This time of year is often filled with plenty of drinking. Champagne, beer, wine, and spirits might fill your cup. And it might leave you wondering how many calories are in different kinds of alcohol—bourbon included. Well, in short, bourbon has fewer calories than some wine and beers. Here’s what to know about this type of alcohol, including calories in bourbon, and tips to keep in mind before you pour a glass.
What is bourbon?
First things first, what’s the difference between bourbon and whiskey? It’s pretty simple: All bourbon is whiskey, but not all whiskey is bourbon.
There are a few things that set bourbon apart: According to government regulations, bourbon must be made in the U.S. from a fermented mash of 51 percent corn that’s distilled at no more than 160 proof, stored at no more than 125 proof in new, charred oak barrels, aged for a minimum of two years, and free from additives.
How many calories are in bourbon?
Now, onto the nutritional facts: A 1.5-ounce shot of bourbon contains about 97 calories and 0g of carbs. Unless, of course, you start mixing it with sodas and sugary mixers.
A 12-ounce pint of light beer contains about 103 calories and 6 grams of carbs, which isn’t bad if you’re refueling after a hard ride. Meanwhile, a bottle of beer with higher alcohol content can have more than 200 calories.
Low-carb proponents have been recommending the switch from beer to bourbon for years. But making the switch isn’t the only health-conscious decision you have to make. You should also consider how much beer you drink—or used to drink—and, of course, how much of whatever alternative you consume instead.
No matter what type of alcohol you drink, keep moderation in mind and remember that drinking can hinder your recovery and performance.
What to Keep in Mind When Drinking Bourbon
Follow these tips if you want to make the switch from beer to bourbon:
1. You need to sip and savor
If you’re accustomed to tossing back a couple of pints, you may find yourself under the table in a hurry if you slurp down your spirits with equal gusto. Pacing yourself when drinking something with a higher alcohol-by-volume (ABV) percentage is important. Kaiser Permanente Washington recommends not having more than one alcoholic drink in an hour, and drinking something non-alcoholic—such as water, juice, or soda—in the meantime. Plus, the more bourbons you drink, the more you up your calorie intake.
2. Your body will burn the booze first
No carbs and fewer calories do not equal a free pass, cautions nutritional scientist Stacy Sims, Ph.D., because your body treats alcohol differently than food. “In order for it to be eliminated from your system, it has to be metabolized. The liver takes the bulk of the job, but some residual hangs out and your body uses it first instead of burning carbs or fat, so it interferes with normal metabolism,” she explains. “It also has a greater caloric load per gram than carbohydrates—7 calories per gram versus 4 calories for carbs. Moderation is still the key.”
3. Keep it clear and/or neat
When picking your poison, clearer spirits have the least impact on your metabolism, says Sims. “They are metabolized faster than anything else and have minimal sugar and sulfites so you don’t get the same insulin response that promotes fat storage as you do with more sugary drinks,” she says. “So best to swap beer for a clear spirit co*cktail with a very low sugar mixer or a whiskey neat.”
4. Alcohol drops inhibitions and increases appetite
“Drinking dims your appetite satiety signals,” says Sims. That means you may feel hungry and eat more if you drink too much. In the end, there’s no magic to the matrix, it’s all a matter of not just making healthier choices, but also sticking to them. So while opting for the calories in bourbon over beer might be smart, you still have to make sure you don’t drink too much of it, too. That’s really the key.
selene yeager
“The Fit Chick”
Selene Yeager is a top-selling professional health and fitness writer who lives what she writes as a NASM certified personal trainer, USA Cycling certified coach, Pn1 certified nutrition coach, pro licensed off road racer, and All-American Ironman triathlete.
