Clear alcohol, such as vodka and gin, provides calories without nutritional value and can derail weight management efforts if you drink in excess. Alcohol contains more calories per gram than carbohydrate or protein.
Serving Size
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines one serving of 80-proof clear liquor as a 1.5-oz. shot. Clear liquor is not the same as pure alcohol. Instead, one serving includes 13.7 g, or 0.6 oz., of pure alcohol and is carbohydrate-free.
Caloric Content
Pure alcohol contains seven calories per g, according to "Nutrition: An Applied Approach," by Janice Thompson. A 1.5-oz. serving of 80-proof clear liquor contains 95.9 calories, or 64 calories per oz.
Caloric Additions
Mixing clear liquor with other liquids increases caloric content. For example, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's My-Food-A-Pedia says 100 percent cranberry juice has 14.5 calories per oz., soda has 12.9 calories per oz. and orange juice has 13 calories per oz.
References
- "Nutrition: An Applied Approach"; Janice Thompson; 2008
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Alcohol and Public Health, Frequently Asked Questions
- U.S. Department of Agriculture: My-Food-A-Pedia
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