# New Bacardi: Zero Carbs, 0 SUGAR? How is this possible? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 19, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018 "2004-05-19T19:24:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Stonebow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Stonebow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stonebow)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/1 "2004-05-19T19:24:24Z")
I was watching tv the other night and saw an ad for this new product. It is Bacardi Rum that claims to have 0 Carbs (I assume ‘grams of carbohydrate’ in the new atkinspeak) and _0 sugar_. How is this possible? Isn’t rum distilled sugar cane? Are we fermenting splenda now? Any explanation of the mechanics of this would be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![dolphinboy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dolphinboy/32/330_2.png) [@dolphinboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dolphinboy)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 7:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/2 "2004-05-19T19:32:04Z")
Here’s some info… but no mechanisms. [http://www.aboutatkinsdiet.com/carbcounter\_folder/alcohol\_carb\_counter.htm](http://www.aboutatkinsdiet.com/carbcounter_folder/alcohol_carb_counter.htm) ---
**Author:** ![GilaB](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/8e7dd6/32.png) [@GilaB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GilaB)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 7:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/3 "2004-05-19T19:51:36Z")
I think that if all of the sugar is either fermented into alcohol or somehow removed from the final product, it’d be possible to have a ‘carbless’ rum. Atkins acolytes are allowed some alcohol, which doesn’t count toward their carb count. IIRC, alcohol actually is a carbohydrate in the biochemistry sense of the word, just not the Atkinsonian - I’m assuming that the ‘zero carbs’ thing means carbs-as-defined-by-Atkins, because otherwise they’re advertising an alcohol-free rum. Somehow I doubt there’d be a huge market for it. ---
**Author:** ![Jadis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/87869e/32.png) [@Jadis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jadis)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/4 "2004-05-19T21:00:25Z")
According to the USDA standards for reporting nutritional content, alcohol is its own category, it is not included with carbohydrates. For example, try looking up “Rum” using [this link to the USDA Nutrient Data Laboratory](http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp/search/). It lists 0 g carbohydrates and 33.4 g of Alcohol, ethyl. This holds true for pretty much all distilled liquors (vodka, rum, gin, whiskey, etc.), but not for cordials and other flavored liquers that would have sugar added. I see a number of references in Google that support the fact that sugar in the original liquid being fermented is turned to alcohol during the distillation process. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/5 "2004-05-19T21:43:09Z")
Distillation separates molecules according to their boiling points. Ethyl alcohol boils at 78°C Sucrose _melts_ at 186°C, and normally decomposes into black goo long before you can get it hot enough to boil. Carbohydrates, being long chains of sugars, tend to have even higher melting points than simply sugars. Many decompose before melting. There’s no way that sugars or carbohydrates are ever going to distilled over in the same fractions that contain alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 19, 2004, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/6 "2004-05-19T21:47:32Z")
Sugar is turned into alcohol by the **fermentation** process. The alcohol is separated from the mash by **distillation**. Distillation is performed after fermentation is complete. Distillation does **NOT** convert sugars into alcohol. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/7 "2004-05-20T01:07:00Z")
Good answers here. Food manufacturers have been getting around the FDA rules for years by using weasel words. Something can be “sugar-free” and be loaded with sugars. ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [May 20, 2004, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/8 "2004-05-20T03:19:20Z")
Carbohydrates are “primary biological means of storing or consuming energy”. Ethanol is a waste product of yeast metabolism, not a means of storing energy for organisms. Carbohydrates have the general formula Cm(H2O)n. So therefore ethanol isn’t a carbohydrate. **Chefguy** Were you saying that the alcoholic beverage mentioned in the OP (OP rum :)) contains sugars? [ref:](http://www.chem.qmw.ac.uk/iupac/2carb/) ---
**Author:** ![Eleusis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Eleusis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eleusis)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2004, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/9 "2004-05-21T06:07:26Z")
For the record, this isn’t “New Bacardi” at all. They haven’t changed anything, they just started advertising 0 carbs for the atkins freaks. ---
**Author:** ![Muad\_Dib](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/35a633/32.png) [@Muad\_Dib](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Muad_Dib)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2004, 6:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/10 "2004-05-21T06:14:31Z")
How many calories are in a 1 oz. shot of Bacardi? ---
**Author:** ![Saranga](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Saranga](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saranga)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2004, 7:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/11 "2004-05-21T07:08:04Z")
From the Bacardi website: 65 Calories in Bacardi Superior. That’s the one advertised with 0 g carbs and 0 g sugar. Funny, I just read that on a billboard today and was going to ask about it. So how does alcohol work compared to carbohydrates? Does it raise blood sugar? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2004, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/12 "2004-05-21T13:20:31Z")
> [@antechinus](#): > > **Chefguy** Were you saying that the alcoholic beverage mentioned in the OP (OP rum :)) contains sugars? No, I believe I was saying exactly what I said. I _may_ not have been saying what I said, as I often don’t understand what I’m saying or what others say I’m saying, but in this case I think I said what I said and not the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![DesertDog](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desertdog/32/11503_2.png) [@DesertDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DesertDog)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2004, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/13 "2004-05-21T16:36:17Z")
> [@Muad'Dib](#): > > How many calories are in a 1 oz. shot of Bacardi? According to Dr. Dean Edell, alcohol is 6 calories per gram, 50% more than carbs or protein, two-thirds that of fat (4, 4, and 9 respectively). The amount per shot would vary by proof, and calculating grams per fluid oz. hurts my brain. [This site](http://wine.about.com/cs/winemaking/a/calories.htm) pegs a 2.5 oz shot of 100 proof spirits at 120 calories ao **Saranga** ’s cite sounds close. DD ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2004, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/14 "2004-05-21T17:07:29Z")
Some good information regarding the breakdown of alcohols: [http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/nov2000/973532923.Bc.r.html](http://www.madsci.org/posts/archives/nov2000/973532923.Bc.r.html) ---
**Author:** ![Epimetheus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/c4cdca/32.png) [@Epimetheus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Epimetheus)\ **Post date:** [May 21, 2004, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/new-bacardi-zero-carbs-0-sugar-how-is-this-possible/246018/15 "2004-05-21T17:09:51Z")
> [@Saranga](#): > > Funny, I just read that on a billboard today and was going to ask about it. So how does alcohol work compared to carbohydrates? Does it raise blood sugar? My link above comes close to answering your question. I assume it works similar to non-diabetics, but I wouldn’t necessarily take my word for it. > [@](#): > > Consumption of ethanol by diabetics can elevate, or lower, blood sugar > levels, depending on whether the individual has recently eaten, or has been > fasting, and whether the individual chronically consume alcohol, or not > (Reference 3-4).