What Makes Calories in Alcoholic Drinks Add Up?
The number of calories in mixed drinks depends on several things, including the amount and proof of the alcohol; the mixers; and the size of the drink. “It’s the mixers, syrups, and sodas that really get people into calorie trouble, because most drinks start with 1.5 ounces of distilled spirits that only have around 96 calories, but mixologists can easily turn that into a drink with hundreds of calories,” says Carolyn O’Neil, MS, RD, co-author of The Dish on Eating Healthy and Being Fabulous. Whether you’re drinking a beer or a cosmo, the higher the alcohol content, the higher the calories, says O’Neil. For example: • 80-proof vodka (40% alcohol; the most common type) has 64 calories per 1oz • 86-proof vodka (43% alcohol) has 70 calories/1 oz • 90-proof vodka (45% alcohol) has 73 calories/1 oz • 100-proof vodka (50% alcohol) has 82 calories/1 oz When it comes to portion size, the average serving size of wine and alcoholic beverages is probably smaller than you think. Beer, on the other
