Vodka is a popular spirit that is consumed in shots or mixed in cocktails around the world. Lemon vodka in particular has a crisp, refreshing taste that makes it a popular choice. But many vodka drinkers wonder: how many calories are in a shot of lemon vodka?
In this article, we’ll break down the calories and other nutrition facts for a standard shot of lemon vodka. We’ll look at how vodka and lemon juice are made, factors that affect calorie content, and do a comparison to other vodka varieties. Whether you’re watching your weight or just curious, read on to learn all about the calories in lemon vodka.
What is Vodka?
Vodka is a distilled spirit made most commonly from grains or potatoes. Traditional vodka is distilled to be a clear, flavorless, and odorless spirit. Most vodka on the market today is made from:
- Grains like wheat, rye, corn, or barley
- Potatoes
- Grapes
- Sugar cane
To make vodka, the base ingredient is first fermented into a beer-like mash. It is then distilled to concentrate the alcohol and remove impurities. This high-proof distillate is diluted with water to bring the alcohol content down to around 40% ABV (80 proof).
Vodka is valued for having little to no flavor or aroma of its own, allowing the flavors of mixers or infusions to come through. It has become popular to create flavored vodkas like lemon, vanilla, peach, and more. Flavors are added after the final distillation step.
How is Lemon Vodka Made?
Lemon vodka starts by being distilled into a neutral spirit like regular vodka. Then, lemon flavoring is added. There are a few main ways lemon vodka gets its citrus flavor:
- Infusion: Vodka is infused with lemon zest, lemon juice, or other lemon flavorings. The vodka soaks up the flavors as it rests.
- Essential oils: Lemon essential oil or oleoresins (solvent extracted oils) are used to add concentrated lemon taste.
- Natural flavors: “Natural flavors” like oils and extracts are used to provide lemon notes.
- Artificial flavors: In cheaper brands, artificial lemon flavoring is used.
Higher quality lemon vodkas use real lemon juice or zest to give an authentic, fresh lemon taste. Cheaper brands tend to use artificial flavorings. Lemon vodka gets its lemony color from added dyes rather than actual lemon content.
Standard Serving Size of Vodka
To determine the calories and nutrition in lemon vodka, we need to establish the standard serving size:
- One shot of vodka is 1.5 ounces
- One glass of vodka or vodka cocktail made with a single shot is generally around 5-6 ounces.
In bars and restaurants, vodka shots are served in 1 to 2 ounce pours. Cocktails like lemon drops, cosmos, or vodka tonics are made with 1.5 ounces of vodka, combined with other mixers and ingredients.
Nutrition information for vodka and its calorie content is based on 1.5 ounce shots. So to find out how many calories are in your drinks, you’ll need to adjust up or down depending on your actual pouring size.
Calories in a Shot of Plain Vodka
First, let’s look at the calorie content of plain vodka with no flavors added.
Plain vodka contains no carbohydrates, fat, fiber, or nutrients. A 1.5 ounce shot of plain vodka contains about:
- 97 calories
- 0g carbohydrates
- 0g fat
- 0g fiber
- 0g sugar
- 0g protein
The calories in vodka come purely from the alcohol itself. Alcohol provides 7 calories per gram.
The typical alcohol content of vodka is 40% ABV (80 proof). This works out to:
- 40% alcohol = 0.4 ounces alcohol per shot of vodka
- 0.4 oz alcohol x 7 cal/g = 2.8 calories
The remaining ~94 calories come from trace amounts of compounds and congeners that remain after distillation. But for simplicity’s sake, you can estimate a shot of vodka at about 100 calories.
Calories from Different Types of Vodka
While most vodka is around 40% ABV, some brands may have slightly higher or lower alcohol contents. This can alter the calorie count a bit.
| Vodka Type | Typical ABV | Calories (1.5 oz shot) |
|---|---|---|
| Regular (80 proof) | 40% | 97 calories |
| Low-proof (70 proof) | 35% | 85 calories |
| High-proof | 50% | 123 calories |
As you can see, higher proof vodka with more alcohol content has more calories. However, even among the same proof, small distilling differences can cause slight calorie variation between brands.
How Many Calories in Flavored Vodka?
Now that we know the calorie content of regular vodka, how do flavors like lemon change the calorie count?
On their own, flavoring ingredients like lemon juice and natural extracts have minimal calories and carbohydrates. So vodka flavored this way gains little to no calories when flavors are added:
- Lemon juice – 6 calories per ounce
- Lemon zest – 3 calories per ounce
- Lemon extract – 4 calories per teaspoon
- Essential oils – 0 calories
A shot of vodka contains only an ounce or two of total liquid. So a tiny amount of lemon juice or extract adds at most 1-3 calories to a serving.
The exception is vodka flavored with sugars or fruit juices. These add more measurable calories and carbs:
- Simple syrup – 52 calories per ounce
- Fruit juice – 35-50 calories per ounce
An ounce or two of these sweeteners starts to make a difference in the calorie count. However, lemon vodka rarely contains extra sugars or juice.
Does Lemon or Citrus Vodka Have More Calories?
Lemon and other citrus-flavored vodkas like orange, grapefruit, or lime generally have no extra calories or carbs added from flavoring. The calories in a shot of citrus vodka come almost entirely from the alcohol itself.
You can assume any clear, unsweetened citrus vodka has about:
- 100 calories per 1.5 ounce shot
- 0g carbs
- 0g sugar
So lemon vodka, orange vodka, and other clear fruit vodkas have the same calories and nutrition stats as unflavored vodkas. The fruit simply adds flavor without significantly adding calories.
Calories in Flavored Vodka vs Plain Vodka
Here’s a comparison of the calorie count of plain vodka versus several flavored vodkas:
| Vodka Type | Calories (1.5oz) |
|---|---|
| Plain vodka | 97 calories |
| Lemon vodka | 96 calories |
| Orange vodka | 96 calories |
| Vanilla vodka | 96 calories |
| Raspberry vodka | 100 calories |
| Cake vodka | 115 calories |
As you can see, plain and fruit flavored vodkas are virtually identical in calories and nutrition. However, sweet flavors like cake or whipped cream vodka add more carbs and calories from sugars.
Stick with clear, unsweetened flavors to get the standard ~100 calories per shot.
Calories in a Lemon Drop Cocktail
Now that we know the calorie count for straight lemon vodka, how does it change when made into cocktails and mixed drinks? Let’s look at one popular lemon vodka cocktail.
A lemon drop is made with:
- 1.5 oz lemon vodka (100 calories)
- 0.75 oz lemon juice (5 calories)
- 0.5 oz simple syrup (25 calories)
- 1 oz water or club soda (0 calories)
A typical 4 ounce lemon drop cocktail made with these ingredients contains about:
- 130 calories
- 12g carbohydrates
- 12g sugar
Nearly the all the calories in a lemon drop come from the 1.5 ounce shot of vodka. The lemon juice and simple syrup add a small amount of carbs and sugar.
You can reduce the calorie count by swapping sugar and syrup for zero calorie stevia or monkfruit sweetener. Using diet lemon soda instead of sugary lemon-lime soda as the mixer also cuts back on calories.
Calories in Other Lemon Vodka Cocktails
Here are the approximate calories for 1.5-2 ounce lemon vodka cocktails made with common ingredients:
| Cocktail | Calories (4oz) |
|---|---|
| Lemon martini | 140 calories |
| Vodka tonic | 100 calories |
| Lemon Cosmo | 170 calories |
| Lemon Berry Mojito | 130 calories |
As shown above, ingredients like fruit juices, soda, and syrups can quickly add calories to a flavored vodka drink. To keep the calorie count low, stick to low-calorie mixers like:
- Diet tonic or soda
- Seltzer water
- Club soda
- Juice squeeze
Or avoid mixers entirely and sip your lemon vodka on the rocks or in a martini for the lowest calorie option!
Does Vodka Have Carbs?
Plain vodka contains zero carbohydrates, as all the calories come from alcohol itself. Flavored vodkas also typically contain no carbs unless sugar or fruit juice is added.
Lemon vodka gets its flavor from lemon oils and zest, which add minimal carbs and sugar. You can enjoy lemon vodka cocktails without worrying about high carb intake.
Low Carb Vodka Cocktail Mixers
When making mixed drinks with lemon vodka or regular vodka, choose low-carb mixers to keep your carb intake minimal:
- Plain seltzer or club soda
- Diet tonic water or lemon-lime soda
- Fresh lemon or lime juice
- Cucumber, berries, or other low-carb fruits
Avoid conventional sodas, tonic water, fruit juices and sweeteners like simple syrups which can add plenty of carbs quickly.
Healthiest Ways to Enjoy Lemon Vodka
Vodka is considered one of the lower calorie alcoholic beverages, but alcohol does provide what nutritionists call “empty” calories and carbs. Is there a healthy way to enjoy lemon vodka? Here are some tips:
- Mix with calorie-free beverages like seltzer or club soda to avoid adding extra carbs and calories from sugary mixers.
- Drink a glass of water in between each cocktail to stay hydrated.
- Avoid sugary cocktail mixes with simple syrups, fruit juices, regular sodas or tonic water. Choose “skinny” or low-calorie versions instead.
- Sip your drink slowly to make it last and avoid overconsumption of calories.
- Eat a protein and fiber-rich meal before or while drinking to help slow absorption and avoid blood sugar spikes.
Moderation and smart mixology allow you to enjoy the crisp flavor of lemon vodka while keeping calories and carbs reasonable.
FAQs
Does lemon vodka have sugar?
Lemon vodka itself contains no sugar. The lemon flavor comes from distilled lemon oils and zest, without added sugars. However, lemon vodka cocktails often contain simple syrup, juice, or soda to sweeten them and add lemon flavor. Read cocktail ingredients carefully and use sugar-free alternatives to avoid unwanted sugars.
Is Tito’s lemonade vodka keto-friendly?
Tito’s lemonade vodka is NOT keto-friendly. It contains added cane sugar to sweeten and flavor it like lemonade. There are ~7g carbs and sugars in a 1.5oz shot of Tito’s lemonade vodka. Plain lemon vodka is a better low-carb option.
Is vodka gluten-free?
Most vodka is gluten-free, including lemon vodka. Vodka is distilled, which removes gluten proteins from the original grains or potatoes used to make it. However, some vodka may be at risk for traces of gluten due to processing. Check labeling to confirm gluten-free status if needed.
Is lemon vodka healthier than regular vodka?
There is no nutritional difference between lemon vodka and regular vodka. The lemon simply adds flavor. Both have the same calorie and carb content. Some people find lemon vodka easier to drink “neat” due to added flavor. But overall health impact is no different.
The Bottom Line
A 1.5 ounce shot of lemon vodka contains approximately 96-100 calories and 0g carbs, just like regular unflavored vodka. The lemon flavoring adds negligible calories. Lemon vodka is a flavorful low-calorie spirit option on its own or mixed into cocktails using low-calorie ingredients. Drink lemon vodka in moderation as part of a balanced diet.