The calories in alcohol, drink by drink
It’s easy to overlook, but alcohol is a genuine source of calories. A pre-dinner drink, a couple of glasses of wine at dinner, and the whole day’s numbers shift. Here’s how it actually adds up.
Where alcohol’s calories come from
Alcohol provides 7 kcal per gram, almost as much as fat (9 kcal) and nearly twice as much as carbs or protein (4 kcal). It’s one of the reference energy factors used by the FAO.
In the UK, one unit of alcohol contains 8g of pure alcohol. A standard glass of wine or pint of beer typically contains around 2 to 3 units. Each gram of alcohol alone adds up to roughly 7 kcal, so units add up fast.
| What’s in the glass | Calculation | Energy |
|---|---|---|
| 8g of pure alcohol (1 unit) | 8 × 7 | roughly 56 kcal |
| Sugars in the drink (sweet wine, beer, cocktail, mixer) | grams of sugar × 4 | on top |
Why a cocktail hits harder
On top of the alcohol come the sugars. A dry wine has very little, beer a bit more, a cocktail or a spirit topped up with a sugary mixer, a lot more. That’s why, in Kiloach, each drink type has its own calories per glass, which you can adjust if your usual drink is different.
How Kiloach counts your drinks
- Tap a drink and a glass gets added. Long-press to remove one.
- Every glass counts towards your calories eaten for the day.
- Your Stats show your weekly drinks, their calories and your alcohol-free days.
Drinking guidelines
The UK Chief Medical Officers recommend not regularly drinking more than 14 units a week, spread across three days or more, with several drink-free days each week, to keep health risks low. Kiloach flags this guideline in your Stats, without ever judging you.