Calories, Carbs, and Fats in Beverages: Alcoholic & Not.

The calories, carbs, and fats in beverages can sabotage the best intentions to lose or maintain weight. That’s because we tend to be unaware of just how fattening some beverages really are.

Discover the Facts

The following list shows the calories, carbs, and fats found in standard servings of both alcohol and non-alcoholic beverages.

Alcoholic BeverageCaloriesCarbs (grams)Fats (grams)Sodium (mg)
Beer (regular)14613.13.00014
Beer (lite)994.60.00014
Distilled Spirits*97.00.0000
Wine (red)1253.5.0006
Wine (white)1203.5.0007
Non-Alcoholic BeverageCaloriesCarbs (grams)Fats (grams)Sodium (mg)
Apple juice (unsweetened)11728.96.27310
Apricot juice14036.11.2268
Carbonated cola15539.77.00046
Grape juice (unsweetened)15537.84.20213.6
Grapefruit juice (unsweetened)9422.13.2472.5
Lemonade13134.05.14910
Milk (2% fat)12211.414.807115
Orange juice (unsweetened)11226.84.1494
Prune juice18244.67.0773
Tangerine juice (unsweetened)12529.88.0982.5
Tomato juice4110.30.12224

*Distilled spirits (liquor) include rum, vodka, whiskey, gin, bourbon, etc. Source of data USDA. Food Composition.

calories, carbs, and fats in beverages 68/100It’s obvious that most alcohol beverages have fewer calories than most non-alcohol ones.

But some people are still concerned about gaining weight from drinking alcohol. Yet alcoholic drinks have no fat and are very low in carbs. Also, it appears that the “effective” calories in alcohol are much lower than the numbers listed.

For whatever reason, most research suggests that drinking alcohol tends not to increase weight. And among women, it is often linked with slight losses in weight. That’s even better news than the figures listed above would suggest.

Also the US federal government concludes that moderate  alcohol drinking has another benefit. It’s linked with better health and longer life than abstaining from it.

          You might be interested in these.

Calories, Carbs, and Fats in Beverages 

     Readings
     Note
    • This site doesn’t give advice about calories, carbs, and fats. Please see your doctor with questions.