Nutrition Diet: What liquor has no carbohydrates?

November 3, 2025 •

4 min read

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), drinking less or not at all is better for your health, but for those on low-carb diets, the question remains: What liquor has no carbohydrates? The answer lies in the distillation process, which removes all sugars and starches, leaving behind a zero-carb spirit.

Quick Summary

Pure distilled spirits like vodka, gin, and whiskey contain zero carbohydrates due to the distillation process. In contrast, mixers and flavored versions often contain added sugars, which can increase carb content. Moderation is key for weight management, even with carb-free alcohol, as the body prioritizes burning alcohol over fat.

Key Points

Pure Distilled Spirits are Carb-Free: Unflavored spirits like vodka, gin, whiskey, and tequila contain zero carbohydrates because the distillation process removes all sugars.
Mixers are the Hidden Carb Source: The majority of carbs in many alcoholic drinks come from sugary mixers like soda, juice, or sweetened syrups, not the pure alcohol itself.
Choose Sugar-Free Mixers: To keep your drink carb-free, opt for mixers like club soda, plain water, diet tonic, or a squeeze of fresh citrus.
Alcohol Has Calories: Even with zero carbs, alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. The body burns alcohol for energy before fat, which can slow down weight loss.
Moderation is Essential: For those on low-carb diets, especially keto, alcohol tolerance can be lower, and excessive drinking can hinder progress toward dietary goals.
Flavored Spirits Contain Carbs: Be wary of flavored vodkas, spiced rums, or other flavored liqueurs, as they often have added sugars.

For individuals managing their carbohydrate intake, understanding the nutritional content of alcoholic beverages is essential. While many popular drinks like beer and sugary cocktails are high in carbs, a specific category of alcohol can be incorporated into a low-carb or ketogenic diet: pure distilled spirits.

The Science of Distillation: How Carbs are Removed

Alcohol is not inherently a carbohydrate, and the process of distillation is what separates the pure alcohol from the carbs found in the original ingredients.

The process begins with fermentation, where yeast consumes sugars from a source—such as grains for whiskey, potatoes for vodka, or agave for tequila—and converts them into ethanol and carbon dioxide. At this stage, the liquid still contains residual sugars and other byproducts.

Distillation is the next step, where this fermented liquid is heated in a still. Because alcohol has a lower boiling point than water, it vaporizes first. This vapor is then captured and cooled, condensing back into a liquid with a much higher alcohol concentration. During this process, the carbohydrates and other non-alcoholic components are left behind, resulting in a pure, unflavored spirit that is zero-carb. The final proof is then achieved by adding water.

Zero-Carb Spirits: Your Low-Carb Liquor List

If you are following a low-carb diet, these unflavored, pure distilled spirits are your best options. When consumed straight, on the rocks, or with a zero-carb mixer, they contain no carbohydrates.

Vodka: Can be made from various ingredients like potatoes, grains, or grapes, but the distillation process removes all carbs.
Gin: A spirit flavored with botanicals like juniper berries, but without added sugars, it remains carb-free.
Rum (unflavored): Made from sugarcane byproducts, but after distillation, the pure rum is zero-carb. Spiced or flavored rums will contain carbs.
Tequila (100% agave): Distilled from the agave plant, pure tequila has no carbs.
Whiskey/Bourbon/Scotch: These spirits are made from fermented grain mash but are completely carb-free after distillation.
Brandy/Cognac: Distilled from fermented fruit juice, these spirits also end up with zero carbs.

The Carb Trap: Mixers and Flavored Spirits

While pure spirits are carb-free, the overall carb count of your drink depends on what you mix it with. Many common mixers are loaded with sugar, turning a zero-carb drink into a carb bomb.

Common High-Carb Mixers:

Regular soda and tonic water
Fruit juices, like orange or cranberry juice
Sweet syrups and liqueurs
Sweet and sour mix

Low-Carb or Zero-Carb Mixers:

Club soda or sparkling water
Diet soda or diet tonic water
A splash of water
A squeeze of fresh lime or lemon juice
Muddled herbs like mint

A Comparison of Alcoholic Beverages

For those tracking nutritional intake, here's how some common beverages stack up in terms of carbohydrates per standard serving. A standard serving of liquor is 1.5 oz, wine is 5 oz, and beer is 12 oz.


Beverage Type (Pure & Unflavored)	Standard Serving	Carb Content (grams)	Notes
Vodka, Gin, Tequila, Rum, Whiskey	1.5 oz	0g	Pure distilled spirits
Dry Wine (Red or White)	5 oz	2-5g	Varies by sweetness
Light Beer	12 oz	2-6g	Varies by brand
Regular Beer	12 oz	10-15g	Higher due to malt sugars
Sweet Cocktail (e.g., Margarita)	~8 oz	20-30g	Carbs primarily from mixers

Drinking Responsibly on a Low-Carb Diet

While pure spirits have zero carbs, it is crucial to remember that alcohol still contains calories—about 7 calories per gram, which is more than protein or carbs. The body metabolizes alcohol before it processes other nutrients like fat, which can temporarily pause weight loss or fat-burning efforts.

For those on a ketogenic diet, in particular, consuming alcohol can quickly affect blood sugar levels and temporarily disrupt the state of ketosis. It is also important to note that many people experience a lowered tolerance for alcohol when following a low-carb diet, so moderation is especially important.

Hydrate Properly: Alcohol is dehydrating. To counteract this, drink plenty of water alongside your alcoholic beverages.
Read Labels: Always check labels for flavored spirits, as they often contain added sugars and sweeteners.
Know Your Limits: Pace yourself and know your personal tolerance, as it may be lower on a low-carb diet.

Conclusion: Making Informed Choices

For those seeking alcoholic options that fit into a low-carb diet, the definitive answer to what liquor has no carbohydrates is any pure, unflavored distilled spirit. By choosing vodka, gin, whiskey, or tequila and pairing it with a zero-carb mixer like club soda, you can enjoy a drink without consuming carbs. However, it is always important to remember that alcohol contains calories and that moderation is key, especially if your primary goal is weight management or staying in ketosis. Making smart choices with both your spirits and your mixers allows for greater control over your dietary intake. For more information on managing alcohol consumption, reputable health organizations such as the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) can provide guidance.

Frequently Asked Questions

A pure spirit, like plain vodka or whiskey, has undergone distillation to remove carbohydrates and other impurities, leaving it carb-free. A flavored spirit, such as a flavored vodka or a spiced rum, has had sugars or other sweeteners added after distillation, introducing carbohydrates into the drink.

While consuming a pure, zero-carb spirit won't directly 'kick you out' of ketosis by adding carbs, your body will prioritize metabolizing the alcohol before it burns fat for energy. This can temporarily halt fat-burning and slow down your ketogenic progress.

No. While dry wines (e.g., Pinot Grigio, Cabernet Sauvignon) can be relatively low in carbs (around 2-5g per glass), sweet dessert wines and fortified wines contain significantly higher amounts of sugar and should be avoided on a low-carb diet.

A simple and refreshing zero-carb cocktail is a vodka soda. It's made with pure vodka, club soda (or sparkling water), and a squeeze of fresh lime or lemon for flavor. Using diet tonic water can also make for a zero-carb gin and tonic.

Alcohol itself (ethanol) is a macronutrient with caloric value. It contains 7 calories per gram, which is more energy-dense than carbohydrates and protein, even though it provides no nutritional value.

Regular beer is high in carbs and not suitable for a strict low-carb diet. However, many light beers are specifically brewed to have fewer carbohydrates, with some containing only 2-6 grams per serving. It is best to read the label and consume them in moderation.

For those on a keto diet, pure, unflavored distilled spirits like vodka, gin, and whiskey are the best options due to their zero-carb content. They can be enjoyed on their own or with a zero-carb mixer like club soda.