Absinthe nutrition, glycemic index, calories, net carbs & more

by Victoria Mazmanyan | Last updated on March 07, 2021

Education: General Medicine at YSMU

Summary

Absinthe is high in calories but very low in nutrients, containing no carbohydrates, fats, or proteins.

Excessive but not moderate absinthe consumption can lead to weight gain.

Despite the misbeliefs, absinthe drinks sold today can be safely consumed if used responsibly and within limits.

Introduction

Absinthe, also known as The Green Fairy, is a highly alcoholic, distilled drink made from various herbs, mainly grande wormwood, green anise, and sweet fennel. This drink has a long and curious history, filled with mysteries. To better understand absinthe, we will look into what nutritional compounds can be found in it and how it fits in different diets.

Nutrition

Naturally, depending on the level of alcohol and added ingredients, absinthe’s nutritional values can vary. 

The nutritional facts below are presented for a distilled, 100 proof alcoholic beverage.

Macronutrients and Calories

Absinthe can be bottled at different alcohol percentages and distilled with water before drinking. The drink we are discussing contains 57.5% water and 42.5% ethyl alcohol.

One serving size of an absinthe drink equals 1 fluid ounce or 27.8 grams.

Calories

Even though absinthe is low in nutrients, 100g of an absinthe drink contains 295 calories. However, absinthe is not usually consumed in such large quantities. One serving size of absinthe contains 82 calories.

The reason for such a high caloric value in a beverage so low in macronutrients is ethanol. Ethanol can be utilized as a fuel in the liver, much in the same way as fats and carbohydrates.

Protein and Fats

Absinthe completely lacks both proteins and fats.

Carbohydrates

Absinthe contains no carbohydrates unless it has been bottled with added sugars.

Absinthe drinks with added sugars are usually sold as absinthe-liqueur.

Vitamins

Absinthe contains very low levels of vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, and vitamin B6. It completely lacks the rest of the vitamins.

Minerals

An absinthe drink contains some levels of magnesium, copper, zinc, iron, phosphorus, potassium, and sodium.

Absinthe is absent in selenium, magnesium, and calcium.

Comparison with Other Foods

The question of which drink to order often comes up on a night out. To get a better idea of how absinthe compares with some other popular alcoholic drinks, let’s look at the comparisons of their nutritional values.

Absinthe vs. Vodka

Absinthe and vodka, both distilled alcoholic beverages, have similar nutritional compositions. However, absinthe is higher in calories, as well as most vitamins and minerals.

For a more detailed comparison of these two beverages, you can look at our “Absinthe vs. Vodka” page - https://foodstruct.com/compare/absinthe-vs-vodka.

Absinthe vs. Whisky

The nutritional content of absinthe is not so different from that of whisky either. That being said, absinthe contains more calories when compared to whisky. Absinthe is also higher in most minerals, including sodium.

To further look into the nutritional differences of these two drinks, you can visit our “Absinthe vs. Whisky” page - https://foodstruct.com/compare/absinthe-vs-whisky.

Weight Loss & Diets

Absinthe, like most other alcoholic drinks, is a high-calorie beverage. Even though it can be used during low-fat and low-carb diets, it is not a good fit for a low-calorie diet.

Alcohol contains what is commonly referred to as “empty calories,” meaning it provides a moderate-to-high level of calories, with very few or no nutrients.

Overall, various studies have shown that excessive alcohol consumption leads to an increased risk of weight gain and development of obesity, while light to moderate alcohol intake is not associated with weight gain (1).

Daily Values

A one hundred gram serving of absinthe, equal to about four serving sizes of this drink, can make up 11% of the necessary daily value intake of calories.

The same amount of absinthe also provides 1% of the daily value of phosphorus. 

Absinthe does not provide a significant level of other macronutrients, minerals, or vitamins, being deficient in most nutrients.

Glycemic Index

An absinthe drink with no added sugars contains no carbohydrates, and therefore, has a glycemic index equal to 0.

Acidity

The potential renal acid load demonstrates how much acid or base the given food or beverage produces inside the organism.

Based on the PRAL value, the acidity of absinthe has been calculated to be 0.1, making it slightly acid-forming.

Toxic Compounds

For a long time, absinthe has been considered to have toxic properties. These properties are potentially due to a neurotoxic terpenoid compound called thujone (10). Thujyl alcohol is found in the essential oils of wormwood - one of the main ingredients of absinthe.

Thujone, in high doses, can cause convulsions resembling epilepsy (11). This same compound was responsible for the false belief that absinthe had hallucinogenic properties.

However, available versions of absinthe today contain such a low level of thujone content that it does not pose a threat to health.

Colorings

Absinthe originally gets its natural green coloring from herbs. However, this chlorophyll then can quickly turn into a light yellow color, especially when exposed to sunlight. Because of this, many green absinthe drinks today are artificially colored.

The most common artificial dyes used for absinthe are mixtures of tartrazine (E102), patent blue V (E131), and brilliant blue FCF (E133) (12).

References

1. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4338356
2. https://thedashdiet.net/what-is-the-dash-diet/#10dd
3. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6627946/
4. https://uk.atkins.com/blog/can-you-drink-alcohol-on-a-low-carb-diet/
5. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S021391111500237X
6. Diet Review: Paleo Diet for Weight Loss
7. Dukan Diet Update: Can You Drink Alcohol on the Dukan Diet
8. https://academic.oup.com/ageing/article/45/6/747/2499235
9. https://www.oregonclinic.com/diets-BRAT
10. https://www.pnas.org/content/97/8/3826
11. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1127080/
12. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1475830/

Author name: Victoria Mazmanyan

Education: General Medicine at YSMU

Last updated: March 07, 2021