequila
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1 oz water
- Pinch of stevia
- Lime wedge (for rim)
Rim glass with lime wedge and dip in salt. Fill shaker with ice, tequila, lime juice, water, and stevia. Shake and strain into rimmed glass over fresh ice.
Vodka White Cranberry Spritzer
- 2 oz vodka
- 1 cup white cranberry juice
- 1/2 cup soda water
- Lime wedge (for garnish)
Fill a glass with ice. Add vodka and cranberry juice. Top with soda water. Squeeze and drop in lime wedge.
Gin and Diet Tonic
- 2 oz gin
- 4-5 oz diet tonic
- Lime wedge (for garnish)
Fill a tall glass with ice. Pour in gin. Top with diet tonic and stir. Squeeze lime wedge over top and drop into drink.
Whiskey Sour
- 2 oz bourbon
- 1 oz fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp erythritol
- Dash bitters
- Maraschino cherry (for garnish)
Add bourbon, lemon juice, erythritol, and bitters to a shaker filled with ice. Shake vigorously and strain into a chilled glass. Garnish with a cherry.
Sparkling Paloma Cocktail
- 2 oz tequila
- 1 oz fresh grapefruit juice
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 1/2 oz stevia simple syrup
- 2 oz soda water
- Lime wheel (for garnish)
Rim half the glass with salt or sugar. Add tequila, juices, and simple syrup over ice. Top with soda water. Garnish with lime.
Light Piña Colada
- 1 1/2 oz rum
- 3 oz light coconut milk
- 1 cup pineapple chunks
- 1 tsp monk fruit/erythritol
- Pineapple wedge (for garnish)
Blend rum, coconut milk, pineapple, and sweetener until smooth. Pour into a glass over ice. Garnish with pineapple.
Low-sugar bottled drink options
You don’t always have time to mix up a cocktail from scratch. When convenience is key, these bottled or canned drinks make tasty low-sugar options:
- Hard seltzers like White Claw, Truly, or Bon & Viv – most flavors are under 2g sugar
- Skinnygirl pre-made cocktails – sweetened with stevia
- Barefoot Spritzers – around 3-4g sugar per serving
- Bacardi Real Rum + Diet Coke cans – zero sugar
- Smirnoff Ice Zero Sugar – available in flavors like Raspberry, Mango, and Cherry Lime
Check labels and aim for under 5g of sugar per serving for the lowest sugar options.
Simple swaps to reduce sugar
With some easy ingredient swaps, you can turn traditional high-sugar cocktails into sugar-free drinks:
| Instead of: | Use: |
|---|---|
| Simple syrup | Sugar substitute simple syrup |
| Fruit juice | Fresh fruit muddled |
| Sweet & sour mix | Fresh lemon and lime juice |
| Grenadine | No sugar added pomegranate juice |
| Sweetened soda | Seltzer or diet soda |
| Sweet tea | Unsweetened tea |
| Tonic water | Club soda |
| Canned juice | No sugar added cranberry juice |
| Sour mix | Lemon/lime juice and stevia |
| Margarita mix | Tequila, lime juice and stevia |
Tips for ordering sugar-free cocktails at bars
Though home mixology allows for the most control, you can also find sugar-free options when out at bars. Use these tips for ordering low-sugar drinks:
- Start with a base spirit – Order vodka club soda with lime, gin and diet tonic, or tequila on the rocks.
- Ask for modifications – Request drinks made with fresh juice or sugar substitute instead of syrups.
- Avoid sweet mixers – Steer clear of pre-made sour mix, sweet & sour, or bottled juices.
- Watch out for hidden sugars – Flavored liquors, colored spirits, and pre-bottled cocktails often have added sugar.
- Set the sweetness level – Ask for drinks to be made light/medium/normal/extra sweet.
Most bartenders are happy to adjust recipes to accommodate sugar-free preferences. Don’t hesitate to make special requests.
Conclusion
Cutting back on sugar no longer means resigning yourself to a lifetime of boring drinks. With so many sugar-free spirits, mixers, and recipes, you can craft flavorful cocktails without all the carbs and calories. Whether you’re managing health conditions or just aiming for better nutrition, sugar-free mixed drinks are a delicious option. Cheers to guilt-free sipping!
