RECIPES: 3 Low-sugar summer cocktails

HOUSTON – The summer heat is here to stay! Registered dietitian, Mary Ellen Phipps with Milk and Honey Nutrition share 3 easy cocktail recipes that are light in sugar, but big on flavor.
 

LOW-SUGAR COCKTAIL RECIPES:

Juicy Orange Margarita

• 4g sugar
• No added sugar
• Liquor adds about 5g of sugar 
• Traditional margarita: 24g sugar
• A big plus is the natural sugar coming from the Florida Orange Juice. There's no added syrups like most margaritas. There's only 1oz. of liquor in each serving vs. most restaurant drinks having usually 1 1/2 - 2oz. of liquor per serving. 
   

Sparkling Pina Colada

• 18g sugar
• Alcohol adds another 8g sugar
• Traditional Pina Colada: 60g sugar
• Contains .5oz. of Cream of Coconut vs. most pina coladas which contain about 2-3oz. of Cream of Coconut per drink. By increasing the amount of pineapple juice, it decreases the amount of added sugar needed. Using unsweetened sparkling water adds flavor without needing to increase the sugar content. 
   

Fruit Punch Sparkler

• 16g of natural sugar
• No added sugar
• Beverage uses 3 different types of juices, so we're relying on nature's sweetness, and then adding in the sparkling water of your choice.