9 Lowest Calorie Alcoholic Drinks - Healthline

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Nutrition

Evidence Based9 Lowest Calorie Alcoholic Drinks

Medically reviewed by Amy Richter, MS, RD — Written by Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD — Updated on August 22, 2024

Vodka soda
White wine
Hard seltzer
Tequila with lime
Light beer
Gin & diet tonic
Dry martini
Paloma
Rum & Diet Coke
Cutting calories
Takeaway

Key takeaways

Opting for alcoholic drinks mixed with diet soda, club soda, or lime instead of sugary mixers is an effective way to reduce calorie consumption.
Choices like vodka soda, tequila with lime, light beer, and dry martini are lower in calories compared to options like regular rum and Coke or cocktails with added sugar.
You can further reduce calories by preparing drinks at home to avoid high-sugar premixes, using fresh herbs for flavor, and adjusting the ingredient ratio to include more ice and less juice or soda.

If you’re trying to lose weight, decreasing the number of calories you consume from alcohol can be very effective if you choose not to cut out alcohol completely.

In fact, many alcoholic beverages are loaded with calories and added sugar, both of which may contribute to obesity and other health problems in the long term.

However, while you should consume alcohol only in moderation as part of a balanced diet, there are many low calorie options you can enjoy without compromising your weight-loss plans.

Here are nine of the lowest calorie alcoholic drinks — along with some helpful variations of these drinks.

How we define low calorie

We define a low calorie meal as a meal with 500 calories or less per serving. If you’re looking for a low calorie snack, look for a snack with 250 calories or less per serving.

View our recipe collection for low calorie recipes to support your health goals.

1. Vodka soda

A vodka soda is a classic drink made by combining vodka with unflavored club soda.

With just 133 calories in a one-drink (255-mL) serving, a vodka soda is one of the lowest-calorie mixed drinks you can order.

You can also add a bit of extra flavor by garnishing your drink with cucumber or mint. Or try mixing in a spritz of lemon or lime juice.

Alternatively, you can try swapping the club soda for other types of sparkling water to give your drink an easy upgrade.

2. White wine

With just 148 calories in one glass (180 mL), white wine can be a great option for cutting back on your calorie intake.

Plus, there are many different varieties to enjoy — from chardonnay to sauvignon blanc to a sweet riesling.

If you’re feeling creative, try adding fresh fruit to your wine or mixing in some sparkling water or club soda to make yourself a refreshing spritzer.

3. Hard seltzer

Hard seltzer can be a refreshing, low calorie alternative to cocktails, beers, and mixed drinks.

Hard seltzer combines seltzer water with alcohol that is made from fermented cane sugar. It’s typically available in several fruity flavors.

Although the exact number of calories varies depending on the specific brand and flavor, a 12-ounce (355-mL) serving of mango hard seltzer contains just 99 calories.

4. Tequila with lime

Not only is tequila with lime one of the easiest drinks you can make, but it’s also very low in calories.

In fact, a shot (42 mL) of tequila with a lime wedge has only 99 calories in total.

If drinking tequila straight isn’t for you, you can try mixing in some club soda, mint, or coconut water to make a low calorie cocktail.

5. Light beer

Compared with regular beer, light beer often has fewer calories and a lower alcohol content.

This can make it a good choice if you like the taste of beer but are looking to lose weight.

While the precise number of calories may vary depending on the brand, a 12-ounce (360-mL) can of light beer usually has about 104 calories.

6. Gin and diet tonic

Gin and tonic is a popular drink that is traditionally made by pouring gin and tonic water over a glass of ice.

However, you can easily decrease the calorie content of this classic cocktail by swapping regular tonic water for diet tonic water — a calorie-free alternative.

A gin and diet tonic with 1 jigger (42 mL) of gin and 4 ounces (118 mL) of diet tonic water has about 98 calories in total.

You can lower the calorie content even more by changing the ratio of your drink to include more ice and diet tonic water with less gin.

7. Dry martini

A classic martini consists of gin and vermouth and is typically topped with olives or lemon wedges.

To decrease the number of calories, order a dry martini instead, which contains more gin and less vermouth.

A dry martini made with 2.5 ounces (70 mL) of gin and 0.5 ounces (15 mL) of vermouth contains 185 calories.

Top it off with a splash of orange bitters and a lemon wedge for a low calorie, flavorful drink.

8. Paloma

The paloma is a refreshing drink made by serving tequila, lime juice, and grapefruit juice or soda over ice.

While most recipes also call for extra sugar, you can decrease the calorie count by skipping the sugar or using a calorie-free sweetener instead.

To make a low calorie Paloma with just 169 calories, mix 1.5 ounces (42 mL) of tequila with 6 ounces (186 mL) of grapefruit juice, some ice, and a bit of lime juice.

Optionally, you can add a splash of grapefruit-flavored sparkling water and sprinkle some salt around the rim.

9. Rum and Diet Coke

Also known as a Cuba Libre, rum and Coke is a drink made by pairing white rum with Coca-Cola.

Switching out the regular Coca-Cola for Diet Coke is a simple solution that can help you cut calories.

A 7.5-ounce (225-mL) serving of rum and Diet Coke contains 135 calories, compared to 200 calories in a regular rum and Coke.

Tips for cutting calories

You can easily decrease the calorie content of your favorite drinks in several ways.

For starters, be sure to make your drinks at home instead of buying premade mixers, which are often high in sugar and calories.

Instead of using high calorie sugars or syrups, you can enhance the flavor of your favorite drinks with fresh herbs such as:

rosemary
mint
basil
lavender

Additionally, you can opt for low calorie or unsweetened varieties of add-ins like soda or tonic water, which are widely available and often contain few or no calories.

Finally, adjusting the ratio of your ingredients may be beneficial. Try using more ice, sparkling water, or seltzer and less soda or juice in your drink.

The takeaway

If you’re trying to lose weight, there are several alcoholic beverages that are low in calories.

To decrease the calorie content, you can also try making mixed drinks at home, choosing low cal or unsweetened mixers, using herbs to add extra flavor, and adjusting the ingredient ratio.

However, keep in mind that you should enjoy alcohol only in moderation as part of a well-rounded diet, regardless of whether you’re trying to lose weight.

Just one thing

Try this today: In addition to choosing alcoholic beverages that are low in calories, decreasing your intake of alcohol can support weight loss. Check out this article for more details on the link between alcohol and weight gain.

How we reviewed this article:

SourcesHistoryHealthline has strict sourcing guidelines and relies on peer-reviewed studies, academic research institutions, and medical journals and associations. We only use quality, credible sources to ensure content accuracy and integrity. You can learn more about how we ensure our content is accurate and current by reading our editorial policy.

https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/174815/nutrients
Alcoholic beverage, distilled, all (gin, rum, vodka, whiskey) 80 proof.
Beer, light. (2020).
Diet tonic water. (2021).
Grapefruit juice, 100%, freshly squeezed. (2020).
Greenberg D, et al. (2021). Sugars and sweet taste: Addictive or rewarding?
Lime, raw. (2020).
Mango hard seltzer spiked sparkling water. (2021).Rum and cola. (2020).
Rum and diet cola. (2020).
Tequila. (2020).
Vodka and soda. (2020).Wine, dessert, sweet. (2020).Wine, table, white. (2020).

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Evidence Based

This article is based on scientific evidence, written by experts and fact checked by experts.

Our team of licensed nutritionists and dietitians strive to be objective, unbiased, honest and to present both sides of the argument.

This article contains scientific references. The numbers in the parentheses (1, 2, 3) are clickable links to peer-reviewed scientific papers.

Medically reviewed by Amy Richter, MS, RD — Written by Rachael Ajmera, MS, RD — Updated on August 22, 2024

9 Lowest Calorie Alcoholic Drinks - Healthline

Nutrition

Key takeaways

How we define low calorie

1. Vodka soda

2. White wine

3. Hard seltzer

4. Tequila with lime

5. Light beer

6. Gin and diet tonic

7. Dry martini

8. Paloma

9. Rum and Diet Coke

Tips for cutting calories

The takeaway

Just one thing

How we reviewed this article:

Evidence Based

More in Getting Real About Weight Management

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