Party right with low-cal 4th of July cocktails

drinks with american flag and straws

Lawn chairs? Check. Snacks? Check.

You have the beginnings of a fabulous Fourth of July celebration. Don’t forget the drinks! Do you have all the ingredients you need to make a proper cocktail to celebrate? You can ditch the large premixed drinks – and thank goodness. They can be filled with artificial dyes and loads of sugar that can pack on pounds. Yikes! Instead, you can whip together a large batch of drinks for a group or a few glasses that can keep you staying refreshed. Check out the list below for ideas for the best cocktails for your summer party.

Cut the bloat with tea
You go to slip on your party outfit – and find that it is a touch uncomfortably tight. What gives? You may have air trapped in your GI tract or stomach, otherwise known as bloat. If you are battling bloat on the day of your party, you can make a cocktail with peppermint tea.

“Peppermint works to decrease and relax digestive muscles,” McKell Hill, R.D.N. and blogger told Redbook Magazine.

You can make mint tea and use it as the base of your summer drink. Brew a cup and chill it for several hours. Then you can add a measure of gin, a few fresh sprigs of mint and a few squeezes of fresh lemon. Toss in a handful of blueberries for a picture-worthy garnish.

Not a fan of peppermint? You can always use ginger as your base instead. Make a Ginger Old Fashioned with a recipe from Gizmodo. Two ounces of bourbon, 1/2 ounce of ginger syrup (the real stuff!), and a dash of angostura bitters, which can also help ease any bloat you may have.

Ginger can ease belly bloat - so add it to one of your cocktails.Ginger can ease belly bloat – so add it to one of your cocktails.

Stay hydrated by sipping coconut water
Lounging outdoors during hot summer days can quickly lead to dehydration. You can sneak coconut water, which can be a great way to stay hydrated. In addition, coconut water also offers electrolytes to replace the salt you lose when you sweat. Why not use it as a base for your next cocktail? Food blogger Betsy Life loves combining coconut water and tequila. You can mix 1 ounce of tequila with 3 ounces of coconut water and lemonade each. For a spicy kick, thinly slice a jalapeno pepper and toss the pieces into your drink.

If you’re trying to cut calories in your summer cocktails, you can also use coconut water in your gin and tonic. Mix 2 ounces of gin with equal parts tonic and coconut water and squeeze lime juice over the finished product. This is also a great recipe to multiply for pitchers with a just a few ingredients that can keep friends and family cool all day.

These cocktails can work for the Fourth of July – but you can also whip up these drinks for a quiet evening with a few friends and tapas. Are you ready to party this summer?