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What if you’re the type of person who normally drinks more than one beer in a sitting? In that case, even hard seltzer might not be the right choice for you. If you drink three servings, after all, you’re only cutting your caloric intake from about 450 calories to 300 calories. You might be better off if you choose a drink that packs more of a punch in each serving, such as vodka. Vodka has the fewest calories per serving of any spirit.
A 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof vodka contains 96 calories, which is about the same as a can of hard seltzer – but the alcohol concentration is significantly higher. If you’re drinking 80-proof vodka, a 1.5-ounce shot contains .6 oz of alcohol. That’s the same alcohol content as in a 12-ounce can of hard seltzer. Since vodka is a more concentrated source of alcohol, though, you’ll feel buzzed much more quickly. If you’re only going to have one drink instead of two or three, you can add some flavorings like fruit juice or bitters, and you’ll still consume fewer calories overall.
Is it possible that the best low-calorie beer alternative could be – beer? If you haven’t tried light beer in a while, this is an excellent time to do so. Brewers have perfected their light beer recipes, so they’re just as delicious as normal beer.
Budweiser Select, for example, contains just 55 calories per can. However, there is a catch: The alcohol content is only 2.4 percent. Most of the caloric content in light beer comes solely from the alcohol, so there isn’t really a way to reduce the calories further without reducing the alcohol. If you drink more light beer to make up for the lower alcohol content, you’re not really lowering your consumption of calories.
Other popular mainstream light beers include:
One of the harsh realities of life is that some of the best-tasting foods and drinks are not particularly good for your waistline. That’s because calories come from things like alcohol, carbohydrates, sugar and fat. Beer is high in carbohydrates – and it can be high in alcohol – and those are two reasons why it tastes as great as it does.
Thankfully, there are plenty of lower-calorie beer alternatives that can be just as tasty and satisfying. If you’d like to reduce your beer consumption and lose a few extra pounds for summer, there have never been as many delicious options as there are right now.