Alcohol and calories
How much is it safe to drink, and how many calories in various drinks?
Alcohol is high in calories ( 1g = 7kcal). In a perfect world, none of us would touch it, especially whilst following weight loss goals. However, in reality we all like a drink. It is important to keep your intake of alcohol under control – moderation is the key.
How much is it safe to drink?
The Royal College of Physicians recommends that alcohol consumption be no more than 21 units a week for men; 14 units a week for women. It is better for health to spread alcohol units (up to the maximum recommended) throughout the week, than to drink large amounts in a single day or weekend. Therefore women should aim to consume no more than 2 units a day; men 3 units a day.
What is a unit?
One unit of alcohol is the amount in half a pint of beer, a single (25ml) measure of spirit, a small glass (120ml) table wine, or a small glass (50ml) of fortified wine, such as sherry.
Example calories in 1 unit of alcohol:
- 1/2 pint beer 115kcal
- 1 single measure of spirits 52kcal
- small glass wine 8Okcal
- small glass sherry 68kcal
It is easy to see how even a “moderate” consumption of alcohol can have a very serious impact on your daily calorie quota: 3 units of beer could amount to a total 345kcal, 2 units of wine 160kcal.
How many calories in various alcoholic drinks?
| Drink | Calorie content |
| 1 Pint/568ml Lager | 230 |
| 1 Pint/568ml Lager, Low Alcohol | 57 |
| 1 Pint/568ml Beer, Bitter | 182 |
| 1 Pint/568ml Cider, Sweet | 240 |
| 1 Pint/568ml Cider, Low Alcohol | 97 |
| 1 Pint/568ml Beer, Bitter, Low Alcohol | 74 |
| 1 Shot/25ml Spirits, 37.5% Volume | 48 |
| 1 Shot/25ml Spirits, 40% Volume | 52 |
| 1 Bottle/275ml Alcopops (Calculated Estimate) | 200 |
| 1 Glass/120ml Wine, Red | 80 |
| 1 Glass/120ml Wine, White | 77 |
| 1 Glass/50ml Sherry, Sweet | 68 |
| 1 Glass/50ml Sherry, Dry | 58 |
Calories in popular mixers
| Drink | Calorie content |
| 1 Glass/250ml Tonic Water | 83 |
| 1 Glass/250ml Cola, Coca Cola* | 105 |
| 1 Glass/250ml Cola, Diet, Coca Cola* | 1 |
| 1 Glass/250ml Lemonade | 53 |
| 1 Glass/250ml Diet Lemonade | 3 |
| 1 Glass/200ml Orange Juice, Unsweetened | 72 |
| 1 Shot/25ml Lime Cordial | 28 |
Ways to reduce the calories
- Try alternating alcoholic drinks with low calorie non-alcoholic drinks or water.
- Ask for low calorie / diet mixers where possible.
- Make your wine into a spritzer (a longer drink), or your lager into a shandy – both have fewer calories.
- Substitute your “alcopop” for a shot of spirit and a low calorie mixer – about a quarter of the calories!
Don’t skip meals to allow for drinks
Don’t be tempted to skip meals to allow for drinks, alcohol won’t satisfy your hunger. In fact, alcohol lowers blood sugar levels (it prevents sugar that is normally stored in the liver, as glycogen, from breaking down). A drop in blood sugar levels sends signals to the brain you are hungry. With alcohol in your system, willpower can go out of the window and the snack attacks kick in.
