Low-Carb Diets and Alcohol: What You Need to Know

Low-carb diets have gained popularity among people aiming to lose weight and boost their health. These diets typically cut out high-carb foods like refined grains, starchy vegetables, fruits, and legumes, focusing instead on healthy fats and proteins.

Many individuals on low-carb plans also reduce their alcohol intake, assuming that alcoholic drinks are high in carbohydrates. While it's true that many popular beverages contain carbs, alcohol itself is not a carbohydrate. Let’s explore this further.

What Are Carbohydrates?

Carbohydrates are a macronutrient found in many foods and drinks. Our bodies convert them into glucose (sugar) to provide energy. The amount of carbs we eat affects our blood sugar: high intake can raise levels, while too little can cause them to drop.

There are three main types of carbohydrates:

• Starches: Found in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, these are complex carbs that take longer to break down, helping maintain stable blood sugar and keeping you full longer.
• Fibers: Present in plant-based foods, fiber isn’t broken down by the body but aids digestion, regulates blood sugar, lowers cholesterol, and promotes satiety.
• Sugars: These simple carbs include natural sugars (like those in milk and fruit) and added sugars. They break down quickly, causing rapid spikes and drops in blood sugar—often called a "sugar crash."

Is Alcohol a Carbohydrate?

Many people assume alcoholic drinks like beer are high in carbs and raise blood glucose. However, alcohol doesn’t convert to sugar in the body. In fact, while carbs and sugar increase blood sugar, alcohol has the opposite effect—it can cause levels to drop.

Here’s why: the liver processes food into energy, usually as glucose. But when alcohol enters the system, the liver prioritizes breaking it down because it’s seen as a toxin. While the liver is busy metabolizing alcohol, it’s less effective at regulating blood glucose, leading to a drop in sugar levels. This happens even if you eat high-carb or sugary foods while drinking.

Simply put, once alcohol is in your bloodstream, your liver focuses on detoxifying your body. When alcohol is broken down, it turns into carbon dioxide and water—not sugar.

Does Alcohol Contain Carbohydrates?

Although alcohol isn’t a carb, many alcoholic drinks do contain carbohydrates. For example, beer is rich in carbs due to its starch content; a 12-ounce serving can have 3–12 grams of carbs.

Mixed drinks often have high carb counts from added sugars, juices, sweeteners, and syrups. A margarita might have around 13 grams of carbs, and a piña colada about 32 grams.

Even wines contain carbs—dry varieties included—since fermentation leaves some residual sugar. The only alcoholic beverages with zero carbs are distilled spirits like vodka, rum, whiskey, gin, and tequila. The distillation process removes all carbohydrates.

Alcohol Contains No Nutritious Value

From a nutritional perspective, alcohol provides calories but little else. These are "empty" calories, offering few vitamins, minerals, or essential nutrients.

Alcohol is the second most calorie-dense substance after fat, with 7 calories per gram. Adding just one serving daily can contribute hundreds of extra calories without providing protein, fiber, or important micronutrients.

Over time, excessive drinking can lead to weight gain, especially if you don’t adjust your diet to account for the extra calories. Research indicates that heavy alcohol use can block fat burning and hinder weight loss.

Not only does alcohol lack proteins, minerals, and vitamins, but it can also interfere with the absorption and use of key nutrients like vitamins B1, B12, folic acid, and zinc, all crucial for good health.

The negative impacts of alcohol on health are numerous. If you're looking to improve your relationship with alcohol and adopt a healthier lifestyle, Quitemate can help guide you on your journey.