Tiki and healthy—never the twain shall meet?

A conversation with my wife led to a little research. It turns out every time you drink a Mai Tai, you're downing the caloric equivalent of almost two cans of Coke. A Zombie is on the order of 350 calories. For comparison, a Big Mac has 560 calories.

Ugh!

The average 50 year old sedentary male is allowed 2200 calories a day. That is 6 Zombies if you don't squander any of your calories on crap like broccoli or Brussels sprouts.

On 2014-04-14 20:08, TikiTacky wrote:
A conversation with my wife led to a little research. It turns out every time you drink a Mai Tai, you're downing the caloric equivalent of almost two cans of Coke. A Zombie is on the order of 350 calories. For comparison, a Big Mac has 560 calories.

Ugh!

So what’s your point?
Cheers : )

[ Edited by: nui 'umi 'umi 2014-04-14 22:18 ]

Which is why I am on a diet of the lower calorie "Old Fashioned"

Actually, I watch everything I consume carefully and 2 of the drinks in the DtB arsenal that are the least harmful are the Navy Grog and 151 Swizzle.

Calories are not your problem. All calories are not equal. Think carbs instead and you'll see that the Zombie is fairly low carb. The Navy Grog gets some from the honey, but I have a sugar free honey that works well.

Lime juice is maybe 2.5 carbs per ounce, but most think it is carb neutral due to its nature. I include the lime in the calculations here anyway.

By my calculations:

Drink / Carbs
Zombie / 8
Navy Grog / 4
Test Pilot / 7
2070 Swizzle / 6
Jet Pilot / 4.5
Rum Barrel / 12-13
Outrigger / 8
Jasper's Jamaican / 3
Nui Nui / 7
Black Magic / 6
151 Swizzle / 1

As a nice reward, any of these works for me.

Mai-Kai Memories Series Custom ceramic mugs!

[ Edited by: Swanky 2014-04-15 06:30 ]

Where does a TV Mai Tai fall out on your carb tally Swanky?

Swanky,

If you're more focused on carbs you may be familiar with Gary Taubes research. He's author of "Good Calories, Bad Calories" and has done some amazing research into the current state of dietary medicine. Other scientists are starting to back up his research (which was primarily based on hundreds of studies that had already been done). Taubes argues that the real culprit in weight gain and related health issues is Insulin response, and that sweeteners—even artificial sweeteners—along with simple carbohydrates cause spikes in Insulin and cause many of the problems we see.

We have been living a low carb life for a couple of years now. I'm at about 172 down from about 200. My wife has lost something like 40 pounds. Slow and steady.

I realized last night my carb counts may be based on using a sugar free syrup. That 151 Swizzle is not right when using simple syrup for sure...

So you could say he's not fat but Insulin response Challenged.

Apparently some distillers have started adding sugar to their rums: http://thefloatingrumshack.com/content/index.php/168-talking-rum-and-sugar-with-richard-seale

This has always been the case. Rum is one of the most adulterated spirits you can buy.

Yes, but the numbers appear to be increasing. One type had 41 grams of sugar per liter!

I have found that the flavored rums are the most sweet of all. I'm using up some Cruzan Black Cherry rum which was gifted to me, it's very sweet - I've compared it head-to-head against some low-end gold and silver rums in the same test mixes.

I'm not sure it's possible to say this trend is increasing, since we don't know who is now or was previously adding sugar to their rums. Per the TTB's regulations, rum (in the U.S.) can include up to 2.5% by volume sugar or other customary additives (caramel coloring, etc.). It would be nice to see this info disclosed, but it seems unlikely.

Someone else disclosed some of it for us: http://www.alcademics.com/2014/01/why-add-sugar-to-rum-when-its-made-from-sugar-in-the-first-place.html

Also, it's Diplomatico Exclusivo rum (not a flavored rum) that has 41 grams of sugar.

Here's a direct link to the list. Very interesting!

http://www.refinedvices.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=485&p=2515#p2515

Assuming these values are accurate -- and I think we have to take them with a grain of salt -- it's interesting to compare the different rums.

El Dorado 12 -- notorious for being sweetened (and delicious!) -- is reported to have 45 grams of sugar per liter of spirit. That would be 33.75 grams for a 750ml bottle -- or just over 8 teaspoons of sugar in a bottle.

That would seem to exceed the TTB's regulations by over 100%. But are they really paying attention to rum?

God help me, but it tastes good...

On 2014-07-16 14:27, djmont wrote:
God help me, but it tastes good...

Which of course is why they're doing it! In tests, people found that rum with sugar added was judged as both more aged and higher quality.

Let's face it, rum isn't a health drink, and if you down a liter at a time you've got more to worry about than how much sugar is in it. I just wonder whether this is going to become more of a problem as rum manufacturers find they can increase sales and reviews by simply adding sugar. Hell, why wouldn't they?

Coming Soon: Carbonated Rum Soda! With Moxie! :drink:

Very good point.

The day I become a health nut is the day I open up my wrists. It's okay to want to drink something that tastes good when you're chugging booze. There's nothing that needs to be corrected.

Good points, flavor is very important. So is moderation, and that reminds me...

"Nothing in moderation!" --Ernie Kovacs

And Ernie, as poet "Percy Dovetonsils," with cocktail in hand:

"Solfeggio" skit by Ernie Kovacs - and more. Look 'em up on Youtube!

It just gets to me when people start talking about sugar like it's arsenic. But this is the current belittling discourse that resulted in a politician from New York City trying to ban salt for the entire city. Yes salt. Not even a hamburger would taste good without salt. Everything would suddenly be gruel pretty much. There's a simple solution to this problem. Those people in question who dwell on such things stop drinking Mai Tais. However, that's kind of like a more adult approach to the problem. Historically, some Americans like pushing their preferences on everyone else, thus prohibition, which gave us the gift of organized crime.

If we were to shift fully towards universal healthcare (single payer), where your tax dollars funded health and wellness, would you feel the same about the government placing limits on how much sugar/salt/fat is in a single serving of a pre-packaged processed food?

It's not the government's place to babysit its citizens. It's called freedom of choice. What you're suggesting is a total perversion of liberal ideals. Really, health nuts are SO annoying. Especially political ones. They literally think everyone but them is too stupid to make their own decisions. They remind of when I was in school and they would have those constantly smiling grown ups come and sing and dance about how abstinence is cool. No, it's not cool. You're just a fun hating tool bag. I voted for Obama twice, but it's stuff like that that you just posted that makes me wish there was a better second alternative to jump ship to. I can't really stand being associated with that kind of quasi-communist ideology as a Democratic voter.

Edit: BTW, if sugar is removed from "pre-processed foods," I'm sure it won't be long before you can't buy it as an ingredient at all. Good job, you just destroyed the entire food culture this website is based around.

[ Edited by: Sixx 2014-07-17 13:01 ]

*On 2014-07-17 12:24, Sixx wrote:*You're just a fun hating tool bag... etc etc (bit of a political rant)

Easy hater - rule no 1 no politics, rule no 2 be polite :wink:

On 2014-07-16 14:38, TikiTacky wrote:
Let's face it, rum isn't a health drink...

Agreed :) I agree with the premise of choosing 'healthier' ingredients when you can in life, but I think in cocktails you are fighting a losing battle.

I just try to make good choices when I'm not drinking :)

Best Rule on TC, No Politics!

Easy hater - rule no 1 no politics, rule no 2 be polite :wink:

Is that how you be polite? Call people a hater for not having sugar coated opinions about proposed sugar bans on a forum for sugar/alcohol drinks?

1. The "toolbag" comment was aimed at the abstinence only dance troop.

2. I was responding to someone that asked me about politics. How come you aren't replying to them, because they posted something agreeable to you?

To be fair, he did put a "Happy Face" at the end.
but this is why we have a "No Politics" Rule, it never ends well & is not Tiki. :)

Fair comments Sixx, no offence intended. I intended it more to poke fun because I thought you were on a rant.

I didn't get you were targeting abstinence only dance troops, I'm sure they have their reasons for being 'tools', maybe they enjoyed a different lifestyle & wished to share it with you.

If 'the government' wishes to wade in & limit the 'hidden' levels of additives in food that's ok with me just as it would be ok if they didn't. It's not a policy I have seen campaigned on so my assumption is that moment toward transparency in pre prepared food just going to keep on happening no matter what. It's a marginal issue for me when deciding where to cast my vote.

:)

On 2014-07-17 15:01, Atomic Tiki Punk wrote:
To be fair, he did put a "Happy Face" at the end.
but this is why we have a "No Politics" Rule, it never ends well & is not Tiki. :)

Ps what he said :wink:

On 2014-07-17 12:24, Sixx wrote:
Edit: BTW, if sugar is removed from "pre-processed foods," I'm sure it won't be long before you can't buy it as an ingredient at all. Good job, you just destroyed the entire food culture this website is based around.
[ Edited by: Sixx 2014-07-17 13:01 ]

That's a slippery slope argument, an example of a logical fallacy. Don't do that. :wink:

Personally, my belief is people should be able to do whatever they want with their own bodies as long as it doesn't hurt anyone else. The key there is the not hurting anyone else. In this case, I don't see how drinking rum with sugar in it hurts anyone. But in order for people to be responsible for their actions they need to be informed, and no one lists ingredients for alcohol. And apparently in this case they're not even obeying the laws—although that's another point.

I guess there's nothing technically wrong with putting sugar in rum. Heck, it's way less added sugar per ounce than Coke. I think what bugs me is the feeling that companies constantly degrade their products to sell more, and for some reason this feels like that. I'm tired of products that used to be good turning to shit, and then every other company following in a race to compete. Levi's jeans used to last for many years. Now you'll be lucky of the denim isn't worn through in a year, maybe two. But the cost certainly didn't come down. Now, to find a pair of jeans that isn't disposable crap, you have to spend hundreds of dollars to import them from Europe or Japan.

Sorry, that hit my hot button. Anyway, this has nothing to do with Obama, or liberals, or conspiracies. OK, maybe conspiracies. But keep the damn politics to yourselves!

If you'll excuse me, I'm going to go add sugar to some Bacardi and sell it as aged Rhum Agricole.

But what defines hurting someone else? Is it only in the immediate? Would someone having to live with and possibly support your decisions count?

That's a slippery slope argument, an example of a logical fallacy. Don't do that.

I'm sorry, how is it a slippery slope argument? A law that bans pre-processed foods that contain high amounts of sugar would necessitate removing things like simple syrup from store shelves! It would be like saying illegalizing beer due to its alcohol content is okay because you think you will still have your wine.

If 'the government' wishes to wade in & limit the 'hidden' levels of additives in food that's ok with me just as it would be ok if they didn't.

Of course you do. But I live in a place that doesn't have a queen anymore like your country does, because we don't like being told what to do by people who think they're better than us. Personal liberties are not a thing that should be dictated by the government. If I want to eat a donut, drink a Mai Tai, eat sugar cubes by the box full or whatever else, I don't need a board of bureaucrats deciding that for me. Anyone who thinks that treatment is okay as a grown man or woman may as well put on a bib and go to sleep by 9 PM, because you're a child, not an adult.

BTW, next time you quote me, don't write something else in the quotation box please other than what I actually typed.

[ Edited by: Sixx 2014-07-17 20:31 ]

Please end the political rant!
We get enough of that crap everywhere else on the net, don't want it or need it here.

Political comments aren't appropriate for this forum. Please respect the rules.

Back on topic, I started a TC thread for low carb cocktail recipes and such (including some discussion of Gary Taubes writing on the cause of obesity, as TikiTacky mentioned). Swanky was an active and valuable contributor to the thread. Take a look...
Modern Caveman Cocktails: Low Carb 'Paleo' Drink Recipes