Sip This, Ditch That

These are some common drinks that can easily be improved.

Cranberry Vodka

• 6 oz. Cranberry Juice
• 2 oz. Vodka

227 calories in 8 ounces! That's just 57% on the efficiency scale. Cranberry juice packs a serious caloric punch. Worse yet, cranberry "juice" taps at bars tend to be extra concentrated and light on the juice factor, so forget about any antioxidant benefits.

Sip this, ditch that: Vodka, Soda with a splash of cranberry. Not 100% efficiency, because you're probably getting about an ounce of cranberry if you order at a bar, but its efficiency is in the 90% range (saving about 80 calories) and it should taste reasonably good. Cranberry juice is an extremely potent mixer, even in small quantities.

Vodka Tonic

• 6 oz. Tonic
• 2 oz. Vodka (80 proof)
• A splash of lime juice

An 8 oz. vodka tonic has a healthy 197 calories. With this proportion of mixers, the drink is 66% efficient. Not terrible, but could be better.

Sip this, ditch that: Vodka (Club) Soda. 100% efficiency saves 64 calories per drink. Vodka with Diet Tonic is the same, but you won't find Diet Tonic in bars.

Rum & Coke

• 6 oz. Coke
• 2 oz. Rum (70 proof)

This 8 oz. drink comes in at 186 calories, but is only 61% efficient because Coke is slightly more caloric than tonic and 70 proof rum (Captain Morgan) is a weaker than vodka.

Sip this, ditch that: Rum and Diet. Again, liquor + diet mixer = 100% efficiency. You can save 70 calories per drink with this change.