Hard Alcohol Vs. Beer Calories
Drinking any type of alcohol when on a weight loss diet can hinder your progress, as when you drink alcohol your body will burn it first for energy, instead of burning fat.
Drinking any type of alcohol when on a weight loss diet can hinder your progress, as when you drink alcohol your body will burn it first for energy, instead of burning fat.
Beer
Many breweries are now producing low-carb versions of their original beers in a bid to capture more weight conscious customers. A 12-oz. can of regular beer contains around 120 calories. Guinness, a dark stout beer originally brewed in Ireland, contains a whopping 194 calories per 12 oz.-serving. Low-carb beers have fewer calories and average around 95 calories per can. Beers with a lower alcohol percentage will have fewer calories.
Spirits
Spirits are distilled beverages. Distillation is a process that refines a liquid by boiling it. Examples of spirits are rum, vodka, tequila and brandy. Distilled drinks do not contain any carbs, but have a high alcohol content. One gram of alcohol contains seven calories. A 1.5-oz. shot glass glass of tequila, rum or Scotch whiskey contains just above 16 alcohol grams, and therefore contains 115 calories. This will vary slightly depending on the alcohol percentage of the drink.
Liqueurs
Liqueurs are alcoholic drinks that are flavored. Flavorings often used are fruits, herbs and spices. A liqueur may also contain additional cream. Liqueurs are usually higher in calories than distilled spirits due to their sugar content. An average bar measure of 1.5 oz., or three tablespoon, of Southern Comfort contains 180 calories, and the same amount of Drambuie has 165. Fruit flavored drinks such as Creme de Banana contain around 150 calories per 1.5 fl oz. serving. Shot glasses commonly contain 1.5 or 2 fl. oz.