Alcohol Calorie Calculator by ABV

Calories in alcoholic drinks

Each gram of ethanol carries 7 kcal, which puts it almost on par with fat (9 kcal/g) and noticeably above carbs and protein at 4 kcal/g. To estimate the load, use kcal ≈ volume(mL) · ABV(%) · 0.789 · 7 / 100; the 0.789 is ethanol density in g/mL. Look at a few examples. A 350 mL can of beer at 5% ABV holds roughly 14 g of alcohol (98 kcal) plus about 12 g of leftover carbs, which lands near 150 kcal. A 150 mL glass of wine at 12% comes to ~125 kcal, and a 40 mL shot of 40% spirits is ~100 kcal of pure alcohol. Once you add sugar and juice, cocktails like a caipirinha or margarita climb to 250–400 kcal without much effort. The calories from alcohol are "empty", meaning no vitamins, minerals, fiber, or essential amino acids come along for the ride. And while the liver works through the ethanol, fat burning takes a back seat.

When it matters

Reach for this when you log drinks in MyFitnessPal or any tracker, since most apps undercount cocktails, or when you're trying to figure out why a cut suddenly stalled. Three beers (~450 kcal) on four nights a week add up to roughly 1800 kcal, plenty to cancel out a 500 kcal/day deficit. Body recomposition, losing fat while gaining muscle, gets especially hard with regular drinking, because ethanol blunts muscle protein synthesis for about 24 h after a heavy session.

FAQ

Can I "burn off" a beer with exercise? A 30-minute run burns around 300 kcal, roughly two cans. On paper it cancels out, but appetite and recovery usually eat into the win.

Is light beer worth it? Pretty much, yes. You're looking at ~100 kcal per can instead of 150, so across a six-pack you've saved a whole meal.

Does alcohol turn into fat? Not directly. Most ethanol gets oxidized for energy. The fat gain comes from whatever you eat alongside it, which gets stored because the body is busy burning the alcohol first.