Vodka and water is a popular drink choice for many people watching their weight. Vodka by itself is a low calorie liquor with around 100 calories per shot. Combining it with water further reduces the calorie content. This leads many people to believe that vodka and water is not fattening at all. However, the answer is more nuanced than that. There are a few factors to consider when determining whether vodka and water leads to weight gain. In this article, we’ll explore the following questions:
- How many calories are in vodka and water drinks?
- Does alcohol cause you to gain more weight?
- Can vodka and water fit into a healthy diet?
- What are lower calorie alternatives?
By the end, you’ll understand whether you can enjoy vodka and water without packing on unwanted pounds.
Calories in Vodka and Water Drinks
First, let’s break down the calorie content of vodka and water drinks.
Plain Vodka
Vodka alone is considered a low calorie liquor. A standard shot of vodka (1.5 fl oz) contains around 100 calories (1, 2).
That’s less than a 12 oz can of coke at 140 calories or a 12 oz beer at 150 calories. This makes vodka one of the simplest low calorie mixers for cocktails.
Vodka and Water
When you mix vodka with water, the calorie content comes down even more. Here’s a look at the calories for different vodka water ratios:
- Vodka (1.5 oz) + Water (4.5 oz): ~70 calories
- Vodka (1.5 oz) + Water (6 oz): ~55 calories
- Vodka (1 oz) + Water (1 oz): ~35 calories
As you add more water, the drink becomes even lower in calories. Some people choose to do a 1:1 ratio of vodka to water for the lowest calorie mixed drink.
Overall, the calorie content is quite low compared to other mixed drinks. For example, a vodka cranberry has around 200 calories while a vodka soda has about 130 calories (3).
Carbs in Vodka and Water
In addition to calories, cocktails can sometimes contain carbohydrates from mixers like juice or soda. The carbs in these drinks can add up quickly.
Luckily, vodka and water has no carbs. Vodka is straight alcohol, so there are no carbs. And water is non-nutritive, so it also has zero carbs.
This combination makes vodka and water a great low carb drink choice as well. Those on low carb or keto diets often rely on vodka and water to still enjoy cocktails without kicking them out of ketosis.
Does Alcohol Cause Weight Gain?
Based solely on calorie content, vodka and water seems like an ideal low calorie cocktail. But alcohol affects more than just calories. Research shows that drinking can influence weight in other ways.
Here are some of the effects that scientists have found:
- Decreased fat burning: Alcohol disrupts fat metabolism and suppresses fat burning for up to 24 hours after drinking (4).
- Increased appetite: Drinking before or during a meal can increase food intake by up to 16-21% (5).
- Altered gut bacteria: Chronic alcohol use can cause dysbiosis in your gut microbiome, which may promote weight gain (6).
- Lower inhibition: Alcohol lowers inhibitions, which may lead to more impulsive food choices while drinking (7).
- Extra liquid calories: The “empty” liquid calories in alcohol are not satisfying in the same way as solid food (8).
These influences depend on the amount and frequency of alcohol consumed. Moderate drinking 1-2 times per week likely has negligible effects. But heavier drinking can disrupt weight loss efforts.
Does Vodka and Water Cause Weight Gain?
Applying this research to vodka and water drinks, there are a few scenarios where it could potentially cause weight gain:
- Frequent heavy drinking: Consuming multiple vodka waters in one sitting multiple times per week can hinder fat burning, increase appetite, and alter gut flora.
- Mixing with caloric beverages: Some bars mix vodka with juice, soda or other high calorie beverages without calling it a vodka water.
- Increased food intake: Drinking vodka water before or during meals may lower inhibitions and lead to poor food choices.
However, for most people having 1-2 vodka waters a couple times per month, it’s unlikely to cause any measurable weight gain. The drinks themselves are under 100 calories. Problems arise when they are over-consumed.
Can Vodka and Water Fit Into a Healthy Diet?
Vodka and water can fit into a healthy diet in moderation. Here are some tips for enjoying them without overconsuming calories or alcohol:
- Count them into your calorie target for the day.
- Hydrate with water before and after drinking.
- Avoid high calorie mixers like juice, soda, or cream liquors.
- Limit yourself 1-2 drinks max.
- Eat before drinking to prevent intoxication and impulsive food choices.
- Choose low calorie snacks like veggies and hummus in case you get hungry while drinking.
If you stick to vodka with zero calorie mixers like water, keep intake moderate, and make healthy food choices, then you can likely enjoy it without adverse effects on your weight goals.
However, it’s best to minimize heavy drinking and avoid vodka and water if you have struggled with problem drinking or alcohol abuse in the past.
Lower Calorie Alternatives to Vodka and Water
If you want to cut back on calories even further, here are some alternatives to vodka and water with less than 50 calories per serving:
- Vodka soda water: 25 calories (9)
- Vodka seltzer: ~25 calories
- Vodka and diet tonic: ~25 calories
- Vodka and sparkling water: 0 calories
- Vodka spritzer: ~30 calories
Seltzer, sparkling water, tonic, and club soda are interchangeable. Avoid regular tonic or colas as those contain sugar and more calories.
Diet mixers using artificial sweeteners also work well for cutting calories. Combining these with 1 shot of vodka keeps the drink under 50 calories.
For the lowest calorie option, opt for plain sparkling water. It has 0 calories and you still get the bubbly, flavored sensation.
The Bottom Line
Here is a summary of the key points:
- Vodka and water is a low calorie drink at less than 100 calories per serving.
- Drinking alcohol can influence weight through reduced fat burning, increased appetite, gut bacteria changes, lowered inhibition and empty liquid calories.
- In moderation, vodka water likely has minimal effects on weight for most people.
- To prevent overconsumption, hydrate properly, avoid high calorie mixers, limit intake to 1-2 drinks, and make healthy food choices.
- Alternatives like vodka soda water, vodka seltzer, and vodka with diet tonic provide even fewer calories.
Overall, vodka and water can be a low calorie cocktail option when consumed sensibly as part of a healthy diet. Limiting intake to 1-2 servings max will help prevent adverse effects on your weight goals. If you tend to overdo it with alcohol, then it may be best to avoid vodka waters altogether and choose one of the lower calorie alternatives.
