What liquor has the best macros for a low-carb diet?

November 14, 2025 •

4 min read

Did you know that alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, making it more calorie-dense than both carbohydrates and protein? For those tracking macronutrients, understanding what liquor has the best macros is a key consideration for balancing social life with dietary goals.

Quick Summary

An in-depth look at the macronutrient profiles of different alcoholic beverages. This guide reveals which distilled spirits and mixers offer the most macro-friendly choices for various diets and fitness routines.

Key Points

Pure Spirits Are Zero-Carb: Distilled spirits like vodka, gin, tequila, and whiskey have virtually no carbs or sugar.
Mixers Determine Macros: The real macro impact comes from mixers; use zero-calorie options like club soda to keep your drink macro-friendly.
Alcohol Slows Fat-Burning: Your body prioritizes metabolizing alcohol, which can temporarily halt fat burning and other metabolic processes.
Dry Wine is a Good Alternative: Dry varieties of wine offer lower carb counts than many other options, typically 3-5 grams per glass.
Avoid Sugary Liqueurs and Cocktails: Creamy liqueurs and cocktails with syrups are loaded with empty calories and carbs, making them poor choices for macro tracking.
Budget for Alcohol Calories: With 7 calories per gram, alcohol calories need to be accounted for in your total daily intake, often tracked as extra carbs or fat.
Moderation is Key: Even with macro-friendly drinks, excessive alcohol consumption can negatively impact your overall health and fitness goals.

Alcohol, while a source of calories, is not a traditional macronutrient and provides little to no nutritional value. When you consume alcohol, your body prioritizes metabolizing it over other macros, which can slow down fat-burning processes. This makes informed choices about your drinks critical for those who are watching their macro intake.

Understanding Alcohol and Macros

When it comes to macros, not all alcoholic drinks are created equal. The most important distinction to make is between pure spirits and mixed drinks. Pure distilled spirits—such as vodka, gin, and whiskey—are your best bet for keeping carbohydrate and sugar content at zero. Any carbs or sugar in your drink are almost always from added mixers, such as sodas, juices, or syrups.

The Impact of Mixers

High-sugar mixers can quickly turn a macro-friendly drink into a high-calorie, high-carb indulgence. For example, a vodka soda with a lime wedge is virtually carb-free, while a vodka cranberry is loaded with sugar. Opting for zero-calorie or low-sugar mixers is the best way to control the overall macro count of your cocktail. Good choices include:

Club soda or seltzer
Diet cola
Fresh lime or lemon juice
Low-sugar tonic water
Herbal teas (e.g., adding to vodka or gin)

The Top Contenders: Zero-Carb Spirits

For those on a keto or other very low-carb diet, pure distilled spirits are the clear winners. The distillation process removes sugars, leaving only alcohol and water. Here are some of the top zero-carb options:

Vodka: Often cited as one of the lowest-calorie liquors, unflavored vodka contains about 97 calories per 1.5 oz shot. Its neutral flavor makes it a versatile mixer.
Gin: Like vodka, gin contains zero carbs per 1.5 oz shot and has about 97 calories. Flavor comes from botanicals, primarily juniper berries.
Tequila: Made from the agave plant, blanco or silver tequila is a zero-carb, low-calorie choice, with around 97 calories per shot. Anejo and reposado varieties may have trace sugars from aging.
Whiskey/Bourbon: These barrel-aged spirits are also zero-carb options. A 1.5 oz shot of whiskey contains approximately 105 calories.
Rum: Unflavored light, dark, and spiced rums all contain zero carbs, with around 97 calories per 1.5 oz serving. Flavored or sweetened rums should be avoided.

Comparison Table: Macros in Popular Alcoholic Drinks


Drink Type	Serving Size	Calories (approx.)	Carbs (approx.)	Notes
Pure Spirit (Vodka, Gin, Tequila)	1.5 oz shot	97-105	0g	Varies by proof. Macros depend entirely on mixers.
Light Beer	12 oz can	90-100	2-6g	A better choice than regular beer, but not carb-free.
Dry Wine (Red or White)	5 oz glass	120-125	3-5g	The drier the wine, the lower the residual sugar and carbs.
Champagne (Brut)	4 oz glass	~80	Low	A festive, lower-calorie sparkling option.
Regular Beer	12 oz can	150+	10-15g	Significantly higher in both carbs and calories.
Sweet Liqueurs (e.g., Baileys)	1.5 oz shot	107+	11g+	Loaded with sugar and carbs; a poor choice for macros.
Sugary Cocktails (e.g., Margarita)	1 serving	200+	20g+	Calories and carbs come from added syrups, juices, and mixers.

Macro-Friendly Alternatives: Beyond Pure Spirits

If straight spirits aren't your preference, there are still excellent choices to be made:

Dry Wine: For wine lovers, sticking to dry varieties is key. A standard 5-ounce glass of dry red wine, like a Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Noir, contains around 3–4 grams of carbs. Dry white wines like Pinot Grigio are also a great low-carb option. Always opt for 'brut' or 'extra brut' when choosing champagne or sparkling wine.
Hard Seltzers: The popularity of hard seltzers stems from their typically low calorie and carb counts. Brands often offer options with as few as 2 grams of carbs per can.
Light Beer: A good compromise if you're a beer drinker. Light beers usually have 90 to 100 calories and fewer carbohydrates than their full-bodied counterparts.

The Worst Offenders: What to Avoid

To protect your macros, you should steer clear of:

Creamy Liqueurs: These are essentially dessert in a glass, with very high sugar and carb content.
Sugary Cocktails: Drinks like margaritas, mojitos with sugar, or cosmopolitans use high-sugar mixers that significantly increase their macro load.
Flavored Rums and Vodkas with Added Sugar: Be cautious with flavored spirits, as some contain added sugars. Read the labels carefully.
Regular Beer: While fine in moderation, regular beer is much higher in calories and carbs than a light beer option.

Conclusion: Making the Best Macro Choices

For the best macros, pure, unflavored distilled spirits like vodka, gin, and tequila are your top choices, as they contain zero carbs and low calories. The crucial factor is what you mix them with; always choose zero-calorie mixers to keep your drink macro-friendly. If spirits aren't your style, dry wines, brut champagne, and light beers offer reasonable alternatives. By being mindful of your choices, you can enjoy a drink without completely derailing your dietary progress. Learn more about the calories in specific drinks and their health effects.

Your Macro-Friendly Drinking Game Plan

Lists are a great way to summarize information. Here is a simple plan for making smart choices:

Select Your Spirit: Choose unflavored vodka, gin, tequila, or whiskey.
Pick a Zero-Calorie Mixer: Pair your spirit with club soda, diet soda, or a squeeze of lime.
Opt for Dry Wines: When drinking wine, choose drier options with low residual sugar.
Embrace Light Beers: If you prefer beer, switch to a light version to cut calories and carbs.
Steer Clear of Sugar: Avoid sugary liqueurs, creamy drinks, and complex cocktails with syrups.
Stay Hydrated: Alternate alcoholic drinks with water to manage the effects of alcohol and stay hydrated.

Remember, moderation is key for both your health and your macro goals. Consuming alcohol, regardless of its macro profile, can still affect your overall health and fitness progress.

Frequently Asked Questions

Among pure distilled spirits, unflavored vodka typically has the lowest calorie count, at about 97 calories per 1.5 oz shot. The key is to consume it neat or with a zero-calorie mixer like club soda to keep the count low.

Yes, you can drink pure distilled spirits like vodka, gin, tequila, and whiskey on a keto diet because they are zero-carb. The challenge is ensuring your mixers are also sugar-free to stay in ketosis.

It depends. Dry wine generally offers a better macro profile than regular beer, with lower carbs per serving. However, a light beer can be more macro-friendly than a sweeter dessert wine.

Alcohol contains 7 calories per gram. Some people log these calories against their daily carb or fat budget, since alcohol can affect the metabolism of these macros. Many fitness apps also have ways to track alcohol calories directly.

Empty calories are those that provide energy but offer no nutritional benefit, such as vitamins, minerals, or fiber. Alcohol calories are considered empty because they add to your total intake without contributing essential nutrients.

The best mixers are zero-calorie or very low-sugar options. These include club soda, diet tonic water, diet sodas, and fresh citrus juices like lime or lemon. These add flavor without significantly increasing your calorie or carb intake.

When you drink alcohol, your body treats it as a toxin and prioritizes metabolizing it to remove it from your system. This process puts the brakes on your body's ability to burn fat for energy, which can temporarily halt your fat loss progress.

While many clear liquors like vodka, gin, and tequila are zero-carb, you should still check for added sugars, especially in flavored varieties. Some producers add sweeteners to combat bitterness.