# Does alcohol have calories?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-have-calories/146420>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 3, 2003, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-have-calories/146420 "2003-01-03T15:08:06Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![MsRobyn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/90ced4/32.png) [@MsRobyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsRobyn)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2003, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-have-calories/146420/21 "2003-01-03T20:09:47Z")

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People who drink a lot of booze tend to become accustomed to having a lot of sugar in their system. Not being a biochemist or MD, I have no earthly idea how the whole thing works, except that it’s not uncommon for newly-sober alcoholics to crave sugar. In fact, some AA material suggests eating candy as a way to deal with this (Living Sober, IIRC), and in days of yore, Karo syrup, which is almost pure sugar, was given to help ease the detoxification process.

Robin

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**Author:** ![hammerbach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/73ab20/32.png) [@hammerbach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hammerbach)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-have-calories/146420/22 "2003-01-04T07:12:54Z")

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“I’m on a 1200 calorie a day diet.”

“Really? how do you handle the hunger pangs?”

“Easy! After the 2nd six-pack I pass out.”

Beer gut is DEFINITLY a lifestyle thing.

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**Author:** ![Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/qadgop_the_mercotan/32/83_2.png) [@Qadgop\_the\_Mercotan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qadgop_the_Mercotan)\
**Post date:** [January 4, 2003, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-alcohol-have-calories/146420/23 "2003-01-04T13:59:07Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by The Gaspode \*  
> \*\* I’m sure it’s not the beer \*\*

No, it’s the beer. Most of the calories in beer come from carbohydrates, not alcohol, as was already pointed out.

There is some evidence that the body does metabolize _distilled spirits_ (not beer or wine) somewhat differently, utilizing fewer calories from the alcohol than would be predicted.

Here’s a thread with a lot of info about the calories from various alcohols. In it, I defer to **lucwarm** ’s superior knowledge.

[http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=79298](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=79298)

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