How many calories are in your alcoholic beverage and which is the lowest? Wine News

It’s no secret that alcohol, whether it’s a pint of beer, a glass of wine, or a glass of whiskey, contains calories but has no nutritional value. , hence the term “empty calories”. But do you know how many calories your favorite drink is bringing you back?

Currently, there is no law requiring producers to publish the caloric content of alcohol, which means that the health implications of a trip to the pub or a bottle of wine with dinner boil down. to guesswork. That could be about to change, however, following the discovery of leaked government documents revealing that health chiefs want to force big pub chains to disclose the calorie content of their beers, wines and spirits.

It comes after the Commission on Alcohol Harms pointed out in a report on the number of calories from alcohol that people who drink regularly get nearly 10% of their daily calorie intake from alcohol, contributing to the current obesity crisis.

While it can be difficult to know the exact caloric content of your favorite stout, it is possible to make an educated guess. The calorie content of alcoholic drinks largely depends on the sugar / carbohydrate content and the percentage of alcohol. Alcohol has more influence because it contains more calories per gram than sugar (7 g against 4 g). You might be surprised to learn that spirits, generally considered a higher calorie choice than beer or cider, can have the same or more calories than low-alcohol drinks. If in doubt, opt for the drink with a lower ABV (alcohol by volume).

It’s not just about the drink itself. The food we eat while drinking (or, of course, after overnight drinking) tends to be higher in fat and sugar, which contributes to higher cholesterol, high blood pressure, high blood sugar, and weight gain.

While reducing the number of alcoholic drinks you consume throughout the week is the most effective way to control the number of “ empty calories ” you consume, it helps to get a feel for which drinks are particularly rich. in calories and those that you can easily switch to a lower calorie option.

Here’s the approximate calorie content of some of our favorites to help you make up your mind the next time you raise a drink.

Beer and cider

The calorie content of beer varies depending on the type; Drinkaware estimates that an average pint of beer (ABV 4%) contains 182 calories. A pint of high ABV beer such as ale or stout, however, can cost you 250 calories or more – the same as a Mars Bar.

Cider, due to its higher sugar content, is slightly more caloric than beer, averaging 215 calories in a pint at 4.5% ABV.

Wine

Red wine and white wine have similar nutritional profiles, despite the popular belief that red wine is more calorific than white. A 175ml glass of wine (13% ABV) contains around 160 calories – a little less than a bag of Walkers Ready salted crisps – with a large scoop (250ml) containing around 225 calories. A 175ml glass of wine with an ABV of 12%, in comparison, contains around 133 calories.

If you want to watch your calorie intake while enjoying a drink, look for low-alcohol wines, the number of quality producers of which is growing.

Sparkling wine

Champagne, prosecco, and other sparkling wines are slightly lower in calories than red or white wine. A 125 ml glass of champagne contains around 89 calories, while prosecco contains around 86; the equivalent of a chocolate digestive cookie.

Spirits

Again, the calorie content of spirits differs depending on the alcohol and sugar content. A single shot (25ml) of rum has 61 calories, while a glass of cream liqueur has around 80 and a shot of gin has around 97.

One of the highest calorie spirits is, surprisingly, vodka, which contains an average of 110 calories. This, of course, is due to the alcohol content of the vodka, which can range from 40% upwards; the strongest vodka available for purchase in the UK is Balkan 175, which has an ABV of 88%.

Cocktails

If you think spirits are bad, cocktails are the mother of calorie drinks. Most cocktails consist of one or more spirits, along with fruit juices, sugar syrups, and flavorings, with some totaling more than a pint of stout.

A simple martini, made with gin or vodka, vermouth and ice, contains up to 120 calories. But a pornstar martini, a popular cocktail made with vodka, passion fruit liqueur, sugar syrup, and sparkling wine, has around 225 calories per drink. Even higher, a Long Island iced tea, a concoction of vodka, tequila, light rum, triple sec, gin and a touch of cola, which can contain over 280 calories, or the approximate equivalent of a McDonald’s cheeseburger.

To cut calories, keep your cocktail simple. The fewer alcoholic ingredients, the lower the calories (and the less severe your hangover).

Alcopops

A favorite among young drinkers drinking neon-colored drinks on a night out, alcopops are high in both sugar and alcohol, making them a particularly high-calorie option. A 275 ml bottle can contain between 170 calories and 230 calories; one 330 ml bottle of Smirnoff Ice contains approximately 228 calories, or two slices of buttered toast.