Last night my mom and I indulged in a pitcher of spiced apple cider sangria at Onesto in South City. It was so tasty that we each drank several glasses, and before we knew it, we’d polished off the whole thing. About three glasses each.
After the very pleasant buzz wore off, I started wondering if we’d overdone it. Not in terms of alcohol – it wasn’t that strong, and we left the alcohol-infused apples in the pitcher! – but in terms of calories. Would I have to short myself on cookies for a day or two to make up for all the sangria?
I’m not usually a calorie counter, especially when it comes to cocktails, wine and beer, but recently a longtime friend showed up at a holiday party looking stunningly svelte. Her fitness secret? Quit cold turkey on the booze. In four months she lost more weight than she had during the previous couple of years by religiously going to the gym after work.
It’s not that she drank a lot, but her beverages of choice – margaritas, wine – are higher in calories than say, ultra-light beer. In fact, an 8-ounce margarita averages 280 calories, depending on the ingredients. (And really, who can stop at just one?) A 12-ounce ultra-light beer, by contrast, would have between 65 and 90, on average.
It turns out that sangria is not the worst thing we could have been drinking in terms of calories. Most have between 100 and 200 calories per glass. Better yet, sangria is low in carbs and fat but high in vitamins. So perhaps we could have made a healthy argument for eating those high-potency apple slices after all!
There are many online sources of cocktail calories, but the one I’ve found most comprehensive is Good Housekeeping’s. (Who’d have thought?) I also have a handy phone app that asks me what I drank and then converts that into minutes of exercise I’ll have to do to burn it off.
It turns out the half hour I spent on the elliptical machine at the gym this morning cancels out the sangria indulgence, leaving plenty of room for sugar cookies (starting at around 190 calories each). Bring on the dessert tray!
Thanks for reading SmartParenting in 2010, and come back for some great new content in 2011. Here’s a Champagne toast (88 calories!) to another successful year.
By Amy De La Hunt, Health Blogger for SmartParenting
Amy De La Hunt is a journalist and editor who lives in the St. Louis metro area and works across the country as a writer, copy editor, project manager and editorial consultant on everything from fiction books to monthly magazines to blog posts. When she's not chauffeuring her teenage sons to activities, Amy is an enthusiastic amateur cook, landscaper, Latin dancer and traveler. Follow Amy on Instagram @amy_in_words
See the Zoo's California sea lions perform acrobatic and athletic feats, including Olympic-style dives on a high-diving platform, flipper walks, frisbee tosses and plenty of surprises. While on stage with the sea lions, the Zoo's trainers explain sea lion behavior and positive-reinforcement training, in addition to the need for conserving the sea lion's ocean habitat.
Free outdoor concerts are back at the Missouri History Museum. The May 2024 series of concerts feature favorites like Anita Jackson along with food trucks and exhibits inside the museum that are open to the public until 8 p.m. on concert nights.
Explore the Saint Louis Zoo in the evenings at the new Animals Aglow exhibit. Bring your family to experience the luminous glow of 50 towering lanterns depicting animals, plants and traditional Chinese elements. Don't miss this celebration of culture and art!
Dinoroarus is back for a limited time at the Saint Louis Zoo. This engaging attraction for all ages features 14 groupings of animatronic and stationary dinosaurs - colorful, prehistoric creatures that move realistically, some roaring and spiting or placidly munching on lush vegetation.
Kids can work on existing gym skills, learn new skills or just play around during Open Gym at Miss Kelly's Gym. Reservations are not necessary.