Each type of alcohol has different amounts of carbohydrates. The carbohydrates in alcohol are derived from simple sugars and are therefore, high in calories. The simple sugars in alcohol are typically higher in some kinds of alcohol then others and are very high in wines and wine coolers which have higher sugar content.

The carbohydrates in alcohol are considered what is known as empty calories, or empty carbohydrates. That is because the nutrient content of alcohol is very small. It is high in calories, but not full of nutrients. Because of the higher sugar content, the carbohydrates are simple carbohydrates which eventually gets stored as fat in the body because the body cannot use all of those simple carbohydrates quickly enough.

There are alcohol products on the market now that offer low carbohydrate versions, and reduced calorie options. Beer is a good example of a type of alcohol that varies in the number of calories and carbohydrates and is available in what is called light beer or ultra beer. Light beer typically has about 110 calories per twelve-ounce serving, and ultra beer about 90. Ultra beer also weighs in less for carbohydrates than regular or light beer.

People do not typically associate beverages as having a lot of carbohydrates or that those carbohydrates are simple in nature, but they actually can accumulate quickly, especially if consumed on a regular basis and more than once on an occasion. The carbohydrates are not able to be burned up quickly enough in the body, and instead of the body digesting all of the simple carbohydrates, they are turned into stores of fat.

Drinking alcohol in small amounts and in moderation, will not cause an abundance of extra carbohydrates, but having more than the recommended amount, can begin to cause weight gain.