nobody is telling you to stop drinking. this is about drinking smarter.
the wellness world loves to act like alcohol is the enemy. like one night out undoes everything you’ve worked for. like you have to choose between having a social life and taking care of yourself. afterglow was not built for that conversation.
real life includes late nights. it includes celebrations, bad weeks, good weekends, and everything in between. what it also includes is knowing what you’re putting in your body and making choices that actually serve you. not out of guilt. out of knowledge.
so let’s talk about it.
the ones worth choosing
if you’re going on a night out, these are the ones your body will thank you for.
tequila we’ve all had a bad night on it, but I promise it’s one of the cleanest spirits you can choose. made from agave, pure tequila is low in sugar and congeners, making it relatively easy on the body. it’s also one of the few spirits that doesn’t cause a significant blood sugar spike when consumed straight or with soda water. you know I love a tequila soda and when you add enough fresh lime and you won’t even miss the margarita mix.
vodka another clean option when kept simple. vodka is one of the most distilled spirits, which means fewer impurities. it’s low calorie, low sugar, and largely flavourless, which makes it easy to mix well. soda water and fresh citrus is your best move. I try to avoid the flavoured versions because I like to minimize the amount of refined sugar entering my body.
gin gin gets overlooked but it’s one of the better choices. and in the summer, no one can tell me a g&t isn’t the best. being botanically distilled, gin is low in sugar and typically lower in calories than most spirits. the key is the mixer: a good gin with soda water or low sugar tonic and cucumber is a complete, well-rounded drink.
dry wine red or white, dry wine is lower in sugar than sweet or sparkling varieties. red wine in particular contains resveratrol, an antioxidant linked to heart health. a glass or two of a good dry red is one of the most time-honoured ways to drink well. the keyword is dry because sweet wines spike your blood sugar fast.
champagne and prosecco surprisingly, dry champagne and prosecco are among the lower sugar options in the sparkling category. the bubbles slow down how quickly you drink, the pour sizes tend to be smaller, and a good brut contains very little residual sugar. just avoid anything labelled sweet or demi-sec.
the ones to be careful with
not the enemy. just worth understanding.
beer and cider personally, my drink of choice is a light beer, but the issue with beer isn’t just the alcohol, it’s the volume. a pint of beer or cider comes with a significant amount of carbohydrates and sugar, especially cider, which can have as much sugar per glass as a soft drink. craft beers are often even higher in calories and carbs than standard lagers. if beer is your drink, lighter lagers are the better option. cider is a treat, not a staple.
dark spirits whiskey and dark rum in particular are high in congeners, chemical byproducts of the fermentation process, and a big part of why you feel worse after dark spirits than after clear ones. not saying avoid them entirely, it’s just important to understand that your body works harder to process them, and your morning will reflect that.
cocktails with mixers this is where most people unknowingly do the most damage. the spirit itself is often fine, it’s the sugary mixers, syrups, fruit juices, and energy drinks that turn one drink into the equivalent of three desserts. a mojito with fresh lime and soda is a different drink to one made with sweet and sour mix. a vodka soda is a different drink to a vodka red bull. know what’s going into your glass.
the mixers matter as much as the drink
this is the part nobody talks about enough. you can order the cleanest spirit in the bar and completely undo it with what you mix it with. here’s how to navigate it:
- soda water is always your best option. zero sugar, zero calories, adds volume so your drink lasts longer.
- fresh citrus adds flavour without the sugar hit of juice. fresh lime in a tequila soda is one of the best drinks you can order anywhere.
- tonic water is not the same as soda water. regular tonic contains a significant amount of sugar — if tonic is your thing, look for slimline or light tonic.
- fruit juices are high in sugar even when fresh. orange, cranberry, pineapple — these add up fast, and they add up quietly.
- energy drinks are in a category of their own. mixing alcohol with caffeine masks how intoxicated you feel, puts strain on your heart, and the sugar content is extremely high. they’re a bad idea dressed up as a fun one.
if you prefer sweet drinks, there are other options — prebiotic sodas are sweet but offer beneficial ingredients that will help keep you on track for your goals.
the afterglow rules
balance is not about being perfect. it’s about being informed.
I used to get overwhelmed walking up to a bar not knowing what to order. sometimes a tequila soda flat out tastes like soap and isn’t fun to sip on while everyone else has a fruity cocktail. but the more alternatives I know that still taste good without overwhelming my body with unnecessary sugar, the better I feel, and the more tolerable my hangovers are.
the real secret we all want the answer to is how to avoid the hangover that comes after the night out. and honestly, it doesn’t matter how much I drink, I feel the effects the next day regardless. these are the rules I’ve built into my life to make sure the entire next day isn’t ruined by the scaries:
drink water between drinks. it’s the oldest trick, but sometimes unrealistic when you’re in a crowded bar with a line for the bathroom. I always order a water with my drink so I stay as hydrated as possible. it isn’t always finished by the time my next drink comes, but I know I’m consuming more water than I would otherwise. when I’m dancing, talking, and having a good time with friends, I go through drinks fast without meaning to and most of the time I’m just thirsty and the alcohol happens to be what’s in my hand. having water on hand lets you actually hydrate.
eat before you go out. not a snack, eat a proper meal. food slows the absorption of alcohol, stabilizes your blood sugar, and means you’re not drinking on an empty stomach. I always make sure I get a protein-filled meal before I drink so I don’t end up raiding my pantry or ordering food when I get home.
stay with the same alcohol. when I mix spirits, every symptom of a hangover feels amplified, because each one has different effects on the body. alcohol is a poison at the end of the day, and each kind processes differently. if you start with tequila, stay with tequila, and give your body time to process before the next drink.
drink a full glass of water before bed. I always prepare it before I go out, because alcohol actively depletes your vitamins and dehydrates you, it’s a battle of counteracting that.
and enjoy it. the point of a night out isn’t to audit every drink. it’s to be present, have fun, and come back to your routine the next day without guilt.
balance means enjoying your life
at afterglow we are not anti-alcohol. we are anti-ignorance. we want to enjoy our drinks without ruining the following day.
knowing what you’re putting in your body is part of taking care of it. it doesn’t mean you can’t go out, can’t enjoy a drink, can’t stay out later than planned on a tuesday. it means you do it with a bit more knowledge than before.
drink smarter. feel better. keep your routine.
House of Afterglow 
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