If you want to lose weight, you should not only focus on healthy foods such as vegetables and fruit, but also on beverages, especially alcohol. If you are disciplined and only eat salad and vegetable sticks all day long, but treat yourself with a glass of red wine every evening, you shouldn’t be surprised if your diet just doesn’t work out. Alcohol calories really do count!
Alcoholic drinks have a lot of calories – that is no secret. But exactly how much and which alcohol has the lowest calories? Here is a list of alcohol low in calories per ml/oz so that you can keep track of your calorie intake! Unfortunately, there are no alcoholic drinks with zero calories, but there are one or two beverages that would be perfect for your diet.
1. How many calories in beer?
Beer is the starting point for our little alcohol and calorie check. After all, it is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages.
200 ml (6.76 ounces) German Pilsner (Pils): 84 kcal
200 ml (7 ounces) Wheat beer: 74 kcal
200 ml (7 ounces) Radler/ Shandy: 86 kcal
Good for saving calories is non-alcoholic beer! 200 ml (6.76 ounces) have only 50 kcal. Or you can mix your radler yourself and use sugar-free lemonade.
2. Calories in red and white wine
Red or white wine – what has fewer calories? Is there a difference at all? In fact, you can choose freely according to your personal preferences, there is really hardly any difference in calories.
1 glass (125 ml, 4.23 ounces) light red wine such as Pinot Noir: 81 kcal
1 glass (125 ml) heavy red wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon: 98 kcal
1 glass (125 ml) dry white wine, e.g. Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay: 86 kcal
1 glass (125 ml) semy-dry white wine such as Chenin Blanc, Riesling: 85 kcal
1 glass (125 ml) sweet white wine, e.g. Sauternes: 85 kcal
1 glass (50 ml, 1.69 oz.) of port wine: 80 kcal
If you pay attention to your figure, it is better to dilute the wine with sparkling water. In this way, one glass of Spritzer would have only 43 kcal.
3. Champagne or any sparkling wine
Cheers! There’s no drink we like to toast with as much as a glass of champagne. After all, this is usually a sign that there is something to celebrate. But how does the sparkling drink perform in the calorie check?
1 glass of (100 ml, 3.38 oz) dry sparkling wine: 76 kcal
1 glass of (100 ml) sweet sparkling wine: 108 kcal
1 glass of (100 ml) Prosecco: 75 kcal
1 glass of (150 ml, 5.07 oz.) Aperol Spritz: 175 kcal
4. Low-calorie Cocktails
They are colorful, fruity and wonderfully sweet: cocktails. What about the calories there? Is a cocktail already a small meal in itself or is it low in calories?
1 Caipirinha (300 ml, 10.14 oz.): 323 kcal
1 Pina colada (400 ml, 13.5 oz): 367 kcal
1 Cosmopolitan (200 ml, 6.78 oz): 98 kcal
1 Tequila Sunrise (400 ml, 13.5 oz): 360 kcal
1 Daiquiri (130 ml, 4.4 oz): 121 kcal
1 May Tai (330 ml, 11 1/2 oz.): 290 kcal
1 Zombie (250 ml, 8.45 oz.): 350 kcal
1 Mojito (250 ml): 152 kcal
As you may see, the cocktails with the lowest calories are Cosmopolitan, Daiquiri, and Mojito.
5. Cuba libre & other mixed drinks
Besides cocktails, various mixed drinks are also very popular. Many people think that they have fewer calories, but is that so?
1 (150 ml, 5.07 oz.) Screwdriver (vodka with orange juice): 155 kcal
1 (150 ml) Cuba libre: 160 kcal
1 (150 ml) Gin Fizz: 111 kcal
1 (100 ml, 3.38 oz.) Jager lime: 172 kcal
1 (200 ml, 6.76 oz.) Whiskey cola: 160 kcal
1 (200 ml) Campari orange: 170 kcal
1 (200 ml) of gin and tonic: 110 kcal
6. High-proof drinks: Whiskey and another alcohol low in calories
Whiskey, cognac or fruit brandy also have quite some calories per 100 ml. However, when enjoyed in small glasses, they can be considered as low-calorie drinks.
1 glass (20 ml, 0.68 oz.) of whiskey: 49 kcal
1 glass (20 ml) Cognac: 48 kcal
1 glass (20 ml) fruit brandy: 50 kcal
1 glass (20 ml) Rum: 60 kcal
7. Cream-based liqueurs
Thick, sweet and yet so tasty: only by looking at a glass of eggnog or Baileys you can get an idea of the calories. After all, besides alcohol, they contain a lot of sugar and of course cream. But: liqueur glasses are small and thus, compared to other alcoholic drinks, we only drink a rather small amount and therewith, with only a few calories. They are usually diluted with lots of ice, as well.
1 glass (20 ml, 0.68 oz.) Eggnog: 57 kcal
1 glass (20 ml) Baileys: 65 kcal
1 glass (20 ml) of herb/bitter liqueur: 47 kcal
8. Hard cider
Apple cider is a quite refreshing drink, especially during the summer or warm autumn months. Even if it’s definitely different from those other alcoholic drinks, you should still keep an eye on the calories. A 200 ml glass (6.76 ounces) of the average cider with a 4.5 % alcohol content (such as Somersby) has about 110 kcal. But it usually doesn’t end with just one glass.
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