For anyone watching their carb intake who also enjoys an occasional drink, bourbon is worth knowing about. I started looking into this when I went low-carb a few years back and didn’t want to give up whiskey completely.
The Short Answer
Bourbon has essentially zero carbs. A standard 1.5-ounce pour contains no carbohydrates. The distillation process removes the sugars that were in the original corn mash.
This makes bourbon one of the friendliest spirits for low-carb diets, right alongside vodka, gin, and other distilled liquors.
How That Works
Bourbon starts with a mash that’s at least 51% corn – definitely a carb-heavy grain. But during fermentation, yeast eats the sugars and converts them to alcohol. Then distillation further separates the alcohol from everything else.
By the time bourbon reaches your glass, the carbs are gone. The calories come entirely from the alcohol itself – about 97 calories per 1.5-ounce serving.
Compare That to Other Drinks
A regular beer has 10-15 grams of carbs. Light beer has 3-6 grams. Wine runs about 3-4 grams per glass. Cocktails made with sugary mixers can hit 30+ grams easily.
Bourbon neat or on the rocks? Zero carbs.
Where People Get Into Trouble
Mixers add up fast. Regular cola has over 20 grams of carbs per serving. Ginger ale, tonic water, juice – they all add carbs to an otherwise carb-free drink.
If you’re watching carbs but want a mixed drink, try bourbon with diet soda, sparkling water, or club soda with a squeeze of citrus.
Flavored Bourbons
Watch out for flavored varieties. Some have added sugars that bump up the carb count. Honey bourbon, apple bourbon, cinnamon bourbon – check the labels or assume they have extra sugar.
Stick with standard bourbon and you’re in the clear.
One Caveat
Zero carbs doesn’t mean healthy. Alcohol affects blood sugar, metabolism, and judgment (including judgment about what to eat). For people with diabetes or on strict medical diets, talk to your doctor before assuming bourbon fits your plan.
For everyone else just trying to reduce carbs while enjoying an occasional drink, bourbon is a solid choice.
