How Many Carbs Are in Vodka

How many carbs are in vodka? People trying to lose weight can benefit from knowing how many carbohydrates are in their favorite alcoholic beverages. Calories are important to consider as well.

Alcohol can throw a diet off track.

Weight loss programs like Atkins Diet promote high-protein, low-carbohydrate eating. The weight loss programs force the body to use stored fat because very few carbs are included in the eating plans. The weight loss occurs when the body relies on stored fat for energy that it would normally get through carbohydrates in foods.

Low carbohydrate diets continue to be very popular, but knowing what foods have no carbs isn't enough for optimal success. It is important to consider beverages as part of your daily intake, a notion that may get past many dieters. Those who want to lose weight and those who want to maintain a healthy weight may want to take a close look at the beverages they consume, including vodka.

How many carbs are in vodka? The plain, clear variety has zero carbohydrates. However, the answer becomes a little more complicated when you consider other elements that come into play with drinking vodka while trying to stay on a low carb diet.

It is ironic that a beverage that is derived from potatoes is carbohydrate-free, and other ingredients listed on the [ Absolute Vodka website] are high in carbs:

• Wheat
• Yeast
• Enzymes

Flavored Absolute Vodka products contain natural berries, spices and fruits. Some of the ingredients naturally contain high levels of carbohydrates.

How can these ingredients translate into zero carbohydrates? It appears that the carbs are removed during the fermentation and distilling processes. The vodka contains no gluten in spite of its gluten-rich ingredients because of it is distilled and processed so thoroughly, according to the Absolute website.

Not all vodkas are created equally. A company like Absolute takes great care in the production of its products. However, some companies may use sugary syrups for flavoring after fermenting and distilling the vodka. This can translate into higher calories, and higher carbohydrates.

Another consideration to make is the mixer that you choose to use with the vodka. Many dieters use the following to create a low-carbohydrate drink:

• Water
• Soda water
• Crystal Light
• Diet soda

Avoid using fruit juices, tonic water, and sugary mixers. They can make the calorie and carbohydrate content of the drink skyrocket very quickly.

The University of Berkley Wellness Letter notes that there are no clear-cut answers to the question about weight control and alcohol consumption. Many alcoholics are underweight, but people who have addictive personalities may over indulge in alcohol, just as they may tend to over indulge in food.

The problem is conflicting results in various studies when it comes to weight control and alcohol. Some considerations to make before drinking while on a weight loss program of any sort include:

• Alcohol contains empty calories. While many low-carb diets do not focus on calories, the basic premise of weight loss is taking in fewer calories than you use. The calories in alcohol are empty because the substance offers no other nutritional value. This means that you have to eat less food and take in fewer nutrients if you plan to add alcohol to your diet.

• Willpower is lessened when you are under the influence of alcohol. It is more likely that a dieter will make poor decisions about food after a few drinks. Not only are you taking in extra calories with the beverage, you are also less likely to stick to your diet.

• The body metabolizes alcohol like sugar. Drinking this type of beverage immediately delivers high levels of energy into the body that have to be burned up before stored fat is used for energy. Vodka drinks can slow down your progress significantly because you are using the calories in the beverage instead of burning fat.

It is important to discuss any diet plan you adopt with your physician, especially if alcoholic beverages are involved. Chances are, one or two drinks per week won't interfere with your progress. However, your physician can offer the best advice about drinking and dieting.

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