Celebrating Cinco de Mayo means enjoying great Mexican food, drinks, and music.
If you’re looking to keep your fiesta on the healthier side, try the healthier Cinco De Mayo cocktail drinks on this list (more than just margaritas)!
Before we get to the list, here is what you need to know about choosing healthier cocktails. I’ve listed this same information is in a previous post called 7 Healthier New Year’s Eve Cocktails.
The main sign of an unhealthy cocktail is that it will have multiple sources of added sugar. If your cocktail has any of the following, it has added sugar:
- Pre-made mixes (like a margarita mix)
- Tonic water
- Soda (that isn’t club soda)
- Fruit juice (that isn’t 100% juice)
- Sugar syrups
To avoid added sugars and calories, choose drinks that contain things like:
- A lower calorie alcohol
- 100% fruit juice, fresh squeezed fruit juice, or light fruit juice
- Club soda (0g sugar), Seltzer or soda water (0g sugar), or diet soda
- No syrups or pre-made mixes
Here is a list of festive and healthier Cinco De Mayo drinks so you don’t have to worry about drinking extra sugar or calories. If you choose a margarita, remember to go easy on the salted rim.
Be sure to comment if you try one of them – I’d love to hear from you!
1. Boozy Rum Horchata (sweetened with dates)
Horchata is a milky-looking, Mexican drink made with rice, cinnamon, and sugar. This boozy version of horchata uses dates as a natural sweetener instead of added sugar.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/2 cups date-sweetened horchata
- 1 cup unsweetened almond, coconut, or rice milk
- 2 ounces dark rum or Kahlua
- 8-10 ice cubes
Get the recipe here. By Minimalist Baker
2. Cilantro-Lime Margarita
If you are a cilantro fan, this healthy twist on a margarita is for you. Only 147 calories, it uses fresh-squeezed lime juice and is sweetened with honey.
Ingredients:
- 1 cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro leaves and stems
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup fresh lime juice
- 2 1/2 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 ounces tequila
- Crushed ice
Get the recipe here. By Cooking Light
3. Light Piña Colada
This is a simple and light version of a Piña Colada. It uses light coconut milk to lower the fat content, and it is sweetened with pineapple juice and bananas. Be sure to use fresh squeezed or 100% pineapple juice to avoid any added sugar.
Ingredients:
- 1 (14 ounce) can light coconut milk
- 1 cup pineapple juice
- 1/4-1/2 cup white rum
- 1 banana, for added sweetness, optional
- Pineapple wedges and maraschino cherries, for garnish
Get the recipe here. By Wholefully
4. Watermelon-Basil Mezcal Margarita
This refreshing margarita is filled with fresh watermelon juice, giving you a boost of Vitamin A and Vitamin C!
Ingredients:
- Flaky salt for rimming the glass (optional)
- 4-6 large fresh basil leaves
- 1 ounce fresh lime juice
- 3 ounces fresh watermelon juice (made from 3 cups cubed watermelon)
- 2 ounces mezcal (or tequila)
Get the recipe here. By Domesticate Me
5. Kombucha Mezcal Mule
This super simple drink only has 3 ingredients: mezcal, Kombucha, and lime juice. Kombucha is a fermented, slightly alcoholic drink that contains prebiotics to help keep your gut healthy.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces of mezcal
- 5 ounces of Ginger Kombucha
- 1 ounce of Lime Juice or to taste
- Lime wedge and mint leaves to garnish
Get the recipe here. By Lean Green Nutrition Fiend
6. The Oaxacan Slushie
Inspired by a trip to Mexico City, this slushie cocktail is made with fresh strawberries and beet juice, making it a source of fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Ingredients:
- 4 cups of ice
- 1 cup fresh strawberries, very ripe and sweet, cut in half
- 1/2 cup fresh beet juice
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup
- 5 shots of mezcal
- Chili powder
- Mint for garnish
Get the recipe here. By Artful Desperado
7. Blackberry Mint Mojitos
This mojito uses fresh blackberry juice to provide high amounts of fiber and Vitamin C. By using soda water, the drink has bubbles without any added sugar.
Ingredients:
- 6 whole mint leaves
- Juice from half a lime
- 2 ounces rum
- 2 ounces blackberry juice (made with 1 pint blackberries + 1/2 cup water)
- Soda water
Get the recipe here. By Tastes Lovely
8. Skinny Paloma
This skinny version of a Paloma only has 147 calories. Plus, the grapefruit juice provides high amounts of Vitamin A and Vitamin C.
Ingredients:
- 2 ounces silver tequila (use silver to make it healthier)
- 2 ounces grapefruit juice
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 2 ounces low-cal grapefruit seltzer water
- 2 packets of low-calorie sweetener (Stevia recommended)
- limes for garnish (optional)
Get the recipe here. By Twinspiration
9. Skinny Cucumber Margarita
This is a light and refreshing, low-calorie version of a margarita. It uses cucumbers, mint, coconut water, and as a sweetener, only 1 tbsp of agave nectar.
Ingredients:
- 1 cucumbers
- 2 limes, juice only
- 1 tablespoon raw agave nectar
- 10 fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup coconut water
- 3 ounces tequila
- Ice cubes, mint leaves and sea salt, to serve
Get the recipe here. By The Awesome Green
Be sure to comment on this post to tell me which drinks you want to try! Enjoy & Happy Cinco De Mayo!
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