The Number of Calories in Every Common Spirit and Cocktail Ingredient

Calories aren’t inherently bad. They’re simply a unit used to measure energy or, more specifically, the amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one milliliter of water by one degree Celsius. According to McGill University, producers calculate the calorie contents of food and beverages by adding up the calories provided by energy-containing molecules, including protein, carbohydrates, fat, and alcohol. While we need calories to survive, ingesting too many of them can lead to weight gain and myriad health issues, especially when considering alcohol.

With all the perpetuating, contrived health halos around spirits like vodka and tequila, it can be easy to forget the unfortunate truth: Alcohol in any form is full of calories. Not only that, but all alcohol has empty calories, meaning that it provides energy, but no essential nutrients. So to anyone who regularly orders “Skinny Margaritas” or Vodka Sodas under the impression that they’re somehow cutting calories, let this be a reality check.

In fact, all spirits generally fall in the same calorie content bracket. As long as producers don’t add sugar to their liquids after distillation (see liqueurs), pretty much all of a spirit’s calorie count comes from its alcohol content. After all, alcohol is the product of fermented sugars, whether those come from wheat, corn, potatoes, agave, or any other agricultural product. But we must remember that booze is an indulgence, just like cheeseburgers, potato chips, and chocolate. When enjoyed in moderation, the high calorie counts are more or less negligible.

At the same time, cocktails vary greatly in calories depending on how much alcohol is in them as well as what other ingredients are at play in each drink. While neither Vodka Sodas nor Piña Coladas are “healthy,” the latter contains nearly twice the calories due to the fatty coconut cream in its build.

To clear up any confusion around how many calories are in every spirit and common cocktail ingredient, we put together the following charts and listed the calorie contents per ounce of each one. For certain categories, calorie contents will vary slightly by brand, but we sourced the following stats from the USDA and popular brands (where applicable) to share the most accurate information we could.

From Mai Tais and Manhattans to Margaritas and Martinis — or any other cocktail under the sun — refer to the charts below and bust out a calculator to find out the calorie content of your favorite drinks.

(All calorie counts listed are for 1-ounce servings)

Spirits (80 proof)

High-Proof Spirits

Liqueurs

Fortified Wines

Sweeteners

Juices

Mixers

Misc.

*Image retrieved from Mirko Vitali – stock.adobe.com