Calories In Alcohol
For anyone who wants to watch their weight, or even who just wants to make sure they’re staying healthy whilst still being able to enjoy a drink or two, then understanding the amount of calories in alcohol is vital. Of course, over-doing anything is never wise, least of all drinking, but by understanding the amount of calories in alcohol you’ll be better able to make a much more informed decision.
The basic number of calories in pure alcohol is 7 per gram, although the actual number in individual alcoholic drinks is sure to vary. The most calorie-rich drinks are cream based, such as Irish Creams, with sprits such as gin and vodka having the least number of calories, largely thanks to the fact that they’re the closest you’re likely to get to pure alcohol.
Here’s a quick run through of some of the most popular alcoholic drinks and the number of calories they contain:
- A pint of regular beer contains 187 calories.
- A 175ml glass of red wine contains 119 calories.
- In a 175ml glass of white wine, you’ll get 116 calories.
- There are 129 calories in a 37.5ml glass of Bailey’s Irish Cream, or equivalent.
- In a glass of champagne (120ml) you’ll find 89 calories.
- A single shot of gin (25ml) contains 56 calories.
- There are 55 calories in a shot of vodka.
Mixing Drinks Effects Calorie Counts
Of course, the number of calories in alcohol will change if you combine it with a mixer, a common occurrence for many spirits. This is sure to increase the number of calories there are in your drink. For example, a single vodka and coke will give you 120 calories as opposed to 56 in the shot alone, and equally a single gin and tonic will give you the same amount.
It’s important to understand the number of calories in alcohol if only for health benefits as opposed to wanting to lose weight, but studies show that many people underestimate the number of calories that there actually are in alcohol. Few people are aware that, for example, a glass of wine will give you the same number of calories as a slice of cake, or that a pint of beer equates to a doughnut.
As such, it’s important that you educate yourself on the number of calories there are in alcohol to make sure that you’re not going drastically over your calorie intake by simply having a few drinks. And, as we all know, going heavy on the drinks results in a craving for fatty foods, and hey presto, even more calories are consumed! Why not dry adding diet sodas to your spirits instead of full-fat versions, of go for “light” beer options.
As you can see, there really are quite a lot of calories in alcohol! Make sure that you understand the figures to make sure you don’t go drastically over your limit, and try to keep track as you embark on your drinking session – if you can!
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