Alcohol Nutritional Facts

Alcohol, the chemical responsible for the intoxicating effects of beer, wine and cocktails, is a nutritive molecule. This means cells can metabolize it for energy and that it therefore contains calories; nonetheless, the molecule cannot be categorized as carbohydrate, protein or fat, and it can't be purchased and consumed as a food item on its own. Rather, it is consumed in the context of an alcoholic beverage, many of which contain a variety of different nutrients.

Ethanol

On its own, ethanol provides 7 calories/gram of energy---slightly more than the 4 calories/gram from carbohydrate and protein, but less than the 9 calories/gram provided by fat. The ethanol molecule doesn't fall into any of the major macronutrient categories, but is processed by organs and cells in a manner most analogous to that of fat, according to biochemists Mary Campbell, Ph.D., and Shawn Farrell, Ph.D. By itself, ethanol contains no vitamins, minerals, cholesterol, or sodium.

Beer

A serving of beer, defined as 12 ounces by the McKinley Health Center, has a caloric content dependent upon several factors, including the percent alcohol and quantity of residual sugar. The quantity of malt or grain used to produce the beer, which affects body and color, also determines caloric content; in general, higher-alcohol, darker beers are higher in calories than light beers. Miller-Coors, for instance, lists the energy content of its highest-alcohol beer (Steel Reserve High Gravity, 8.10 percent) as 222 calories/serving. Miller's lowest-alcohol brew (MGD 64, 2.80 percent) contains only 64 calories by comparison. Carbohydrate ranges from 0 to 28 grams/serving, and protein from 0 to 2.5 grams/serving. Beer is relatively low in sodium, with none of the Miller-Coors brews containing more than 20 grams/serving. No beer contains fat.

Wine

Typically served in 4- to 5-oz. portions, wine contains nearly as many calories as beer, owing to its higher ethanol content. The University of Rochester states, "A 4.0-oz glass of wine contains anywhere from 62 to 160 calories." While each wine is different, on average, a glass of red contains about 3 grams of carbohydrate, 0.3 grams of protein, and about 8.5 mg of sodium, according to the Professional Friends of Wine website. White wine is slightly lower in carbohydrate and calories. Like beer, wine contains no explicit fat.

Spirits

Hard liquor varies a bit in caloric content, but is generally lower in calories per serving than either beer or wine. This is because liquor has a higher concentration of alcohol and therefore a lower quantity of sugar or carbohydrate per serving. Typically, a serving of hard alcohol (1.0 oz., according to the governmental website College Drinking) contains 65 calories. Liqueurs, which are much higher in sugar, contain more calories at nearly 200 for a 1.5-oz. serving. Hard alcohol on its own contains negligible quantities of energy-providing compounds aside from ethanol.

Mixed drinks

Mixed drinks vary more than any other class of alcoholic beverages in their nutritional content, owing to vastly different alcohol contents and the presence of a variety of mixers. According to the McKinley Health Center, some mixed drinks pack a caloric punch with, for instance, as many as 550 calories in a 5-oz. margarita. On the other hand, they note that a 6-oz. rum and diet coke contains only 65 calories. In general, mixed drinks with cream and sugary ingredients are much higher in calories than those containing club soda or sugar-free mixers. Carbohydrate, protein and fat content of mixed drinks varies.