Carb Counting and Alcohol

Counting the carbohydrate content of foods and drinks is necessary when you are following a low-carb diet such as the Atkins diet, which restricts carbohydrate-rich foods such as bread, rice and fruits, and encourages the consumption of protein and fat food sources such as meat, eggs and dairy products.

Beers

Depending on the brand you choose, a beer can contain a carb content of anything between 2.5 and 20 g. Many breweries now produce low-carb versions of their original formulas, and if you are counting carbs, you will probably find your daily carb allowance can afford a low-carb beer or two, although the higher-carb varieties will likely put you above your daily limit. Low-carb brands include Accel, Miller Lite or Labbatt Sterling, which contain 2.4 g, 3.2 g and 2.5 g of carbs respectively. At the other end of the scale is Guinness, which contains 17 grams. To be classed as low-carb, a beer should have less than 7 g of carbs.

Wines

Wine is a low-carb alcoholic drink and can be consumed occasionally on a low-carb diet. A 4 oz. glass of red wine contains around 2 g of carbs, and dry white wine is considerably lower and has only 0.9 g of carbs per glass. There are also low-carb brands of wine on the market, and some wineries add labels to their bottles listing calorie and carb content.

Spirits

Spirits such as vodka, whiskey, gin and rum are distilled beverages. Distillation is a method of refining a liquid by boiling it and condensing the vapors. There are two types of spirits, clear and dark. Clear spirits are see-through and look like water. Dark spirits are usually amber in color and distilled from grains, with the exception of brandy, which is distilled from wine. Distilled alcoholic beverages have a zero-carb content.

Liquers

Liquers are generally higher in carb content than wine or low-carb beers and therefore are not an optimal choice on a low-carb diet. Amaretto has 17 g of carbs. Better choices are Drambuie, which has 9 g, or Bailey's which contains just 5.5 g.

Cocktails

As distilled beverages have a zero-carb content, the best low-carb solution is to choose a cocktail based on a distilled spirit, such as rum, tequila or vodka. Sugar-free mixers such as diet cola or diet ginger ale will also help to keep the carb count of your cocktails low. For a low-carb margarita, mix 6 oz. of a diet lemon-lime soda drink with a shot of tequila. Add 1/2 tsp. of a sugar-free lemonade, and a squirt or two of fresh lime juice. Pour into a salted glass and garnish with citrus fruit.

Warning

During the first two weeks of a low-carb diet, all alcohol should be avoided as your body will be working on stabilizing your blood sugar levels. Alcohol can lower blood sugar, and this should be avoided as you ideally do not want to have anything you consume affecting your sugar levels while your body adjusts. Although some alcoholic drinks may have a low carb content, they also tend to be very high in calories. One gram of alcohol contains seven calories, which is almost as high as fat. In addition, these are considered to be empty calories as alcohol has no nutritional benefits. When you take an alcoholic drink, your body will go to work on using the alcohol as energy, ignoring fat, carbs or protein, so drinking slows the fat burning process.