Kraken rum has become an increasingly popular brand of rum in recent years, known for its distinctive black bottle and imagery of the legendary Kraken sea monster. As the low carb and keto diet trend has grown, many people are wondering if Kraken rum can fit into a low carb lifestyle. In this in-depth article, we’ll examine the carb and calorie content of Kraken rum as well as how it fits into a low carb or keto diet. We’ll also look at how Kraken rum is made and what ingredients are used in the distillation process. Read on to learn everything you need to know about the carb and calorie content of Kraken rum.
Nutritional Facts for Kraken Rum
Let’s start by looking at the nutritional facts and carb content of Kraken rum. Here are the key stats for a 1.5 oz (one shot) serving of Kraken Black Spiced Rum (94 proof):
- Calories: 97
- Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 0g
- Protein: 0g
As you can see, Kraken rum contains 0g of carbohydrates per serving. This means it is generally considered a low carb and keto friendly alcohol option. For comparison, most light beers contain 5-10g of carbs per serving while most wines have 3-5g of carbs. Spirits like rum, whiskey, vodka and gin typically have 0g carbs unless flavorings or added sugars are present.
So in terms of carb content, Kraken rum is about as low carb as you can get when it comes to alcohol. The main caloric content (97 calories per serving) comes from the alcohol itself, rather than carbohydrates or sugars.
How Is Kraken Rum Made?
To better understand why Kraken rum is low in carbs, let’s look at how it is made. Kraken rum is produced by Proximo Spirits at a distillery in Trinidad. Here is the basic process for how Kraken black spiced rum is made:
- Sugar cane is harvested and the sugar cane juice is extracted.
- The sugar cane juice goes into large fermentation tanks where yeast is added. This process converts the natural sugars into alcohol.
- The fermented molasses is then distilled in copper pot stills. Distillation involves heating the liquid to separate out the alcohol from the solids and water.
- The resulting clear, high proof rum is aged for 12-24 months in American oak barrels, which gives Kraken its signature flavor and amber color.
- After aging, the rum is filtered, diluted to 94 proof, and bottled.
- Natural spice extracts and flavors including cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and vanilla are added to give Kraken its bold, black spiced flavor profile.
As you can see from this process, no sugars or carbohydrates are added during the production of Kraken black spiced rum. The sugar cane juice undergoes fermentation to convert the natural sugars to alcohol. Distillation then separates out the pure alcohol, leaving behind any residues from the sugar cane.
So essentially, any carbohydrates from the original sugar cane are removed during production, leaving behind 0g carbs in the finished product. This makes Kraken an ideal low carb or keto-friendly liquor option.
Is Kraken Keto-Friendly?
Since Kraken rum contains 0g of carbs, it is generally considered a keto-friendly alcohol choice. The ketogenic or “keto” diet involves restricting carb intake to 20-50g per day in order to achieve ketosis, a metabolic state where the body burns fat for fuel.
On a strict keto diet, alcohol is often avoided since it can slow progress. But most keto dieters can still enjoy an occasional low carb drink like Kraken without getting knocked out of ketosis.
Here are some tips for drinking Kraken rum on a keto diet:
- Stick to 1-2 servings max. Too much alcohol can inhibit ketosis.
- Drink Kraken straight or mix with zero carb mixers like soda water or diet soda.
- Avoid high sugar mixers like juice, tonic water or cola.
- Drink plenty of water to stay hydrated.
- Don’t drink on an empty stomach to minimize the alcohol impact.
While Kraken rum is low in carbs, it’s still important to enjoy in moderation on a keto diet. But it can definitely be an occasional keto-friendly drink option.
How Many Carbs in Spiced and Black Kraken?
Kraken rum comes in a few varieties, including their 94 proof Black Spiced rum and a lower proof Kraken Spiced rum. Here is a breakdown of the carb content in 1.5 oz of each:
- Kraken Black Spiced Rum (94 proof): 0g carbs
- Kraken Spiced Rum (70 proof): 0g carbs
Both the Black Spiced and standard Spiced Kraken rums contain 0g of carbohydrates per serving, so they are equal in terms of carb content. The main difference between the two products is the alcohol proof, with Black Spiced being a higher 94 proof compared to 70 proof for the original spiced rum.
So no matter which product you choose, you can enjoy Kraken rum on a low carb or keto diet. The spice flavors like cinnamon, vanilla, ginger come from natural extracts that do not add any sugars or carbs.
Carb Content in Kraken Cocktails
While Kraken rum is low carb on its own, some popular Kraken cocktail recipes can contain higher amounts of carbs based on added ingredients. Here’s a look at the carb counts in some common Kraken rum drinks:
Kraken and Diet Coke: 0g carbs
Kraken and Cola: 36g carbs (from 12oz can of regular cola)
Kraken and Ginger Beer: 15g carbs (from 12oz can ginger beer)
Kraken Punch: 48g carbs (from fruit juice and simple syrup)
As you can see, mixing Kraken with sugar-free beverages like diet soda or soda water will create the lowest carb options. Combining it with high carb mixers like juice, ginger beer or cola will increase the drink’s overall carb count.
To keep your Kraken cocktails low carb, opt for zero carb mixers or use low carb alternatives like:
- Diet tonic or soda
- Seltzer water
- Lite ginger beer
- Sugar-free energy drinks
- Unsweetened almond milk
Using these low or no carb mixers allow you to enjoy the spiced rum flavors of Kraken while maintaining low carb goals.
Kraken Rum Nutrition Facts
Here is a recap of the nutrition facts in 1.5oz (one shot) of Kraken Black Spiced Rum:
- Calories: 97
- Fat: 0g
- Carbs: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
And for a larger 1.75oz serving (one jigger):
- Calories: 113
- Fat: 0g
- Carbs: 0g
- Protein: 0g
- Sugar: 0g
As you can see, the main calories in Kraken rum come from alcohol, with no calories from carbohydrates or sugar.
The calorie content is similar to other popular rums:
| Rum (1.5oz) | Calories | Carbs |
|---|---|---|
| Kraken Black Spiced Rum | 97 | 0g |
| Bacardi Superior Rum | 96 | 0g |
| Captain Morgan Original Spiced Rum | 105 | 0g |
| Malibu Coconut Rum | 103 | 5g |
So Kraken rum has very comparable calories and carbs to other popular rum brands like Bacardi and Captain Morgan. The only difference is that Malibu contains some natural sugars from the coconut flavoring that adds 5g of carbs per serving.
Does Kraken Have Sugar or Additives?
Some consumers wonder if Kraken rum contains added sugars or additives since it has such a bold, sweet, spiced flavor profile.
According to the manufacturer, Kraken Black Spiced Rum contains no added sugars, sweeteners, or artificial additives. The sweet molasses and vanilla flavors come from compounds extracted during the distillation process and the aging in oak barrels.
The spiced flavor is added using a proprietary blend of natural spice extracts including cinnamon, cloves, ginger and other botanicals. So while Kraken tastes sweet and spicy, it does not actually contain any added sugar compounds.
This is what allows it to have 0g carbs despite the bold and complex flavors. The sugar cane juice is fully fermented and distilled leaving behind alcohol that is then flavored.
Does Kraken Have Gluten?
Kraken rum is also considered gluten-free, which is important for people following gluten-free diets for health reasons.
Most distilled spirits like rum, vodka, whiskey, and gin are gluten-free since the distillation process removes gluten proteins from the original grains or starches used to make the alcohol.
Kraken rum is produced using molasses made from sugar cane rather than wheat, barley, or rye grains. So there is no exposure to gluten during the production process.
The distillation then removes any residual compounds, and no gluten ingredients are added during bottling or flavoring. Independent gluten testing has verified Kraken as gluten-free to less than 10 ppm (parts per million).
So people avoiding gluten for health reasons like celiac disease can feel comfortable drinking Kraken rum in moderation. Those with severe gluten sensitivities should still use caution and check with a doctor.
Low Carb Kraken Cocktail Recipes
Here are some delicious low carb cocktail recipes using zero carb Kraken Black Spiced Rum:
Kraken and Diet Coke
– 1.5 oz Kraken Rum
– 4 oz Diet Coke
– Lime wedge garnish
Kraken and Zevia
– 1.5 oz Kraken Rum
– 4 oz Zevia Ginger Root Beer
– Lime wedge garnish
Kraken and Lime Seltzer
– 1.5 oz Kraken Rum
– 4 oz Lime flavored seltzer water
– Lime wedge garnish
Kraken and Sugar-Free Red Bull
– 1.5 oz Kraken Rum
– 4 oz Sugar-free Red Bull
– Lime wedge garnish
Kraken Caribbean Mule
– 1.5 oz Kraken Rum
– 4 oz Diet Ginger Beer
– 2 oz Pineapple Juice
– Lime wedge garnish
These provide just a few tasty low sugar, low carb cocktail ideas with Kraken Black Spiced Rum. Get creative mixing Kraken with various zero carb sodas, seltzers, energy drinks or other low carb mixers.
Bottom Line
So in summary, here’s the bottom line on whether Kraken rum is low carb and keto-friendly:
- Kraken rum contains 0g of carbs and sugar per serving.
- It’s made from sugar cane juice that is fully fermented and distilled, removing carbs and gluten.
- No sugars or additives are added during processing and flavoring.
- This makes Kraken an ideal low carb and keto alcohol choice.
- Kraken is also gluten-free to less than 10 ppm.
- Mix with diet soda, seltzer or sugar-free mixers for low carb cocktails.
- Enjoy Kraken rum in moderation along with a low carb lifestyle.
So the verdict is that Kraken can definitely fit into a low carb, keto, gluten-free or low sugar diet. Its smooth flavor and spice makes it an ideal choice for zero carb rum cocktails. Just be mindful of added carbs from high sugar mixers.
Hopefully this guide has provided everything you need to know about enjoying Kraken rum while maintaining low carb diet goals. Let the Kraken spice up your low carb cocktails!
