15 The Most Unhealthy Alcoholic Beverages at Bars – If You’re Drinking These, Brace Yourself
Many of us enjoy unwinding with a drink after a long day, but not all alcoholic beverages are created equal when it comes to their impact on your health. While moderate alcohol consumption might have some benefits, certain drinks pack a surprising punch of calories, sugar, and other concerning ingredients that can sabotage your health goals without you even realizing it.
Here is a list of alcoholic beverages commonly ordered at bars that rank among the most unhealthy options available. These drinks might taste delicious, but your body might not thank you later.
Long Island Iced Tea
Five distinct spirits—vodka, rum, gin, tequila, and triple sec—are combined with a dash of cola to create the Long Island Iced Tea. About 700 calories and a startling amount of alcohol are included in one dish.
Multiple spirits and sugary mixers combine to create a perfect storm of dehydration and empty calories that can make you feel awful the next day.
Piña Colada
With over 650 calories per serving, this tropical classic may take your taste buds to a beach paradise, but it also sends your calorie count skyrocketing. Basically a dessert in a glass, it’s made with rum, pineapple juice, and cream of coconut.
Significant amounts of saturated fat are present in the coconut cream alone, and the sweet mixers add a ton of sugar that can cause a sharp rise in insulin levels.
Mudslide
Think of a Mudslide as an alcoholic milkshake. Combining vodka, coffee liqueur, Irish cream, and often vanilla ice cream or heavy cream, this dessert cocktail can contain upwards of 800 calories and 30 grams of fat per serving.
The combination of alcohol and dairy can also slow digestion and potentially cause discomfort for those with lactose sensitivity.
Frozen Margarita
While a traditional margarita with fresh lime juice isn’t the worst choice, the frozen version served at many bars is a different story. Commercial mixes often used in these drinks are loaded with high-fructose corn syrup and artificial ingredients.
A large frozen margarita can contain up to 700 calories and 100 grams of sugar—nearly four times the recommended daily sugar intake in just one drink.
White Russian
This creamy cocktail combines vodka, coffee liqueur, and heavy cream into a drink that contains around 500 calories per serving. The combination of alcohol and dairy creates a high-fat, high-calorie beverage that’s particularly taxing on your liver, which must process both the alcohol and the fat simultaneously.
Regular consumption can contribute to liver stress and potential weight gain.
Chocolate Martini
A standard chocolate martini mixes vodka, chocolate liqueur, and crème de cacao, often with additional chocolate syrup and cream. This dessert-like drink can contain upwards of 450 calories and 20 grams of sugar per serving.
The combination of alcohol and sugar creates a double whammy for your liver and can significantly impact blood sugar levels.
Zombie
This tiki bar classic lives up to its name by potentially turning you into a shuffling version of yourself the next morning. Typically containing multiple types of rum, fruit juices, and syrups like grenadine or falernum, a Zombie can pack more than 600 calories and a concerning amount of alcohol.
The high sugar content masks the alcohol strength, making it easy to consume more than intended.
Mai Tai
Another tropical concoction that seems innocent but isn’t, the Mai Tai typically contains rum, orange curaçao, lime juice, and orgeat syrup (a sweet almond syrup). A standard serving contains approximately 350-450 calories, most coming from alcohol and sugar.
The sweet taste can also lead to drinking more rapidly or ordering multiple rounds, compounding the caloric impact.
Eggnog
This holiday favorite is particularly unhealthy when served in bars, where it’s often spiked with rum, brandy, or bourbon. A single cup can contain up to 400 calories, 20 grams of fat, and 30 grams of sugar.
The raw egg content also presents a potential food safety concern if not properly prepared, especially for those with compromised immune systems.
Irish Coffee
While coffee itself offers health benefits, adding whiskey, sugar, and whipped cream transforms it into a high-calorie beverage with minimal nutritional value. A typical Irish Coffee contains around 250-300 calories.
The combination of alcohol and caffeine can also mask intoxication signs, potentially leading to overconsumption and dehydration.
Mojito
This refreshing drink might seem healthier with its mint leaves and lime, but bar versions are typically loaded with sugar. A standard mojito contains around 250 calories, with most coming from simple syrup or sugar.
Some commercial versions at chain restaurants can contain even more, using pre-made sweet mixers instead of fresh ingredients.
Sangria
Fruit makes it healthy, right? Not quite. While sangria does contain some fruit, the benefits are outweighed by the added sugar, brandy, and sweeteners. A typical glass contains about 250 calories, with significant sugar content.
Batch-made sangrias at bars often sit for hours or days, with the fruit soaking up alcohol and losing any nutritional value.
Rum and Coke
This simple highball drink combines rum with cola, creating a beverage with approximately 250-300 calories per serving. The real concern is the sugar content from the cola, which can be as high as 40 grams in a tall glass.
The caffeine in cola also acts as a stimulant while alcohol is a depressant, sending mixed signals to your nervous system.
Whiskey Sour
A traditional whiskey sour made with fresh lemon juice isn’t terrible, but the version served at many bars uses a commercial sour mix loaded with corn syrup and artificial ingredients. These mixes can double the calorie and sugar content, bringing a single drink to around 240 calories and 20+ grams of sugar.
Gin and Tonic
Surprisingly, this seemingly simple drink makes the list due to the tonic water, which contains significant amounts of sugar—around 20 grams in a typical highball glass. A gin and tonic typically contains about 200 calories, with most coming from the tonic rather than the gin.
Many people don’t realize tonic water is essentially a sweetened soft drink, unlike club soda which contains no sugar.
The Sobering Reality
Occasional indulgence in these beverages isn’t likely to cause lasting harm for most people, but regular consumption can contribute to numerous health issues. Beyond the immediate effects of alcohol, these high-calorie, high-sugar drinks can contribute to weight gain, liver problems, increased risk of diabetes, and other chronic conditions that develop over time.
The healthier approach isn’t necessarily avoiding alcohol altogether, but rather making more informed choices when you do drink. Opting for simpler drinks with fewer ingredients, avoiding added sugars, and alternating alcoholic beverages with water can help minimize the negative health impacts while still allowing you to enjoy social drinking occasions.
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