Sticking to health goals can be challenging when alcohol is a big part of social life, from post-work cocktails to casual get-togethers with friends. Many popular drinks, like margaritas, mojitos, and gin and tonics, are refreshing and flavorful but high in carbohydrates due to their non-alcoholic ingredients.
Low-carb alcoholic drinks offer a solution by striking a balance between abstaining and indulging. By avoiding sugary flavorings, mixes, and juices, these drinks provide a lower-carb and often lower-calorie option.
Even with low-carb alcoholic drinks, it's crucial to monitor your alcohol intake. Alcohol provides empty calories with no nutritional value and can impact your health goals. It lowers inhibition and impairs your ability to sense hunger and fullness, leading to increased cravings and appetite.
In this article, we'll define low-carb alcoholic drinks and suggest what to order at the bar.
What Are Low-Carb Alcoholic Drinks?
Alcohol is naturally carb-free, with liquors like rum, vodka, whiskey, tequila, and gin containing zero carbohydrates.
However, while alcohol itself is low-carb, cocktails often are not. The flavorings, juices, syrups, tonics, and other ingredients used in cocktails contribute sugars and carbohydrates. For example, a regular margarita can contain upwards of 36 grams of carbohydrates per drink, classifying it as high-carb.
Low-carb alcoholic drinks skip the sugary additives, instead opting for alcohol consumed neat, on the rocks, or with sparkling water. Sometimes, a wedge of citrus or a splash of juice is added for flavor.
Additionally, pre-made drinks like canned cocktails or beer can be crafted to be low-carb. Adjustments in fermentation and processing methods produce a low-carb beverage that retains much of the taste and mouthfeel of traditional drinks.
Low-Carb Drinks to Order
You have many options for low-carb drinks at the bar. Here are some recommendations, though this list is not exhaustive. When in doubt, pair your favorite spirit with soda water and a wedge of lemon, lime, or orange for a low-carb alcoholic beverage.
Vodka Soda
Nutrition (Per 8-Ounce Drink):
- Calories: 133
- Carbs: 0
- Sugar: 0
- ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 8%
Vodka soda is the quintessential low-carb drink. It's a great cocktail choice with no carbohydrates or added sugar. Sparkling water dilutes the vodka, making the drink last longer without affecting the nutritional profile. Citrus fruits, being lower in sugar and carbohydrates than other fruits, are an ideal addition. Squeeze a lime, orange, or grapefruit wedge into the beverage for added flavor without impacting the calorie or carbohydrate content.
Tequila and Lime
Nutrition (Per 1-Ounce Shot of Tequila with a Splash of Lime Juice):
- Calories: 65
- Carbs: <1 g
- Sugar: <1 g
- ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 33%
A tequila and lime is a lower-calorie alternative to a margarita. Instead of using a pre-made margarita mix that is high in carbohydrates, this alternative sticks to the basics: tequila and lime. Ask for a splash of lime juice or flavor the tequila with a lime wedge—both options keep the drink low-carb.
Unless you're opting for top-shelf tequila, choose silver tequila. Top-shelf darker tequilas achieve their coloring through aging processes, whereas lower-quality tequilas often use additives like syrups for their gold coloring.
Martini
Nutrition (Per 4-Ounce Drink):
- Calories: 241
- Carbs: <1 g
- Sugar: <1 g
- ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 29%
A martini is essentially all alcohol. It consists of vodka or gin and dry vermouth, an aromatic fortified wine used for flavoring. The high alcohol content contributes to the higher calorie count per 4-ounce drink, but the martini remains low-carb. Vodka and gin are zero-carb, and although vermouth contains carbohydrates, only a small amount is added to a martini, keeping the carb count low.
Dry Wine
Nutrition (Per 5-Ounce Pour, Pinot Grigio):
- Calories: 122
- Carbs: 3 g
- Sugar: 0 g
- ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 11%
Dry wines are an excellent low-carb option, with each 5-ounce pour containing about 3 grams of carbohydrates. During the fermentation process, most of the sugar is converted into alcohol, leaving little residual sugar. As a result, dry wines have a higher ABV than other low-carb alcoholic drinks.
Low-carb dry wines include sauvignon blanc, chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, and pinot grigio.
Light Beer
Nutrition (Per 12-Ounce Can):
- Calories: 103
- Carbs: 6 g
- Sugar: <1 g
- ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 3%
Light beers are lower in calories and alcohol compared to regular beers. They use fewer malted grains, and ingredients like rice and corn are often added to enhance flavor and body. Due to the brewing process adjustments, light beers may have a milder taste than regular beers. However, they remain a suitable low-carb alternative.
Rum and Diet Cola
Nutrition (Per 8-Ounce Drink):
- Calories: 135
- Carbs: 0.5 g
- Sugar: 0
- ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 8%
Despite being derived from sugarcane, rum is naturally low-carb and sugar-free. However, some brands add sugar after processing, which can increase the carbohydrate and calorie content. To make an informed choice, check out the sugar content in different rums.
Opt for white rum instead of dark rum, as some dark rums use molasses for coloring, adding to the calorie and carbohydrate content. Use diet cola to reduce the carbohydrate and calorie content of a rum and cola. A rum and diet cola has less than one gram of carbohydrate per 8-ounce serving compared to nearly 18 grams of carbohydrates in a regular rum and cola.
Hard Seltzer
Nutrition (Per 12-Ounce Can of Mango Hard Seltzer):
- Calories: 99
- Carbs: 2 g
- Sugar: 2 g
- ABV (Alcohol by Volume): 5%
Hard seltzers have become increasingly popular. They combine soda water, alcohol, and flavoring to create a convenient low-carb cocktail. While the nutritional profile can vary by brand, most hard seltzers are low-carb. Although they contain sugar cane, the added sugar typically accounts for just 1% of the daily value, keeping them low-carb. Additionally, the variety of flavors provides multiple options for alcoholic drinks to order at the bar.