Types of alcohol

Types of alcohol

There are many different types of alcoholic drinks and it’s important to know which ones contain glucose and carbohydrate to help you work out what effects they will have on your blood glucose levels. 

1 pint 568ml Ale, 17g carbs, 170cals 2 units, 568ml Lager, 8g carbs, 187cals, 2 units, 568ml Stout, 9g carbs,170cals, 2 units,  568ml Cider, 24g carbs, 239cals, 3 units, 275ml WKD Blue, 36g carbs, 216cals, 1 unit, 50ml Irish Cream 11g carbs, 163cals 1 unit

Have a look at the table below: In each case, two similar drinks are shown i) a high sugar option and ii) a low-sugar version, together with the verdict on which is lower carb option.

Alcoholic drinkCarbohydrate per servingEquivalent in sugar cubesAlcohol units per servingCalories per serving
25 ml vodka and 100 ml coke 
vs 
25ml vodka and 100ml diet coke
10.6 g 
 
 
Trace 

 
 

 
 
95 
 
 
52 
Lower carb option = vodka and diet cokeNo carbs compared to 10gNo added sugarSame amount of alcohol 43 calories less per drink 
275ml bottle Smirnoff Ice 
vs 
275ml bottle Smirnoff Mule 
20 g 
 
 
7 g 

 
 
1.5 
 
 
1.5 
180 
 
 
130 
Lower carb option = Smirnoff Mule13 g carbs less 5 sugar cubes less Same amount of alcohol 50 calories less per drink 
Pint Tennent’s Lager 
vs 
Pint dry cider 
vs 
Pint sweet cider 
8 g 
 
 
15 g 
 
25 g 

 
 

 
10 
2.2 
 
 
2.2 
 
2.1 
166 
 
 
206 
 
241 
Lower carb option = lager 8g carbs compared to 15–25 g 3 – 7 sugar cubes lessSame amount of alcohol 40–75 calories less per drink 
An Aftershock to finish 10 g  4 111 

You can see the contents of similar drinks can actually vary a lot and can have the same alcohol content but quite different carbohydrate levels. Have a look at this detailed guide about what’s in your drink.




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