Alcohol is generally high in calorie content. Not only are there a lot of calories in alcohol per volume, but also the calories are empty calories, meaning that they offer very little in nutritional supplements and are not giving your body any of the vitamins and nutrients it needs, but still increases the caloric intake.

In a typical twelve-ounce serving of beer there are approximately 150 calories. In a twelve-ounce serving of light beer that are around 110 calories, but these calories are in the form of simple carbohydrates and sugar which can add to weight gain. Beer also does not have carbonation, and therefore does not always create the “full” feeling as with other beverages. It is easy to drink beer quickly because of the lack of carbonation, which further adds to the caloric intake.

Wine typically serves up about 140-150 calories per a six-ounce serving. Although wine, especially the red varieties, offer antioxidant properties, the overall caloric content of wine is from sugars and simple carbohydrates. Wine is very high in calories, and for a small glass of six ounces, people usually consume more than one glass in a sitting.

Liquor such as rum or vodka that is used in mixed drinks has around 60 calories for a one-ounce serving. The thing to remember though is that unless you are taking a straight shot of these types of liquors, you most likely will be consuming it as part of a mixed drink, which depending on the mixer can add anywhere from 60-200 calories easily to each drink. Sugary mixers such as grenadine, offer a lot of calories and sugar, and like other alcoholic beverages will not leave you feeling full, so you will most likely eat more after consuming a few drinks and take in even more calories.

Consuming small amounts of alcohol in moderation, will most likely not have a huge impact on your diet, but keep in mind that they are typically high in calorie content, and can add up quickly.