Calories in Gin
Gin is one of the most popular alcoholic beverages and it is used as base for making numerous luscious beverages and drink recipes. In case you are not aware, there are three main types of alcoholic drinks, namely beers, wines and spirits. Gin belongs to the categories of various spirits like whiskey, rum and brandy and liquors. The distinct flavor of gin is derived from juniper berries and it was invented by a Dutch physician Franciscus Sylvius. There are various types of gin that are used in various styles. The most popular of them all is the London dry gin. No matter which type of gin you prefer or which cocktails you love to savor, being aware of the calories in gin is essential for you, especially if you are a health conscious person. To know more about gin calories, keep reading the following article that contains information related to nutrition facts of gin.
Information on Gin
Before discussing nutrition facts on gin, you need to understand the basic classification through which gin is divided. Talking on legal terms, there are two basic types of gin, namely distilled gin and compound gin. Distilled gin is made by re-distillation of neutral grain spirit with juniper berries, while compound gin is made by flavoring the neutral grain spirits without re-distillation. Alcohol by volume of both these types varies as per the legal specifications of various countries. For example, minimum gin bottle alcoholic strength in the EU is around 37.5% alcoholic beverage volume (ABV), while in the US it is around 40% ABV.
London dry gin consists of various other flavorings like lemon juice, lime peel, anise, orris root, cinnamon, coriander, dragon eye, bitter orange peel, cubeb, nutmeg, baobob, cassia, etc. Interestingly, it doesn't contain sugar and colorants and water is the only additive which is allowed to make this type of gin. Apart from London dry gin, which is a style of distilled gin, there are various other styles of gin that are famous in specific geographical regions of the world. Various types of London dry gin are used for making those sultry gin cocktails, martini recipes and shots.
For instance Plymouth gin, Kraki Brinjevec, Slovensk borovika, Ostfriesischer Korngenever, Old Tom gin, etc. Some of the popular gin cocktails include: white lady, gimlet, gin fizz, gin and tonic, gin bucket, 20th century, gin Rickey, old etonian, negroni, the last word, pimm's cup, fallen angel, pink gin, salty dog, Ramos gin fizz, Tom Collins, Satan's whiskers, Singapore sling, vesper, etc. Depending on various types of gin, the calories also vary greatly. An alcoholic beverage contains about 7 calories per gram, which is less than 2 from the calories in a gram of fat (9 calories). However, surprisingly, gin calories are really less, amongst rest of the types of alcoholic drinks, when it is combined with correct beverages.
Calories Present in Gin
How many calories that you consume every time you drink a pub shot or peg of gin? Well, one pub shot of gin which is 1 serving of 35ml contains 72 calories, while it contains 10.4 g of alcohol. It means about 3.6 oz (100 g) of gin contains 207 calories and 29.6 g of alcohol. This basic number of calories gets affected by the calorie content of the beverages that are mixed with gin. It also depends on which brand of gin that is used for making that drink. For instance, 25 ml Bombay Sapphire gin contains about 59 calories, while 1 oz Tanqueray gin contains about 75 calories. While if you mix gin with a tonic, you consume about 120 calories per single serving.
If you are in search of the best alcoholic drinks with least number of carbohydrates, then gin can be the best choice for you. However, if you are checking gin calories to cut back on obesity and weight gain, then you need to watch out for your daily alcohol intake. Alcohol makes you gain weight, which means the calories in gin might be less but it can still make you gain weight, if you consume it heavily. Gin nutrition facts clear that gin does not contain cholesterol, protein or fat. But it does contain traces of sodium, zinc, potassium, iron and magnesium. If you want to consume gin, then make sure that you combine it with healthy beverages like diet tonic water. Diet tonic water calories are quite sustainable. You can add a hint of lime juice and a few ice cubes in it.
Its calories might rate gin as a low calorie drink, as compared to many other foods and beverages. But is important to be aware of the side effects of consuming alcohol and use it in moderation. I hope information given in the above article was found useful! Cheers!
