Vodka, which has less than 100 calories per shot, has no sugar and no carbs--making it one of the best alcohols to drink on a diet. Just be aware of adding mixers and juices, which can add a lot of calories and sugar to your drink.
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Nutritional Value of Vodka
Vodka consists of water and ethanol or alcohol and as such is devoid of any nutrients including gluten.
But no nutrients means no sugar or carbs, good news if you're on a Keto or Paleo diet.
Usually, vodka is created from grains like rye, mixed with water, and then heated. After that, yeast is added to the mixture to start a process called fermentation, which turns sugars into alcohol. After this, the liquid goes through distillation.--(Source: Brittanica)
Sometimes, the clear spirit is made by fermenting potatoes--looking at you Russia, Poland and Maine!--or in some rarer cases, grapes or sugar beets to create alcohol.
It's essential to note that while pure spirits may be lower in calories, the calorie count can increase significantly if you mix them with sugary beverages or syrups. Opting for low-calorie mixers like soda water, diet soda, or using fresh lemon/lime juice can help keep the overall calorie content down.
Nutrition for a 1.5 oz serving of vodka
| Calories | 98 |
| Sugar | 0 |
| Carbs | 0 |
| Cholesterol | 0 |
| Fat | 0 |
| Sodium | 0 |
| Vitamins/Minerals | trace amounts |
Does Vodka Have Carbs?
No, vodka doesn't contain any carbs. This is thanks to vodka's magical distillation and fermentation process, which removes all nutrients from the odorless spirit, rendering it carb-free, gluten-free and sugar-free.
Does Flavored Vodka Have More Calories?
Flavored vodkas, which get their flavors from being infused with herbs and fruits and even salmon, do not have more calories than regular vodka.
However, infused, flavored vodkas can look very similar to bottles of flavored malt liquor, which does tend to be high in calories and carbs.
This has led to a lot of misinformation about whether or not flavored vodkas have carbs.
Absolut Citron, for example, which I use to make Lemon Drop Martinis, doesn't have any carbohydrates or sugar.
Concentrated lemon and citrus essence is added to the vodka so it doesn't contain any more calories than plain vodka.
In fact, a majority of the bottles of flavored vodka I looked at recently had no sugar and no carbs. That's because they are adding flavoring, such as "essences," during the distillation process.
Buyer Beware
Read the label on the bottle before you buy it. There are flavored vodka products on the market that are filled with sugary, carb-laden mixers. Look at the nutrition label on the back of the bottle to see what the calorie count is and what the ingredients include.
Does Proof Affect Calories?
The calorie content in regular vodka increases as the proof or percentage of alcohol by weight increases.
The higher the proof ⬆️ = higher ⬆️ calories.
Most of the vodka sold in the US is 80 proof, which means that it contains 40 percent alcohol by volume or abv. That translates to 96 calories per 1.5 ounces or 1.7 grams. (to give you perspective, those nip bottles you can buy at a gas station and hide in a pants pocket are 1.7 grams).
The US by law requires vodka labeled as such be at least 80 proof.
But, you can purchase vodka with proofs of 100 or even more.
A 1.5 ounce serving of 100 proof vodka contains 124 calories.
There are higher proof vodkas however, such as Spirytus, which is 192 proof or 96 percent alcohol by volume.
There's no need for such an intense spirit unless you're infusing it or using it as hand sanitizer.
Vodka for Weight Loss
I had a girlfriend once who lived on nothing but vodka and peanut butter M&M's after her husband left her.
Girlfriend lost A Lot of Weight, like a good 220 pounds. Haha, kidding. That was her ex. But she did lose probably 30 pounds.
Sometimes she would add a splash of grapefruit juice over her vodka but a lot of times, it was just a a splash of vodka over her ice.
Of course, this was many moons ago (by that I mean 25 years (?!?) and we didn't have the conveniences that are on the shelves today, like this Ketel One Botanical. (Not sponsored, just enjoy it).
Calories for 80-proof vodka (40% ABV):
- 1 fluid ounce (approximately 29.6 milliliters) of 80-proof vodka contains around 64 calories.
- 1.5 ounces contains approximately 96 calories.
- 2 ounces of 80-proof vodka would contain approximately 128 calories.
- 3 ounces equals 192 calories.
- 4 ounces contains approximately 256 calories.
No matter what you might call vodka, aqua vitae (water of life) or burning water, it's old.
Vodka Drinks to try include Lemon Drop Shot, Lemon Drop Martini (3-Ingredient Recipe with Limoncello), Grapefruit Martini (3-Ingredient Drink), Blood Orange Vodka Martini, and Creamy Espresso Martini. But, wait, there's more. Try an easy pumpkin cocktail or an easy, festive chocolate peppermint cocktail.
Vodka contains 64 calories an ounce, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Calories in Hard Liquor
The calorie content of alcoholic beverages can vary widely depending on the type of alcohol, the brand, and any mixers or additives used.
However, in general, pure spirits, including vodka, rum and gin, tend to have the lowest calorie content per serving compared to other alcoholic drinks like beer and wine.
| Spirit | Calories per Shot (1.5 oz) | Carbs per Shot (1.5 oz) |
|---|---|---|
| Vodka | 96 | 0g |
| Gin | 97 | 0g |
| Tequila | 96 | 0g |
| Rum | 97 | 0g |
| Whiskey | 105 | 0g |
| Brandy | 98 | 2g |
Flavored vodkas do not have carbs if their flavor comes from being infused with natural flavors and essences.
A fifth of 80-proof vodka contains 1,600 calories.
No, vodka doesn't contain any sodium. During the distillation and fermenting processes, all nutrients end up getting removed.
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