A shot of tequila has 97 calories, zero carbs, and zero sugar. Learn how tequila compares to other drinks and tips for keeping your drinks light
Tequila just might be the most diet-friendly spirit on the shelf. A standard 1.5 oz shot contains just 97 calories with zero carbs, zero sugar, and zero fat. Among alcoholic drinks, it doesn’t get much cleaner than that.
But that 97-calorie shot can easily balloon into a 500-calorie frozen margarita if you’re not paying attention. This guide breaks down tequila’s nutritional profile by type, compares it to beer, wine and other spirits, exposes where mixers sneak in extra calories, and gives you practical tips for drinking smarter without giving up the good stuff.
A standard 1.5 oz shot of tequila has approximately 97 calories. All of those calories come from the alcohol itself, which packs 7 calories per gram. Pure tequila has zero carbs, zero sugar, and zero fat. It’s one of the cleanest spirits you can pour if you want to celebrate a special moment but don’t want to derail your diet.
Here’s how tequila calories scale by serving size:
The NIAAA (National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism) defines a standard drink as any beverage containing 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is exactly what you get in 1.5 ounces of 80-proof (40% ABV) tequila. Most tequilas sit at 80 proof, though some clock in at higher concentrations. A 100-proof tequila would contain more alcohol per ounce, which means slightly more calories. But for standard tequila, 97 calories per shot is what you can expect.
Tequila is nutritionally simple. What you see is what you get: calories from alcohol, and nothing else. No vitamins or minerals in any meaningful amount. No hidden macros to track.
Here’s the complete breakdown for a standard 1.5 oz shot:
Those 14 grams of alcohol account for every calorie in your glass. Alcohol has 7.1 calories per gram, making it more energy-dense than carbs or protein (4 calories per gram each) but less than fat (9 calories per gram). Research shows that alcohol ranks as the ninth largest contributor to daily energy intake in the American diet, which is worth keeping in mind if you’re counting calories.
Fortunately, there are zero carbs and zero sugar in tequila. And it all comes down to how tequila is made. Blue Weber agave starts out loaded with natural sugars, but fermentation converts those sugars into alcohol. Then, distillation strips out everything except alcohol and water. By the time tequila hits your glass, the sugars are long gone.
One important thing to keep in mind is that this tequila nutritional breakdown is for pure 100% agave tequila. Mixto tequilas or flavored tequilas may contain added sugars that change the equation.
Does blanco have fewer calories than añejo? Does reposado have more calories than blanco because it’s aged longer? The short answer is, not really. All pure 100% agave tequilas have identical calorie counts regardless of how long they’ve spent in a barrel:
Here’s how the tequila types compare in terms of calories:
Pure tequila is low-calorie compared to other spirits like beer, wine, and whiskey. If you’re choosing an alcoholic drink based on calorie efficiency, tequila is pretty much as good as it gets:
According to USDA data, a 1.5-ounce pour of 40% ABV spirit comes with 97 calories, while a 5-ounce glass of wine runs about 124 calories and a 12-ounce regular beer hits 153 calories. Tequila ties vodka, rum, and gin for the lowest-calorie spirits, and it has a major advantage over beer and wine: zero carbs. That said, one sugary margarita can easily match the calories of two or three beers, so the mixer matters more than the spirit.
Though pure tequila might be low-calorie, mixers are where everything goes sideways. That 97-calorie shot can easily become a 400-calorie drink once you start adding margarita mix, juice, syrup, and toppings. A frozen margarita from a restaurant can pack 300 to 500 calories depending on size and recipe.
Here’s what common tequila mixers add to your drink:
If you want to keep things light in your tequila cocktails, use these instead:
To keep it simple, always look for fresh ingredients over pre-made mixes, sparkling water over soda, and skip the syrup or use just a splash of agave.
Cocktail calories can be wildly different based on recipe, portion size, and where you’re drinking. A margarita at one bar might run 200 calories. The same drink at another spot could be 400. Here’s how many calories are in popular tequila cocktails:
The lowest calorie options keep things simple. Tequila soda with lime comes in at around 100 calories. Ranch water is only 100 to 120 calories and a skinny margarita made with fresh lime juice and minimal agave can be as low as 130 calories depending on how heavy-handed the pour is.
If sipping neat tequila isn’t for you, there are still plenty of cocktails you can enjoy without having to splurge on calories. Here are some tips to keep your tequila cocktails more low-cal:
You’ve probably seen headlines claiming that tequila helps with weight loss, strengthens bones, or regulates blood sugar. But before you start justifying shorts as self-care, let’s be realistic about what those claims actually mean.
Let’s start with the good news. Pure 100% agave tequila has zero carbs and zero sugar, which makes it compatible with low-carb and keto diets. It’s lower in calories than beer and wine per standard serving. Quality tequila contains no additives, colorings, or artificial ingredients. And since it’s made from agave, tequila is naturally gluten-free for anyone avoiding wheat, barley, or rye.
However, those headlines about agavins (the sugars found in agave plants helping with weight loss or blood sugar management don’t really apply to tequila. The distillation process removes agavins entirely. By the time agave becomes tequila, those compounds are long gone. Tequila won’t strengthen your bones, cure anything, or cancel out the burger you just ate. It’s still alcohol, and alcohol carries real health risk when consumed in excess.
The bottom line is, tequila doesn’t belong on the health foods aisle at the grocery store. No spirit does. But if you’re going to drink, it’s one of the cleaner options available. What matters most isn’t which alcohol you choose, but how much and how often you drink it. Moderation beats optimization every time.
You can absolutely enjoy tequila without derailing your goals. These simple habits keep the calories in check while letting you enjoy what’s in your glass:
León Y Sol is made from 100% blue Weber agave sourced from Los Altos de Jalisco. No additives, no colorings, no artificial flavors. Just agave, water, and time in American and French oak barrels.
The nutritional profile is exactly what you’d expect from tequila: approximately 97 calories per shot, zero carbs, zero sugar. Nothing hidden, nothing extra.
Our Reposado is built for sipping. The coffee and caramel notes from our barrel program mean you don’t need calorie-heavy mixers to make it taste good. Pour it neat over a single ice cube and enjoy it as intended. When you choose quality tequila, you’re choosing a cleaner drink.
A shot of tequila has about 97 calories, zero carbs, and zero sugar. Among spirits, it doesn’t get much cleaner than that. Blanco, reposado, and añejo all clock in at the same number. The calories hide in the mixers, not the tequila itself.
Stick to 100% agave, skip the pre-made mixes, and use fresh ingredients when you’re making cocktails. Or better yet, sip it neat and skip the extras entirely. Try León Y Sol Blanco or Reposado for a premium, additive-free tequila that tastes good enough to drink on its own.
A standard 1.5 oz shot of tequila has about 97 calories. All calories come from the alcohol since pure tequila has zero carbs, sugar, and fat.
No. Pure 100% tequila contains zero carbs and zero sugar. The distillation process removes all sugars that were present in the agave plant.
Tequila and vodka are nearly identical for weight-loss purposes. Both have about 97 calories per shot with zero carbs. Neither is necessarily better.
A classic margarita has anywhere from 200 to 300 calories. Frozen margaritas usually exceed 500 calories because they’re larger. A skinny margarita made with fresh lime can have as few as 130 calories.
Yes, pure tequila has zero carbs, making it compatible with ketogenic diets. Just avoid sugary mixers and stick to club soda or fresh lime.
