Calories in Beer
Source: USDA FoodData Central · Regular, 5% Abv · Data verified by CaloriesCalc
43
kcal
per 100ml
0.46
g
Protein
0.0
g
Fat
3.55
g
Carbs
0.0
g
Sugar
142
kcal per bottle (330ml)
244
kcal per pint (568ml)
43
kcal per 100ml
🍺
Source: USDA FoodData Central · Regular, 5% Abv · Data verified by CaloriesCalc
* % Daily Value based on a 2,000 kcal diet.
| Component | Amount | % Daily Value | Bar |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alcohol | 5% ABV | — | |
| Folate | 21µg | 5% | |
| Vitamin B6 | 0.05mg | 3% | |
| Riboflavin | 0.04mg | 3% | |
| Niacin | 0.51mg | 3% | |
| Potassium | 27mg | 1% | |
| Magnesium | 6mg | 1% | |
| Sodium | 4mg | 0% | |
| Phosphorus | 14mg | 1% | |
| Calcium | 4mg | 0% |
| Volume | Calories | Sugar | Carbs |
|---|
Calories from alcohol (7 kcal/g) + carbs. Regular beer: ~5% ABV, 43 kcal/100ml. Light beer: 3.5% ABV, ~30 kcal/100ml. Strong beer: 8-10% ABV, 65-75 kcal/100ml. Stout: ~45 kcal/100ml. The body prioritises alcohol metabolism, temporarily pausing fat burning.
Alcohol is metabolised by the liver as a priority before fats, proteins, and carbohydrates. The body treats alcohol as a mild toxin and dedicates its metabolic resources to clearing it first. During alcohol metabolism, fat oxidation is essentially paused. This means that food consumed alongside alcohol is more likely to be stored as fat than it would be in the absence of alcohol. This mechanism — independent of alcohol calories — contributes to weight gain beyond what calorie math predicts.
Beer contains meaningful B vitamins derived from the brewing yeast — particularly folate (5% DV per 100ml), B6, riboflavin, and niacin. These contributions are not trivial in cultures where beer is consumed regularly. Some research suggests moderate beer consumption marginally improves B vitamin status compared to spirits or wine. However, alcohol also depletes B vitamins (particularly B1/thiamine) through impaired absorption and increased urinary excretion.
Beer is one of the richest dietary sources of orthosilicic acid — a highly bioavailable form of silicon. Silicon is associated with bone formation and connective tissue health. A 2009 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition study found moderate beer consumption (0-1 drink/day) was positively associated with total bone density in women. Ales and IPAs have more silicon than lagers due to malted barley content.
The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) classifies alcohol as a Group 1 carcinogen — the highest risk category. Alcohol consumption increases risk of mouth, throat, oesophagus, liver, colon, and breast cancer. Importantly, cancer risk increases linearly from zero consumption — there is no 'safe' threshold. Each drink per day above zero is associated with incrementally higher cancer risk. This fundamentally limits any positive framing of alcohol for health.
Nutrition values from USDA FoodData Central. Not medical advice.