What alcohol has the least amount of sugar and calories

What alcohol has the least amount of sugar and calories

Mix sugar-free whiskey with a zero-calorie mixer, like seltzer, for a low-cal drink.

Image Credit: bhofack2/iStock/GettyImages

If you're paying attention to the carbohydrates and sugar in your diet, there's a good chance you're also looking at the beverages you enjoy.

Certain mixed drinks can be loaded with calories that can add up. The good news is, there are no carbs in tequila and other types of plain hard alcohol.

Liquor With No Sugar or Carbs

Most hard alcohol contains no carbohydrates or sugar. So, as long as you are cleared by a doctor to drink alcohol in moderation, including sugar-free alcohol in a low-carb diet is doable.

Some of the more common types of hard alcohol with no sugar or carbs include:

  • Tequila
  • Whiskey
  • Vodka
  • Gin
  • Rum
  • Brandy

Because there are no carbs in tequila, all of the calories come from alcohol. In general, a standard 1.5-ounce shot of tequila has 97 calories, according to the USDA. And like tequila, there are also no carbs in whiskey, so the calories come from alcohol.

That said, staying within the recommended range of moderate drinking is best for overall health. According to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans, moderate drinking for people assigned female at birth of legal drinking age is up to one drink per day, and up to two drinks per day for people assigned male at birth of legal drinking age.

Anything above the recommended guideline of moderate drinking could have negative effects. Drinking too much alcohol can negatively affect your brain, heart, liver, pancreas and immune system, according to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA).

The more alcohol you drink regularly over time, the higher your risk of developing alcohol-associated cancer. These cancers include head and neck, esophageal, liver, breast and colorectal cancer, per the NIAAA.

Alcohol on a Low-Carb Diet

Living a low-carb lifestyle is a goal for many people, especially when trying to lose weight. But rather than always being on a diet, it's nice to incorporate small changes that don't require you to feel deprived.

One change for people that drink alcohol and watch carbs is to ditch the sugar mixers. For example, there is no sugar in vodka, so drinking certain types of hard alcohol straight allows you to eliminate the carbs. Yet, that doesn't mean they are free from calories. That's because the liquors with no sugar get all of their calories from alcohol.

In general, most straight hard alcohol contains around 90 to 100 calories for a 1.5-ounce shot. While this may not seem like a lot of calories, the problem arises when you add mixers with carbohydrates to your glass.

Whiskey, for example, goes from 97 calories for a shot to 165 calories when you add 6 ounces of cola to make a whiskey and Coke. Because there are no carbs or sugar in whiskey, the extra calories from the soda all come from sugar.

To keep the calories, carbs and sugar low, you can always swap out sugar and calorie-filled mixers for low-carb options. Some of the more popular sugar-free options include diet cola, sugar-free tonic water, diet seltzer, Crystal Light drink mix, a squeeze of fresh fruit such as lime, diet ginger soda, sparkling no-calorie lemonade or limeade.

  • The lowest calorie alcohols are liquors like whiskey, tequila, gin, and vodka. 
  • Low-calorie alcoholic beverages include vodka soda, light beer, and tequila with lime juice.
  • To reduce the calories in alcoholic beverages, skip sugary cocktails and simple syrups.

Watching what you eat is a big part of losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle — but watching what you drink can be just as important.

Alcoholic beverages are typically high in calories, with the average cocktail containing about 222 calories. And even if you skip sugary cocktails like Margaritas, pure alcohol still contains about seven calories per gram, which equates to roughly 207 calories per fl. oz. 

Drinking in moderation, planning out your alcohol (and therefore calorie) consumption, and choosing alcoholic drinks with fewer calories can help you enjoy adult beverages while still maintaining a healthy weight.

Here's a look at the best alcoholic drink options for weight loss.

What are the lowest calorie alcohols?

Some of the lowest-calorie alcohols include liquor like vodka or gin, whereas liqueurs are some of the highest calorie options. 


You can still drink alcohol and lose weight despite its high-calorie content, says Nicole Avena, PhD, an assistant professor in neuroscience at Mount Sinai Medical School. 

When choosing cocktails, you can make a few simple adjustments to your normal order or simply opt for a mixed drink that you know has fewer calories. Here are some of the best options: 

1. Tequila with fresh lime juice 

Calorie count: About 150 calories for eight fluid ounces.

This drink is a lower-calorie take on a margarita, which has about 330 calories for eight fluid ounces. Avena suggests looking for a tequila that is 100 percent agave, meaning it doesn't have many common additives, like sugar or corn syrup, which can increase calories. 

2. Vodka soda 

Calorie count: About 100 calories for eight fluid ounces. 

Soda water is a great alternative to sodas as it's carbonated and bubbly but with zero calories. Fresh fruit juice can add flavor to your drink, though they do come with a few extra calories — but not nearly as much as syrup. For example, one fluid oz of orange juice contains about 15 calories whereas one tablespoon of simple syrup has 35. 

Drinking soda water can also help keep you hydrated, which is especially important when drinking alcohol, says Laura Gaston, registered dietitian and founder of Busy Gal Nutrition. That's because alcohol is a diuretic, meaning it causes you to urinate more, making your body lose fluids and electrolytes which can dehydrate you. 

3. Light beer 

Calorie count: About 103 calories for 12 fluid ounces.

If you like to drink beer, light beer is a great alternative to regular beer, which has about 153 calories per 12 fluid ounces. Some examples of light beers include:

  • Bud Light
  • Coors Light
  • Miller Light

4. Mojito minus the syrup 

Calorie count: About 100 calories for eight fluid ounces.

A classic mojito is made with rum, club soda, lime, mint, and sugar or simple syrup. Holding the syrup can save you anywhere from 40 to 70 calories, Avena says, depending on the size of the drink and the type of syrup used. 

Mint is great in mojitos and can also add a punch of flavor in the absence of syrups or juices, Avena says. Mint is also rich in nutrients, like vitamin A (about 17% DV per two tablespoons), and may also help relieve indigestion. 

5. Diet tonic and gin

 Calorie count: About 100 calories for eight fluid ounces. 

A gin and tonic is a classic cocktail, but tonic water is high in calories — about 83 calories for 8 fluid ounces. Simply swapping diet tonic for regular can easily cut the calories of this drink in half.  

You can make a gin and tonic more flavorful without adding too many calories by adding fresh lemon or lime juice and throwing in some fresh herbs like rosemary or mint, Gaston says. 

You could also use a stevia-based water flavor enhancer, like Stur or Sweetleaf, to boost the sweetness for very few additional calories. 

6. Hard Seltzer 

Calorie count: About 100 calories for 12 fluid ounces. 

Hard or spiked seltzer is essentially carbonated water combined with alcohol and fruit flavoring. Spiked seltzers have gained popularity in recent years, making up about 10% of the beer and flavored malt beverage market.  

Some common brands of hard seltzers include:

  • White Claw
  • Truly
  • Bon & Viv
  • Wild Basin

Insider's takeaway 

Alcoholic beverages contain a lot of calories, but you can still drink alcohol as part of a healthy lifestyle. Drinking in moderation and choosing lower-calorie options, like vodka and soda water or a diet gin and tonic, can help you keep calories and sugar to a minimum.

Erin Heger is a freelance journalist located in the Kansas City area. She primarily covers stories related to healthcare policy, maternal mental health, parenting, and personal finance. Her work been featured in The Atlantic, Rewire.News, Refinery29, HuffPost, and more. 

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Which alcohol has the least amount of sugar?

If you're looking to go low sugar, then there are some basic approaches you can take. Your best bet is to stick with hard spirits like gin, vodka, whiskey and rum, but watch your mixer. Wine is a good option, but it's best to go for a red or a dry white. Beer might be good for low sugar, but it can be high in calories.

What alcohol has no calories or sugar?

And generally, spirits – including vodka, tequila, rum and gin – do not contain any carbohydrates or sugars.

What is the best alcohol to drink when on a diet?

Wine, light beer and pure forms of alcohol — such as whiskey, rum and gin — offer few or zero carbs per serving and are easily paired with low-carb mixers like seltzer, diet soda or sugar-free tonic water.

What alcohol has no sugar or carbs?

Because there are no carbs in tequila, all of the calories come from alcohol. In general, a standard 1.5-ounce shot of tequila has 97 calories, according to the USDA. And like tequila, there are also no carbs in whiskey, so the calories come from alcohol.