Many people — particularly women in midlife — are familiar with the way alcohol can seem to hit harder than it once did.
Poor sleep, a racing heart, lower tolerance and the dreaded wave of morning-after “hangxiety” are all common complaints. But there is another effect that receives far less attention as we get older: the calories in alcoholic drinks.
Plenty of us will carefully choose a healthier meal or plan ahead for a night out, only to overlook the extra calories being poured into the glass beside it.
It is a common blind spot — and not simply a matter of willpower. Calculating the calorie content of drinks can be surprisingly confusing.
Here is what a drinks expert says you should know about popular alcoholic drinks if you want to avoid the bloat that can come with booze.
The calorie content
Across most alcoholic drinks, the calories largely come from two sources: alcohol and sugar. Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, almost twice as much as sugar, which has 4 calories per gram. It is also the second most calorie-dense substance we consume, behind pure fat at 9 calories per gram. That means ABV — alcohol by volume — is a key factor when it comes to understanding how calorific a drink may be.
Spirits sippers
When it comes to neat spirits, the colour makes little difference. White and brown spirits with the same ABV have almost identical calorie counts, so the choice is mainly about flavour. In spirits, most calories come from the alcohol itself: a standard 25ml single measure at 40 per cent ABV contains roughly 55 calories. The real variation often comes from the mixer. A double measure with a mixer may not feel twice as indulgent, but it will double the alcohol calories, making singles a simple way to cut back.
Drinks expert Helena Nicklin says many people underestimate the calories that can build up in their glass during a meal or night out.
The calories in 50ml of Aperol at 11 per cent ABV come to around 90kcal, while an Aperol spritz topped up with prosecco and soda to 200ml is roughly 155kcal
Mixing it up
Your mixer will make or break the calorie count of your tipple. Regular tonic adds around 80kcal a can, whereas a slimline option will save almost all of that. Full-fat soft drink mixers run at roughly double the calories of their diet equivalents and soda water adds none, so if you can make that switch, you are winning – and hydrating! A single gin and slimline is around 55-60kcal, versus a double with regular tonic at 140-145kcal. Beware of lime cordial; if reaching for that instead of fresh lime, you’ll be boosting the calorie count from around 58kcal to around 85kcal in one pour.
Martini maths
We often assume a martini is a ‘clean’, low-calorie choice since it has no mixer but a spirit-only drink with little to no dilution is actually more calorific than most. A classic 60ml martini with a splash of vermouth comes in at around 160kcal. Order the now-standard larger version at 120ml and you’re looking at closer to 300kcal – roughly the same as a McDonald’s cheeseburger. Food for thought.
Wine lovers
With still, dry vino, whether it’s white, pink, orange or red, 12.5 per cent ABV is your sweet spot, coming in at around 145kcal per 175ml glass compared to around 170kcal at 14 per cent ABV.
Dry red wine isn’t inherently more calorific than white; it simply tends to be higher in alcohol. If you prefer a pinot noir to a pinot grigio, look for cooler-climate versions from places like Germany or England where lower ABVs keep the calories in check. White vinho verde is a good choice as it’s naturally bone dry and around 11 per cent ABV, so 175ml gives you around 118kcal. Be cautious about anything else that sits at 11 per cent unless it explicitly states lower calories. This is where sugar is often added to make up for missing mouthfeel from booze.
Fizz fanatics
With fizz, beware the words ‘dry’ and ‘extra dry’ because these are sweeter styles, carrying an extra handful of calories per glass than ‘brut’. Almost all sparkling wine has sugar added before final bottling and it’s this ‘dosage’ that defines the sweetness level. For the lowest calorie option, look for ‘brut nature’ or ‘zero dosage’, which means no sugar added. With champagne and traditional method sparkling, this comes in at around 87kcal per 125ml. ‘Extra brut’ and ‘brut’ sit fractionally higher.
Aperitifs
Aperol and Campari seem similar but tell very different calorie stories. 50ml of Aperol at 11 per cent ABV is around 90kcal, while Campari at 24 per cent ABV with more sugar is closer to 130kcal. Topped up with prosecco and soda to around 200ml, an Aperol spritz comes in at roughly 155kcal but a Campari spritz pushes closer to 200kcal. If you prefer Campari, a shorter serve with soda will claw back the calories.
Beer basics
Beer varies hugely by type, too. For a 330ml bottle, Bud Light looks positively virtuous at 80 calories next to Belgian classic Duvel, which packs 211 calories into the same size bottle. Despite its heavier feel, Guinness comes in at 125kcal per 330ml. If you’re drinking by the pint, keep serving size in mind!
The sherry secret
Bone dry sherry is having a fashion moment right now so it’s good to know that a chilled copita of fino or manzanilla is one of the best-kept low-cal secrets in drinking, sitting at around 57 kcal for a 75ml pour. The good news is this isn’t about nursing a soda water all evening. With a little know-how, you can drink smarter by tweaking your tipple choices rather than giving them up entirely. Swap mixers, seek out lower ABV wine and choose your beers – and martini size – wisely.
With everything else midlife is throwing at us, that feels like a win worth raising a glass to.
Calorie cheat sheet
(approx kcals per serving)
Spirits & aperitifs
25ml spirit with soda or slimline and a slice: 55-60kcal. 50ml spirit with cola: 170kcal. 50ml Aperol with soda: 90kcal. 50ml Aperol with prosecco: 155kcal. 50ml Campari with soda: 130kcal. 60ml classic martini: 160kcal.
Wine
75ml fino or manzanilla bone dry sherry: 57kcal. 125ml ‘extra dry’ prosecco 11.5 per cent ABV: 87kcal. 125ml ‘zero dosage’ champagne 12.5 per cent ABV: 87kcal. 175ml vinho verde at 11 per cent ABV: 118kcal. 175ml dry wine at 12.5 per cent ABV: 145kcal. 175ml dry wine at 14 per cent ABV: 170kcal.
Beer
330ml light beer (e.g. Bud Light): 80kcal. 330ml Guinness: 125kcal. 330ml rich Belgian beer (eg Duvel): 211kcal.
