There is myth that non-alcoholic drinks contain less carbohydrates as compared to the regular alcoholic beverages. Here is information about the carbohydrate content in alcohol.
Carbohydrate Content in Alcohol
As far as the question of carbohydrates in alcohol is concerned, there is a myth that non-alcoholic drinks contain less carbs, when compared to the regular alcoholic beverages. But the reality is the other way round and non-alcoholic beverages in fact contain higher carbs content. According to some of the low-carb diets-alcoholic beverages are not recommended, at least for the first phase of the diet, because alcohol can cause blood sugars levels to go erratic, depending upon the type & amount of the food we have. The effect of alcohol also depends on, whether we have food in our stomachs or not. It has been found through study that people who drank alcohol after a meal which included fat, protein, and carbohydrates absorbed the alcohol about three times more slowly than, when they consumed alcohol on an empty stomach. So, it is preferable not to drink alcohol on an empty stomach.
Carbohydrates In Alcohol
| Alcohol Item |
(Serving size) |
Carbs (g) |
| Beer Regular |
(12 fl oz) |
13g |
| Beer Light |
(12 fl oz) |
4.5g |
| Wine Red |
(3.5 fl oz) |
1.75g |
| Wine Rose |
(3.5 fl oz) |
1.5 g |
| Wine White |
(3.5 fl oz) |
1g |
| Cider Dry |
(1 pint) |
15g |
| Gin, Rum, Vodka, Whisky |
(1 fl oz) |
0g |
| Sherry |
(2 fl oz) |
3g |
| Port |
(2 fl oz) |
6g |
| Guinness |
(1/2 pint) |
4g |
The alcohol absorption levels of women are different from men. When women consume the same amount of alcohol as men, it is found that they have higher blood alcohol concentration (BAC) compared to men. It is also seen that women are more susceptible to alcoholic liver disease, heart muscle damage, and brain damage. Another factor contributing to the difference in BAC between men & women may be that women have lower activity of the alcohol metabolizing enzyme which is called alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) in the stomach, causing a larger proportion of the ingested alcohol to reach the blood. The combination of these factors may render women more vulnerable than men to alcohol. Thus, different alcoholic drinks contain varied amounts of alcohol carbohydrate content, it becomes of prime importance to take note of alcohol carbohydrates, because if you are consuming a high carb drink and that too at frequent intervals, then it can be hazardous for your body.
Few Tips
- It is worth noting that the liver does not metabolize alcohol into sugar. Instead, most people will experience a dip in the blood sugar levels after consuming alcohol. Alcohol is then broken down into acetate by the liver which is further broken down into carbon dioxide and water.
- Avoid any kind of alcohol if you are on a two-week low carb diet. As the alcohol lowers the blood sugar levels, prevent anything which affects your blood sugar levels. Though some of the alcoholic drinks may be low in carbohydrates, they may be high in calories.
- Hard liquor is distilled and contains zero carbohydrates. Contrary to popular belief, vodka and whiskey are not ‘zero carb’ drinks and may encourage mindless consumption. It is just like saying that a bar of candy is sugar-free or ‘cholesterol-free’.
- While you drink, your body processes the alcohol first before fat, protein or carbs. This results in slowing down the burning of fat. This accounts for the weight gain seen in people who consume alcohol on a frequent basis.
- When the grapes are made into wine, most of the fruit sugars are converted into alcohol though a few remain. For example, a 5 ounce glass of wine contains 110 calories, 5 grams of carbohydrates and about 13 grams of alcohol.
- Beer also contains carbohydrates though there are low-carb beers which are available.
- Though alcohol and carbohydrate are taken in together, they are treated in a different way by the body. A gram of alcohol has 7 calories per gram, whereas carbohydrates have 4 calories per gram.
- Remember that red wine is high in antioxidants and low in sugars. It contains 3-4 grams of carbs per 50oz of glass. Dry white wines have 2-5g carbs per 5oz glass while white wine contains fewer antioxidants than red wine.
- Always note that cordials such as coffee or chocolate flavored liquors have the highest carbohydrate count among all the alcoholic beverages as they contain sugar in huge amounts. For example, a coffee-flavored liqueur packs contains 25 g of carbs in a 1.5-oz. serving and after-dinner liqueurs contain e 40 g per serving.
There are several myths regarding the presence of carbohydrates in alcohol. Hope this article helps you get rid of those myths and familiarizes you with the amount of carbohydrates in alcoholic drinks.
