Calories from Alcohol
Energy from pure alcohol (ethanol) at 7 kcal per gram.
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Example
14 g (one drink) ⇒ 98 kcal
How it works
Alcohol provides energy because the body can metabolize ethanol and use part of its chemical energy, just like it does with carbohydrate and fat. In nutrition, pure ethanol is counted as about 7 kilocalories per gram, which is why multiplying grams of alcohol by 7 gives the calorie contribution from alcohol alone. This is useful for estimating the energy content of drinks, especially when comparing beverages with different amounts of alcohol.
When to use it
Use this formula when you want to estimate calories contributed by pure alcohol in a beverage or food product. It is also useful in nutrition tracking, diet planning, or when separating alcohol calories from calories coming from sugar, mixers, or other ingredients.
Worked example, step by step
Step 1: Identify the amount of alcohol. A = 21 g Step 2: Multiply by 7 kcal per gram. E_A = 7A = 7 × 21 Step 3: Calculate the energy from alcohol. E_A = 147 kcal Final answer: 21 g of alcohol provides 147 kcal from alcohol.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using the formula for the whole drink instead of only the ethanol content
- Confusing grams of alcohol with milliliters of beverage
- Adding alcohol calories to other ingredients without checking whether those calories are already included
Did You Know?
Alcohol calories are often called "empty" because ethanol delivers energy but virtually no vitamins or minerals.
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