I Can Guarantee You Won't Miss The Sugar In These Low-Carb Cocktails

Nothing completes a Sex and the City-style girls night quite like a fancy cocktail. If you're on a low-carb diet (or keto), though, you'll probably have to give your usual cosmo order the boot.

Sad but true: Most cocktails are loaded with carbs (specifically sugars) because of the sodas, juices, and syrups used in them, says nutritionist Charlotte Martin, RDN, CPT. Even drinks labeled “healthy” or “skinny” usually just swap simple syrup for agave nectar or honey and still rack up the sweet stuff.

Honestly, at most bars, low-carb cocktails (other than your trusty vodka sodas) just don't exist on the menu. So you'll need to learn how to craft your own order.

“When it comes to choosing low-carb alcoholic drinks, stick with clear liquors, like vodka, gin, and silver tequila," says Martin. (Typically, these picks contain zero grams of carbs.)

While you're at it, though, make sure that clear liquor is also unflavored. You didn't really think that sweet tea vodka was sugar-free, did you?

Of course, you also have to think about what you mix your carb-free booze with. “Stick with zero-calorie mixers like soda water, seltzer water, or sparkling water, and add a squeeze of a fresh lemon or lime wedge if you need a boost of flavor,” Martin says. (Her go-to order is silver tequila, sparkling water, a splash of OJ or grapefruit juice, and extra limes.)

Looking for something fancier? If you're ready to take your low-carb cocktail game to the next level, you can also DIY some pretty legit concoctions. Get started with these low-carb takes on all of your favorite adult beverages.