Whether you are slimming down to reach your goal summer beach body or trying to stay thin through the holiday season, your booze intake is surely going to impact the numbers on the scale.
There is no especially healthy alcohol (a glass of red wine does have cardiovascular benefits, but not every night is a red wine night,) but some drinks have lower calories and carbohydrates than others. Since you’re here, you clearly want to know the calories in a glass of whiskey.
So let’s get down to it.
How Many Calories Are in Whiskey?
A glass of whiskey has a low calorie count compared to drinks like beer and wine, and relatively the same as a glass of vodka or tequila. Expect your 1.5 ounce glass of 40 proof whiskey to have around 105 calories.
Why is whiskey such a low-calorie option? Thank the process. While whiskey is being distilled, the fat and carbohydrates disappear. Sugar doesn’t disappear completely during this process, but the amount of sugar is so miniscule that an ounce of whiskey is said to have no sugar at all. Liquor is one of the best options for diabetics, although getting too hammered could lower your blood sugar.
(Talk to a doctor about drinking alcohol if you have conditions like diabetes or low blood sugar.)
What Affects Calories in Whiskey?
Again, not all whiskeys are created equally. The calorie count in whiskey comes from the concentration of alcohol in the drink. An 80-proof whiskey will have less calories than a behemoth 140-proof bottle. (It exists.) If you want to get mathematical about it, know that each gram of alcohol contains seven calories. Such is the trade off: stronger whiskey drinks have more calories.
Of course, we’re just talking about whiskey on its own here. A whiskey cocktail? Forget about it. That 105-calorie drink spikes up to 340 calories when you add an ounce or two of mix and make a whiskey sour.
How To Enjoy a Healthy (Ish) Drink Out
If you want to have a glass of whiskey and keep your night out as low-calorie as possible, we’ve got a few tips for you.
- Have it neat. Step away from the soda. We repeat, step away from the soda. Adding even just a splash of a soft drink defeats the whole purpose of enjoying a healthy drink. We all know by now that soft drinks are terrible for you. And diet sodas are even worse. If you want to dilute the flavor of your whiskey, add a splash of tap water. After all, drinking whiskey neat is the best way to drink whiskey in the first place.
- Have a low-calorie meal before. If you’re having a big night out, a glass or two of alcohol may be the least of your concerns. Fill up your stomach with a low-calorie meal to prevent you from getting too out of control. Plus, if you have more food in your stomach, you’ll have less room (and less inclination) to stuff your face with fast food at two in the morning. Yikes.
- Think quality, not quantity. What sounds healthier: guzzling three cheap shots in an hour, or sipping on one delicious drink for 45 minutes and alternating with a glass of water? Buy a higher-quality drink and appreciate every last sip. One drink is always healthier than two or three.
Need a new whiskey drink to keep your calorie count down? Try Maverick Whiskey. Our whiskey distillers put love and passion into every drink. We think you look great no matter how much you drink, but you’d look better with a glass of our Texas whiskey in your hand.
