Pure 100% agave tequila has zero grams of sugar. Learn why tequila is sugar-free and how to spot mixto tequilas with hidden additives.
Pure 100% agave tequila has zero grams of sugar. No added sugar, no residual sugar after distillation. Nothing sweet hiding in the bottle.
For the two-thirds of Americans actively trying to limit their sugar intake, tequila is one of the cleanest spirits you could choose. The production process eliminates every trace of the natural sugars that start in the agave plant, leaving you with a pure, zero-sugar spirit.
But not all tequila is created equal, and not all tequila drinks are sugar-free. This guide covers why pure tequila has no sugar, where sugar hides in tequila drinks, and what to watch out for with flavored varieties and mixto tequilas.
No, pure 100% agave tequila contains zero grams of sugar per serving. A standard one-ounce pour of tequila has about 64 calories, and every single one of those calories comes from the alcohol, not sugar. Zero carbs, zero fat, zero protein, zero sugar. Just alcohol and water.
The sugar in the agave plant disappears during production. Blue Weber agave plants spend years accumulating natural sugars called fructans. When the agave is cooked and fermented, the yeast consumes those sugars and converts them into alcohol and carbon dioxide. Then, distillation takes over, heating the liquid until the alcohol vaporizes and passes through.
But sugars don’t vaporize. They get left behind. By the time tequila reaches your glass, the sugar is completely gone.
This applies to all types of tequila. Blanco, reposado, añejo, and extra añejo. It doesn’t matter how long it aged or what barrel it sat in. If it’s 100% agave tequila, then it has zero sugar. The important caveat here is “100% agave.” Mixto tequila, which only requires 51% agave, is a different story. We’ll get into that.
How tequila is made tells you all you need to know. Each step either transforms or eliminates the sugars that start in the agave plant, leaving you with a completely sugar-free spirit. Here’s how:
By step five, all the sugar has completely disappeared. What remains is pure distilled spirit.
Does aging affect sugar content? Does añejo have more sugar than blanco because it tastes sweet? Both no. All pure 100% agave tequilas have zero sugar regardless of type or how long they’ve spent in a barrel. Here’s a clear table of the sugar content by type of tequila:
Aged tequilas like reposado taste sweeter because of vanilla and caramel notes extracted from the barrels. These are flavor compounds called lactones and vanillins, not actual sugars. Your tongue perceives some sweetness, but there’s nothing caloric behind it. The sweetness is aromatic, not chemical. A reposado might taste sweeter and smoother than a blanco, but both register zero grams of sugar on a nutritional label.
Not all tequila is created equal, and this distinction matters if you’re watching your sugar intake.
100% agave tequila is made entirely from blue Weber agave. No other sugar sources enter the equation. The fermentation converts all agave sugars into alcohol, distillation removes any trace amounts, and the final product contains zero sugar. This is what you want.
Mixto tequila, on the other hand, only needs to be 51% agave. The remaining 49% can come from other sugars like cane sugar or corn syrup. While those sugars also ferment, mixto is where things get murky. Some brands add sweeteners, caramel coloring, or flavorings after distillation. Less regulation, less transparency, more potential for hidden sugar.
This is what you need to know:
Pure tequila has no sugar. Tequila drinks are a completely different story. The sugar isn’t in the spirit, but in everything around it.
Mango, strawberry, jalapeño, coconut, you name it. Flavored tequilas have exploded in popularity, but many add sugar or artificial sweeteners after distillation. Some contain five to 10+ grams of sugar per serving, turning a zero-sugar spirit into a dessert. Always check labels on flavored varieties. A few premium brands use natural infusions without added sweeteners, but don’t assume. Verify.
This is where the real damage happens. Pre-made cocktail mixes are the biggest offenders, and with 63% of American adults drinking sugar-sweetened beverages every day, these habits add up fast. This is the sugar content you can expect from popular tequila mixers:
Frozen margaritas can pack 30 to 50+ grams of sugar in a single glass. The American Heart Association recommends women consume no more than six teaspoons of sugar daily and men no more than nine. One frozen margarita blows through that entire limit in a few sips. House margaritas often use pre-made mixes, and even sweetened rim salts add extra sugar. Ask for skinny versions or specify fresh lime juice and minimal agave.
This is the sugar content you can expect in the most popular tequila cocktails:
Tequila stacks up pretty well against other popular drinks when it comes to sugar:
Pure distilled spirits are all sugar-free. The distillation process doesn’t discriminate. Vodka, whiskey, rum, gin, and tequila all have zero grams of sugar. Where tequila pulls ahead of wine and hard cider is the combination of zero sugar, zero carbs, and being naturally gluten-free. Wine has both, and hard cider is basically liquid sugar.
The real comparison isn’t between spirits. It’s between what you mix with them. A tequila soda has zero sugar. A vodka cranberry has 30 grams of sugar. The spirit isn’t the problem.
Tequila’s zero sugar and zero carb profile makes it seem like an ideal choice for diabetics. But the reality is a bit more complicated.
Pure tequila won’t spike blood sugar directly. No carbs, no sugar, no immediate glucose impact. But alcohol affects blood sugar in other ways. It can actually lower blood sugar, especially when drinking on an empty stomach. Alcohol also interferes with the liver’s ability to release glucose and can interact with diabetes medications. The mixers are another concern too, as a frozen margarita with 40 grams of sugar will absolutely wreck your blood glucose levels.
Follow these tips if you have diabetes and choose to drink tequila:
This is general information, not medical advice. Consult a healthcare professional for guidance tailored to your needs.
The internet loves to spread misinformation about tequila and sugar. Here’s what’s really true:
León Y Sol’s Blanco and Reposado are 100% blue Weber agave from Los Altos de Jalisco. Zero sugar, zero carbs, zero additives. Just pure highland tequila made for the moments that matter. When you’re celebrating a win, toasting with friends, or savoring a night worth remembering, you shouldn’t have to worry about what’s hiding in your glass. With León Y Sol, nothing is.
Pure 100% agave tequila has zero sugar. The sugar hides in mixers, flavored varieties, and mixto tequilas pretending to be something they’re not. With Americans actively cutting back on added sugar intake by 20% in recent years, more people are paying attention to what’s in their glass.
Stick to quality tequila and fresh ingredients. Skip the pre-made mixes. Read the labels on anything flavored. Try León Y Sol and taste what tequila is supposed to be.
