Low-Cal Drinks to Beat the Heat
I went for a walk at my local park the other day. By the time I was done with a relatively short walk, I was dripping with sweat. These hot summer days can really take some of the perk out of a workout. Water is your best choice for refreshing hydration, but sometimes you might crave a little more flavor. Try these ideas for low-calorie drinks:
- Add slices of citrus (such as orange, lemon and lime) in the bottom of a pitcher along with some crushed mint leaves. Fill with ice and water and let it steep in your refrigerator.
- Go for the sun with Self.com’s recipe for Sun Tea With Mint. This tasty drink only has 5 calories per glass!
- Freeze balls of cantaloupe and honeydew and add them to a glass of zero calorie sparkling water.
- When a more “adult” beverage is in order, try Eating Well’s Summer Fruit Punch. It’s a bit steep at 203 calories; to lower the calorie count try reducing the fruit juice in the drink and adding some more seltzer.
- Blend honeydew melon with ice and add sparkling water as needed to thin drink into a tasty slushy. For better results, freeze balls of melon before blending.
- Add a raspberry twist to lemonade with Fitness Magazine’s Tangy Citrus Lemonade.
Rarely a day goes by that my son doesn’t ask for money to go buy a Slurpee. I’m not opposed to him having a treat now and then — especially a cool frozen drink on these hot summer days, but no matter how many times I say “no” and remind him that Slurpees are not every day drinks, he keeps on asking. I suppose I have to give him points for persistence…but kids aren’t the only addicts of frozen, sugary drinks.
As a fan of Clif Bars for healthy and satisfying on-the-go snacks, I was excited to try Clif Quench — an organic sports drink that’s only 45 calories. Sold!