The hidden calories in your glass
When we talk about calories in drinks, we often think of sugar... but we forget about the alcohol itself. In fact, pure alcohol provides 7 kcal per gram, which is almost twice as much as carbohydrates or proteins (4 kcal/g) and just a little less than lipids (9 kcal/g). As a result, even a perfectly dry spirit –with no added sugar – already contains a significant amount of calories.
Nicolas Malfondet
5/13/20252 min read
Example of a dry spirit with 40% alcohol by volume.
Let's take a spirit with 40% alcohol by volume and no added sugar (e.g., whiskey).
In 100 mL, there are 40 mL of alcohol, or approximately 32 g of pure alcohol (density ~0.8 g/mL).
Multiplying by 7 kcal/g gives us 224 kcal per 100 mL.
This figure is due exclusively to the alcohol, as there is no sugar or other sources of calories.
Example of a spirit with 40% alcohol by volume and added sugar
Now let's imagine a spirit with the same alcohol content, but containing 20 g of sugar per liter (for example, certain rums).
These 2 g of sugar per 100 mL add 2 × 4 kcal = 8 kcal to the 224 kcal provided by the alcohol.
This brings the total to 232 kcal/100 mL.
The difference may seem minimal, but it can be more significant in liqueurs where the sugar content is equal to or greater than 10 g/100 mL (sometimes reaching 50 g/100 mL for certain crèmes such as crème de cassis).
Sugar and alcohol: a combination to watch out for
Sugar is often singled out, but in alcoholic beverages, alcohol remains the major source of calories.
This is why a spirit with a low sugar content but high alcohol content is generally more caloric than a sweet cocktail with a low alcohol content.
Understanding this distribution allows you to make more informed choices, without relying solely on sweetness.
What about non-alcoholic beverages?
Non-alcoholic beverages, by definition, contain no calories from alcohol.
Their energy content therefore comes solely from any added sugar.
Some brands are completely sugar-free, using sweeteners to provide a sweet taste. However, it is important to note that even though these sweeteners contain few or no calories, they are not necessarily better for your health and can maintain your appetite for sweet tastes.
Here is a graph showing the calories distribution in different beverages.
For a little quiz about this question, you can check my TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@nicolas_malfondet/video/7226758819601288474?lang=fr
