THERE's almost nothing better than sipping a cocktail in the sunshine – especially on a Bank Holiday weekend.

But your favourite fruity tipple may contain an alarming number of calories and startling amounts of sugar.

A Sun investigation can reveal the worst offenders when it comes to both waistline-busting markers.

The worst by far is the Long Island iced tea.

The super-strong drink, which features vodka, rum, tequila, gin and triple sec, contains a whopping 370 calories and 30g of sugar per serving.

That's roughly equivalent to Lotus Biscoff Krispy Kreme doughnut (392 calories) or a Cadbury's Double Decker (30g of sugar).

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In second place is the crowd-pleasing piña colada, made with rum, coconut and pineapple.

Despite the healthy-sounding fruit, a standard glass of the beverage will set you back 350 calories and 25g of sugar.

It also contains 10g of fat – the second-most of any cocktail on the list, only beaten by the White Russian, which took bronze.

Equal parts vodka, Kahlua and heavy cream, the drink carries 18g of the artery-clogging stuff – about the same as a medium portion of McDonald's fries.

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The healthiest overall is the cosmopolitan, loved by Sex and the City's Carrie Bradshaw.

It contains 130 calories (similar to a standard glass of white wine) and just 4g of sugar.

Other low-calorie options include a vodka martini, a margarita and a mojito, while some of the best low-sugar varieties are the Manhattan, old fashioned and gin fizz,

The NHS recommends women consume no more than 2,000 calories a day and men should stick to around 2,500.

People should also aim to scoff no more than 30g of free sugars daily – equivalent to roughly seven sugar cubes.

Free sugars are those added to foods and drinks, and ones found naturally in honey, syrups and unsweetened fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies and purees.

Experts suggest these should not make up more than five per cent of the energy – or calories – we get from food and drink every day.

BOOZE RISKS

Dietitian Ro Huntriss told Sun Health: "Many people tend to pay attention to the nutrition of their food, but often not their alcoholic drinks.

"Although it’s OK to treat ourselves from time to time, it can be interesting to know the nutritional value of some of the most common cocktails as it may help to guide your choices.

"Some of the stats may surprise you."

London-based Ro added that while the calorie content of different cocktails varies, generally, those that are higher in sugar or fat tend to be higher in calories.

And while some drinks have no added sugar or fat, they still contain calories from the booze itself.

"Drinks such as an espresso martini, mojito, mai tai and bramble tend to be higher in sugar, while a White Russian and piña colada are higher fat drinks," she added.

"Over-consumption of these drinks can increase the risk of weight gain which raises the risk for developing type 2 diabetes.

"High sugar options can also contribute to tooth decay and cavities."

The NHS recommends drinking no more than 14 units of alcohol per week, but this should be spread across three or more days.

Boozing too often can have some nasty side effects such as disrupted sleep, mood swings, reduced libido and difficulty focusing, as well as longer-lasting problems.

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Ro said: "Increased alcohol consumption has health implications including high blood pressure, increased risk of stroke, cancers and liver disease and high cholesterol levels.

"Reducing alcohol consumption can improve mood, quality of sleep and help with weight management."

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