# What is the Straight Dope on the calories in alcohol?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-straight-dope-on-the-calories-in-alcohol/261407>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 25, 2004, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-straight-dope-on-the-calories-in-alcohol/261407 "2004-08-25T05:19:05Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-straight-dope-on-the-calories-in-alcohol/261407/21 "2004-08-26T05:11:13Z")

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Actually, that last comment of mine was a poor attempt at that “Dry Aussie Wit” thing.

I seem, somehow, to have become the principle advocate of the proposition that [Cecil’s column](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a971128b.html) on the subject is [significantly wrong](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=57799), something I’m sure my buddy **Desmo** had in mind.

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**Author:** ![LuckySevens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@LuckySevens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LuckySevens)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-straight-dope-on-the-calories-in-alcohol/261407/22 "2004-08-26T06:27:01Z")

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> [@elfkin477](#):
>
> \<minor hijack\>  
> In my nutrition class a few years back we were told that they add cellulose (in the form of very finely ground saw dust!) to lowfat breads because while you can’t digest the cellulose, it’s filling and doesn’t have much taste. So if you can’t digest it, does it have calories?

Im guessing no, since calories is a way of saying ‘what the body can burn for energy’.

If it just gets pooped out, its not calories.

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**Author:** ![Desmostylus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c57346/32.png) [@Desmostylus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desmostylus)\
**Post date:** [August 26, 2004, 11:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-straight-dope-on-the-calories-in-alcohol/261407/23 "2004-08-26T11:07:18Z")

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> [@LuckySevens](#):
>
> Im guessing no, since calories is a way of saying ‘what the body can burn for energy’.
> 
> If it just gets pooped out, its not calories.

Yes, that’s correct. The earlier cite said:

> [@](#):
>
> Because carbohydrates contain some fiber that is not digested and utilized by the body, the fiber component is usually subtracted from the total carbohydrate before calculating the calories.

> [@Epimetheus](#):
>
> Alcohol may burn more effciently in a burner, but research suggest that it doesn’t metabolize so cut and dry.

Cellulose burns well in a burner, too, but because it’s _well established_ that it’s not easily digested by humans, it’s treated differently.

**Princhester** : Sorry I didn’t respond to your post earlier. I knew what you meant. I also probably should have said “not _merely_ inane…” 😉

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