Alcohol and food equivalents

Originally the HCG diet protocol by Dr. Simeon didn’t mention or consider alcohol. Historically those who do drink and those who may even be borderline alcoholics have had success with the HCG diet. By following the regimen as instructed the HCG diet itself will interrupt their drinking habits. Some of these users even acknowledged that they didn’t even feel like drinking while on the program since HCG affects the hypothalamus gland which, in part, controls the emotional, eating and drinking section of the brain.


Alcoholic drinks are high in calories, particularly common types of drinks such as beer and cocktails. Calories from alcohol are 'empty calories', meaning they have no nutritional value. Most alcoholic drinks contain traces of vitamins and minerals, but not usually in amounts that make any significant contribution to our diet. We’ve collected some of the most surprising food and alcohol equivalents to visually show just how calorific alcoholic drinks can be.


If you ever want to know the exact calorie content of a specific drink, be sure to check out our alcohol unit and calorie calculator.



Calories in wine

Just one large glass of wine has the same calorie content as many indulgent foods. If you choose to drink alcohol, why not try switching to a smaller glass - a 125ml glass of wine contains 114 calories, half the calories of a large glass.

Calories in Pimm's

Two glasses of Pimm’s has as many calories as a bagel, and will provide none of the energy your body needs. An alternative, and equally refreshing option could be a mocktail - click here for our mocktail recipes.

Calories in gin
Although a gin & tonic is commonly portrayed as a diet friendly drink, the amount of calories in gin means that this is really not the case. Just two glasses are the calorie equivalent of a chocolate pancake. Why not avoid all those calories by livening up a plain tonic with some lemon and lime slices and some fresh mint?


Calories in alcopops

Alcopops may be relatively small in volume, but you only have to drink one to consume the same amount of calories as in a slice of ham and pineapple pizza. This is due to the high sugar content, making the drink bad news for your waistline if you drink a lot of them.



Calories in rum

Another common spirit and mixer option, rum and coke, is also more fattening than you might expect. Two singles have the same number of calories as a whole bag of chocolate buttons!


Calories in beer

A sirloin steak may be high in calories, but is also full of protein, which helps your body to grow and repair itself. Beer on the other hand, is full of empty calories which provide your body with no nutritional value. What’s more, drinking alcohol actually slows down your body’s fat burning processes, as after you drink alcohol the body prioritises getting rid of it. Read more on our calories in alcohol page.


Calories in champagne

Knowing that a glass of champagne has the same number of calories as a chocolate digestive might make you think twice about getting your glass topped up after a celebratory toast.


Calories in cider

Last but not least, you might be surprised that a pint of cider can contain as many calories as a sugar doughnut! So instead of ordering a pint, opt for a half pint or space out a bottle of cider by filling your glass with some ice first.


So, what can you do?


Now that you’re familiar with the number of calories in gin, cider and other alcoholic drinks, our calorie calculator is a great place to find out how many extra calories you’re consuming through any alcohol you drink. We’ve got lots of great advice on how to cut down if you are keen to start drinking less or stop drinking all together.


Our MyDrinkaware tool will help you to track drinks over time, and makes it easy to see your calorie consumption at the end of the week. If you want to track drinks wherever you are, consider downloading our alcohol tracking app, which will record what you drink and give you personalised tips.






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