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What Are The Alcoholic Drinks Highest in Calories? From Piña Colada to Limoncello, Here’s The Top 5!

When we drink wine, beer, grappa, or cocktails, we consume the calories present in ethanol and those found in the other ingredients in the drinks. Let's see what this means and which alcoholic beverages contain the most.

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Alcoholic beverages have been consumed by humans since ancient times and are still part of our eating habits: an aperitif with friends with wine or beer, a glass of amaro or grappa to conclude a meal, a cocktail at the end of the evening. Do we know what they contain? In most cases, the main element is water, but what characterizes alcoholic beverages is ethanol, also known as ethyl alcohol. It is a substance that is a source of energy, but it is not a nutrient: this means that the calories it contains have no functional value for our body and are therefore considered "empty". Alcohol is processed in the liver and should be ingested in moderation because it affects mental abilities, can cause liver damage, and is classified as a "type 1 carcinogen", meaning it represents a risk factor for the onset of cancer and contributes to weight gain when excessive. The recommended limits are: 20 grams of alcohol per day for an adult male (2 125 ml glasses of wine) and 10 for a woman.

How Many Calories Does Alcohol Contain on Average?

Ethanol contains 7 kcal per gram: fats have 9 and proteins and carbohydrates 4. To understand how much alcohol there is in a drink (therefore its alcoholic strength) there is a standard unit of measurement valid in many countries: it is called the Alcohol Unit and is worth 12 grams. As explained in the Crea – Food and Nutrition Centre Guidelines, this quantity corresponds to a glass of medium-strength wine (125 ml), a can of medium-strength beer (330 ml) or a shot of spirits (40 ml). How does it translate into calories?

  • A 125 ml glass of wine varies in calorie content based on its alcohol content: a 13.5% ABV glass contains 91 kcal, a quantity that drops to 84 for a 12% ABV wine and, as seen, 77 for an 11% ABV wine. Prosecco generally falls between 65 and 85 kcal depending on the type.
  • A beer of around 4.5% vol, 330 ml corresponds to 100 kcal, while the numbers increase if we refer to double malt types (8% vol): in this case the calories are 170 for a 200 ml mug.
  • Brandy, cognac, grappa, rum, vodka, whisky (around 40% ABV): a 40 ml shot provides around 94 kcal; bitters range between 90 and 120 calories.
  • Fortified wines such as sweet Vermouth or Port, between 16 and 19% vol, provide 113 to 115 calories per 75 ml.
  • Cocktails: These are the drinks with the most hidden calories, due to the combination of ingredients they contain. Among the lowest-calorie drinks are the spritz (90 kcal), the mojito and negroni with 195, while the piña colada is a real "bomb," packing up to 650 calories, similar to a serving of lasagna.
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What Are The Most Caloric Drinks?

A brief introduction: when analyzing alcoholic beverages from a caloric perspective, we often tend to consider only the alcohol content. In reality, the average quantity consumed also has a significant impact on energy intake. Grappa, for example, despite having a high alcohol content, is generally consumed in small doses. Conversely, sugary cocktails or beers that might appear lower in alcohol content are often consumed in larger quantities. So, by comparing the two factors, here are the drinks with the greatest impact.

1. Piña Colada

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The Piña Colada is a popular cocktail made from white rum, coconut milk , and pineapple juice, usually garnished with fresh pineapple slices and maraschino cherries. This combination is very palatable, but it's also extremely high in sugar and fat. Depending on the balance of the various ingredients, it can contain up to 650 calories, starting at no less than 250.

2. Long Island Iced Tea

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Long Island Iced Tea combines vodka, gin, rum, tequila, and triple sec in a single drink, complemented by simple syrup, lemon juice, and cola. This means the amount of high-proof alcohol is abundant, bringing the drink to just under 400 calories per glass (equivalent to a plate of pasta with tomato sauce). Plus, being refreshing, there's a risk of overdoing it.

3. Limoncello

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One of the most iconic liqueurs of Italian tradition, limoncello (easy to make at home) is made with 95% pure alcohol, lemon peel, water, and granulated sugar. This can provide up to 220 kcal per 100 ml. Although the serving size is often smaller (between 30 and 50 ml), two small glasses are actually enough to pack a significant caloric density.

4. Double Malt Beer

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Among the beers on the market, "double malt" versions are among the most caloric, both due to the higher concentration of barley malt and the high alcohol content (which can exceed 8% vol). As mentioned above, a 200 ml mug contains 170 kcal, but when you go to the pub, you often opt for a pint, which corresponds to more or less half a liter of beer: translated, no less than 220 kcal.

5. Port

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In the top 5, we include Port, a fortified wine of Portuguese origin, also highly appreciated in the U.S.. It has an alcohol content of around 20% vol: a 75 ml glass can provide around 115 kcal. It is drunk as an aperitif or with dessert and has a sweet and elegant taste, which is why people tend to ask for seconds.

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