Low Cal Tiki Drinks?

I did a search on this forum, and I found some comments on low-carb drinks, and sugar-free drinks, but has anyone had any luck with tropical-tasting low cal drinks (for those of us watching our girlish figure) ?

The only one that I've invented so far that's decent involves a Diet Hansen's kiwi-strawberry with some coconut rum, regular rum, a splash of rose's lime and grenadine, and a splash of strawberry margarita mix. (I'm soaking in it now, Madge)

The Blue Curacao did NOT work out in this - made it too bitter.

What else can I try?

Mr. and Mrs. Satan's Sin's casual "everyday" drink is rum and Shasta Diet Grapefruit soda.

It's better than most mojitos I've tasted -- but not as nice as a truly excellent one. But honestly, Diet Grapefruit is better than Coke any old day.

It's not something to order in a bar. But after a hard day of fooling the boss and you just want to come home and kick back and watch the tube -- well, try it!

When we were on a ship two years ago, my wife tried mixing stuff up with hooch we smuggled on and sodas we got with the soft drink card. Diet 7-up and malibu was our fav. (which travels well in a bottled water container too. It's not bad with a bit of pungent garnish, like lime or mint. We are just now working with the new lime dietcoke and coconut rum...more as this story developes.

A piece in this months Scintific American mentions lab rats who get accustomed to eating sweets which have no sugar, actually stop getting full, and eat more and more with no association of having enough of the sweet. The ones who just eat sweets, get the sugar and stop.

I wonder what would happen if they did the same thing with light beer?

[ Edited by: Gigantalope on 2004-08-16 08:33 ]

Oh here's some other idea'rs. Serbet, a bit of Horchada(instead of cream), Malibu, lime and Pisco. Pisco is a distillate made from apples I think. It's from Chile.

It's the Mutts Nuts from a blender, and served outside, but all the ingriediants are a pain to get.

One of the "bartenders" playing with stuff at my house made use of those sugar-free, zero-calorie fruit flavored sparkling waters sold at Safeway & Albertson's. The peach/ mango flavor, and key lime flavors worked with some Cruzan coconut rum over crushed ice. It was very refreshing, but aren't most of the calories in the rum?

On 2004-08-16 20:42, ZebraTiki wrote:
It was very refreshing, but aren't most of the calories in the rum?

From what I read, roughly, the darker the rum, the more calories. The lighter the rum, the less - less dense in sugars (?)
Same general principal with most hard alcohol. A vodka martini will have a lot less calories than a White Russian.

I also had luck last week mixing half a can of Guava juice with club soda (1:1 ratio), and a shot of rum. Pretty tasty and refreshing, and not too many calories, although there is a lot of sugar in the Guava "juice."

I only drink sugar pop if there's booze going in it, so I try all the interesting sugar free beverages I can find. Talking Rain has this newish Cascadia line which is sparkling water with juice (and chemicals!). 3 calories a serving (so a liter bottle has 'bout 9 calories).The lemonade is great, and I really want to try the orange-mango with rum. The Cascadia stuff isn't cloyingly sweet and the juice gives it a more acceptable flavor than stuff that's all fake flavor. Plus the brominated vegetable oil (one of my fave bevearge ingredienst, along with esther of wood rosin) gives it a juicier mouth feel. Talking rain is a Northwest brand, but may be available all over the west coast.

The lemon flavored Perrier has an intense, fresh lemon flavor. It'd be great with vodka or gin or rum, or used as the sparkller in a more complex drink.

Rum and soda with a wedge of lime is a great low cal well drink, as is dark rum and soda. It's also a great way to get to know the full flavor of a particular brand since it spreads it out instead of covering it up.

Kool-Aid is sugar free until you sweeten it. It may seem low brow, but they have a lot of intense flavors and colors.

Just the other day I saw that "Torani" makes a Sugar-Free Orgeat Syrup. I ordered a bottle of it, but have yet to try it in a Mai Tai. I would think that this should help keep the calories down some at least.

http://www.bevmo.com carries it. Just do a search for "Orgeat" and it'll pop right up.

HP Hood, LLC, better known as Hood Dairy up in New England, has a line of low carb products called Carb Countdown that includes Low Carb Orange Juice Beverage, Ruby Red Grapefruit Juice Beverage, Orange-Pineapple Juice Beverage, Lemonade Juice Beverage and Pinapple-Orange-Banana Juice Beverage. These are available nationally. The term Juice Beverage must be some legally mandated reference but the ad in my new Newsweek states that they are "made from real juice." Hood claims they contain 5g carb per 8 ounce serving.

Minute Maid produces Minute Maid Lights beverages in both Light Mango Tropical and Light Guava Citrus flavors. These are packaged in 16 ounce bottles and are claimed to contain 1-2g carb per 8 ounce serving. They are made mostly of water and apple and pear juices but contain enough glycerol ester of wood rosin and sodium hexametaphosphate to taste tropical.

Monin also sells a Sugar Free Orgeat (although I think the label just says Sugar Free Almond Syrup).

The kinds of carbs we're talking about in 4-6oz of juice, 1 or 2tsp. syrup, and 1-2oz of rum, of course, ain't much. I try to cut carbs everywhere else but to make my cocktails with flavor as my primary concern.

When we were on the Atkins, our fave local bartendress Robin from the Mallard came up with vanilla stoli and diet coke. We called it a Velvet Hammer and boy is it yummy - tastes like cream soda. It's about as low-cal as a cocktail can get.

Some great low calorie (125 calories/ bottle) beverages are glaceau vitaminwater. The flavor enegry has a great tropical flavor and endurance is peach mango. They added vitamins and minerals for a healthy alternative to soda.

The Torani Syrups come in sugarfree coconut, raspberry, cherry, chocolate...there's a ton. They're cheap at Smart & Final. I mix with crushed ice, any liquer, fruit. Add seltzer if you want fizz. My Ma makes an "egg cream" soda with the sugar free syrup. If you want to avoid empty calories, just drink the rum from the bottle. Lil bum rottle.

Just wanted to give this thread a BUMP and mention that the 7-up line has a "new" Island Fruit version that boasts a total of 2 carbs per can and is QUITE tasty with your favorite rum. This kind of product needs to be supported!

To me, a Type 2 Diabetic, the solution has always been moderation. I have to watch my diet pretty carefully especially concerning sugars, carbs and starches and sometimes it seems like a no-win situation because my medications tend to cause weight gain. But, I persevere and hold off on the "Bad" foods making them a "Treat". This includes any form of Tiki drink.
For the past five years I save what I refer to as my "Bad Boy" food and beverages for my two days off each week. That's when I make any type of Tiki drink I care to . . . no holds barred . . .BUT . . .I limit myself to a total of 2 drinks per "Bad Boy" day. And also, even though I eat my "Bad Boy" foods . . (Eggs, potatoes, bacon, sausage, waffles . . . ) I don't go overboard.

The results? Every six months the numbers from my blood tests are all "Excellent" showing good Diabetic Control. And that includes my Cholesterol (100). So, that routine seems to be working for me . . . and yes, you can have your cake and eat it too!

Of course . . . this year at Hukilau I'll be waiving the rules for three days. Hey! If I die I die! I'm sure it will be with a satisfied smile on my face!

You can get diet Canada Dry Gingerale now too!