by JJ Rusch

Created on: March 19, 2009

The nutritional value in alcohol (if you can call it that) is straight forward there is no protein, fiber, fat or salt and no significant sugar content, except in liqueurs and Alco pops.

Carb counters may be surprised to learn that vodka, gin, rum and whiskey have no carbs. Wine and champagne have .4 grams of carbs per oz., beer averages 1.1 gram per oz., and liqueurs start at 11 grams per oz. that's about it on the carb front. Calorie counters have their work cut out for them.

The calories in alcohol can creep up in the least expected places. If you want to avoid a surprise visit from the jeans police, do a little homework. First assignment: peruse the following list before your next libation.

Alco pops

Here's the lowdown on some of the most familiar 12 oz. brands: Smirnoff Ice, 228 calories, Bacardi Silver, 225 calories, Sky Blue, 235 calories, Henry's Hard Lemonade, 315 calories, (HUGE!), Jack Daniel's Hard Cola, 232 calories and Mike's Hard Lemonades, 240 calories. The good news is some of the light varieties taste pretty good. Mike's Light, at only 75 calories per bottle, is one of the best.

Beer & Wine

The average calories in a 12 oz. beer are 150. Light varieties range from the low end with brands like, Michelob Ultra and Amstel Light at 95 calories per 12 oz. serving, (Miller Light is 96), to Sam Adam's Light, which has 124 calories. The how-low-can-you-go bar drops down from there to the newer 64 calorie varieties, such as Beck's Light and Miller's 64. The Becks brand has that heavier Eurpoean taste to it and you can liken 64 as a watery ale - beer connosisseurs detest both of these brands.

Wine is 20 calories per oz.; an average 6 oz. glass of wine is 120 calories. A Bartle & James wine cooler is 210 calories and a 6.5 oz flute of champagne is 163. At 80 calories per serving, Spritzers, (4 oz. of wine mixed with club soda served in a tall glass over ice), are a great choice for lower alcohol and calorie intake.

Hard Liquor

Rule of thumb: calories increase with proof. 80 proof liquor has 65 calories per oz., 90 proof has 75+ and 100 proof has 100 calories per oz. Grain alcohol is 190 proof that's just shy of 200 calories per oz. Add in more liquor and/or mixers and it's easy to see how calorie consumption escalates quickly.

Standard sized mixed drinks average 200 calories each. For example, there are: 182 calories in a glass of Rum or Whiskey mixed with cola, (133 with diet pop), 178 in a Gin & Tonic, 262 in Pia Coladas, 111 in Daiquiris, 182 in

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