If you drink alcohol...

1.	Keep in mind that alcohol contains calories.

1 gram of carbohydrate or protein	4 calories	
1 gram of alcohol	7 calories	
1 gram of fat	9 calories	

2.	The calories in alcohol are “empty.”  They contain no nutrients like vitamins.
3.	Many alcoholic beverages contain extra calories from sugar, carbohydrate, or fat:

Drink	Calories	Fat (grams)	
Light beer (12 oz)	101	0	
Beer, regular, malt, or no alcohol (12 oz)	148	0	
Table wine, red or white (3 oz)	63	0	
Sweet dessert wine (3 oz)	90	0	
Wine coolers (12 oz)	About 200	0	
Liquor (e.g., gin, scotch, whiskey) (1 jigger, 1½ oz)	About 100	0	
Cocktails (e.g., Daiquiri, martini) (3 oz)	About 200	Varies	
Martini (gin and vermouth) (3 oz)	156	0	
Whiskey sour (3 oz cocktail)	123	0	
White Russian (3 oz), made w/cream	225	7	
Alexander w/gin (3 oz), made w/cream	236	9	
Grasshopper (3 oz), made w/cream	253	9	
Eggnog (1 cup)	342	19	

4.		If you do drink alcohol, follow these tips:
C		Don’t drink on an empty stomach.
C		Alternate alcoholic and nonalcoholic drinks.
C		Sip slowly.  Make one drink last a long time.
C		Notice the effects of drinking.  Stop before over-doing it.