Last updated: October 15, 2026
Key Takeaways
- A 1.5 oz pour of any 80-proof spirit contains roughly 95–100 calories, and the mixer usually adds most of the extra calories.
- Swapping sugary mixers for soda water, diet tonic, or fresh citrus keeps most classic cocktails under about 150 calories.
- Zero-sugar, five-calorie canned options like Little Saints Classic Margarita and Paloma deliver full flavor without alcohol calories.
- Simple swaps such as measured pours, fresh lime, and zero-calorie sweeteners cut sugar and calories while preserving taste and body.
- Little Saints offers an ultra-light option with zero sugar, five calories per can, and a functional mushroom blend.
Explore Little Saints Cocktails
How Many Calories Are in a Cocktail?
Most cocktail calories come from mixers, not the spirit. A standard drink can range from about 95 calories to well over 500 based on what you add to the glass.
Here is the rule, stated plainly: a 1.5 oz pour of any 80-proof spirit, including vodka, gin, rum, tequila, or whiskey, contains roughly 95–100 calories regardless of which spirit you choose. MedlinePlus lists 1.5 fl oz of 80-proof gin, rum, vodka, and whiskey at 97 calories. The spirit changes the flavor profile while the mixer drives most calorie differences.
The arithmetic behind that number is straightforward. Eighty-proof means 40% alcohol by volume. Alcohol carries about 7 calories per gram. Run the formula 44 ml × 0.40 × 0.789 (ethanol density) × 7 and you get approximately 96 calories. That formula applies identically to tequila, vodka, gin, and rum at the same proof.
Calories scale linearly with pour size. A 2 oz pour instead of 1.5 oz adds roughly 32 calories per drink, and over three drinks that is nearly 100 extra calories from pour size alone. Mixers can have an even larger impact. For example, adding 8 oz of regular tonic water to a 96-calorie shot of vodka turns it into a roughly 250-calorie drink, while soda water or diet tonic adds zero calories.
All calorie counts are estimates and vary by brand, pour size, and recipe. The CDC notes that the calorie total depends on serving size, alcohol content, and added ingredients such as mixers.
Low-Calorie Cocktail Recipes Under 150 Calories
These recipes use a measured 1.5 oz spirit pour, low- or zero-calorie mixers, and fresh citrus where appropriate. The calorie ranges reflect differences in pour size and brand. All estimates draw from standard recipe data and MedlinePlus spirit calorie figures.
To help you choose, here is a quick-reference list of all 14 recipes and their calorie ranges, starting with the lightest options.
- Little Saints Classic Margarita (5 calories) — zero sugar, five calories, functional blend included
- Little Saints Paloma (5 calories) — zero sugar, five calories, functional blend included
- Little Saints St. Ember Ranch Water (~5 calories) — non-alcoholic spirit, 1:1 build
- Vodka Soda with Lime (~95–100 calories)
- Ranch Water (~100–110 calories)
- Tequila Soda (~95–100 calories)
- Gin and Diet Tonic (~97–105 calories)
- Whiskey Highball (~97–105 calories)
- White Wine Spritzer (~70–85 calories)
- Skinny Margarita (~120–140 calories)
- Skinny Paloma (~110–125 calories)
- Light Mojito (less than 95 calories per 4-oz. serving)
- Rum Soda with Lime (~95–100 calories)
- Citrus Gin Rickey (~100–115 calories)
1. Little Saints Classic Margarita (5 Calories)
This canned margarita delivers classic lime flavor with only five calories and a functional blend of Reishi, Lion's Mane, and Damiana.
Ingredients:
- 1 can Little Saints Classic Margarita
- Ice
- Lime wedge to garnish
Pour over ice in a rocks glass and garnish with lime.
Why It Is Light: The can contains no sugar and only five calories, and it is sweetened with monk fruit instead of triple sec, sour mix, or agave syrup.
2. Little Saints Paloma (5 Calories)
This Paloma brings pink grapefruit flavor, bright bubbles, and a pinch of salt in a five-calorie can.
Ingredients:
- 1 can Little Saints Paloma
- Ice
- Grapefruit wedge to garnish
Pour over ice in a tall glass and garnish with grapefruit.
Why It Is Light: The drink contains no sugar and only a few calories, with Reishi and botanical terpenes instead of grapefruit soda loaded with added sugar.
3. Little Saints St. Ember Ranch Water (~5 Calories)
Little Saints St. Ember delivers spicy, smoky palo santo and ginger flavors in a ranch-water style build that mixes 1:1 in place of tequila.
Ingredients:
- 2 oz Little Saints St. Ember
- Juice of half a lime
- 4–6 oz sparkling mineral water
- Ice
Build over ice in a tall glass, squeeze lime, top with sparkling water, and stir gently.
Why It Is Light: Little Saints St. Ember Ranch Water contains approximately 5 calories per 59 ml (2 oz) serving. The spirit has no sugar, lime juice adds very few calories, and sparkling water adds none.
4. Vodka Soda With Lime (~95–100 Calories)
This classic vodka soda is a benchmark low-calorie cocktail where nearly all calories come from the spirit.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz vodka (80-proof)
- 4–6 oz club soda
- Lime wedge
- Ice
Build over ice in a tall glass, top with soda, and squeeze lime.
Why It Is Light: Club soda contributes zero calories, so all calories come from the spirit.
5. Ranch Water (~100–110 Calories)
This ranch water combines tequila, lime, and sparkling mineral water for a bright drink without orange liqueur, agave syrup, or sour mix.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz blanco tequila (80-proof)
- Juice of half a lime (~5 calories)
- 4–6 oz sparkling mineral water
- Ice
Build over ice, squeeze lime, and top with sparkling water.
Why It Is Light: Fresh lime juice adds roughly 1 gram of sugar and about 5 calories, while sparkling water adds zero.
6. Tequila Soda (~95–100 Calories)
This tequila soda removes the lime from ranch water for a very clean, straightforward drink.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz blanco tequila (80-proof)
- 4–6 oz club soda
- Lime wedge
- Ice
Build over ice, top with soda, and garnish with lime.
Why It Is Light: Tequila with soda and lime lands at approximately 97 calories, which matches a vodka soda.
7. Gin and Diet Tonic (~97–105 Calories)
This drink keeps the botanical complexity of a gin and tonic while removing nearly all of the sugar.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz gin (80-proof)
- 4–6 oz diet tonic water
- Lemon wedge
- Ice
Build over ice in a tall glass, top with diet tonic, and garnish with lemon.
Why It Is Light: Diet tonic has approximately 0–1 gram of net carbohydrates per serving, compared to roughly 32 grams of sugar per 12 oz in regular tonic.
8. Whiskey Highball (~97–105 Calories)
This whiskey highball stretches a slow-sipping pour with soda water instead of ginger ale or cola.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz whiskey (80-proof)
- 4–6 oz club soda
- Ice
- Lemon twist optional
Build over ice in a tall glass, top with soda, and add a lemon twist if using.
Why It Is Light: A whiskey highball with soda water contains approximately 100 calories and 0 grams of sugar.
9. White Wine Spritzer (~70–85 Calories)
This white wine spritzer uses half the wine and tops with soda, creating a larger glass with fewer calories.
Ingredients:
- 3 oz dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Pinot Grigio)
- 3 oz club soda
- Ice
- Lemon slice to garnish
Pour wine over ice, top with soda, and garnish with lemon.
Why It Is Light: A 3 oz dry white wine spritzer with soda water contains approximately 75 calories and about 1 gram of sugar.
10. Skinny Margarita (~120–140 Calories)
This skinny margarita uses fresh lime and sparkling water for a stripped-down version of the classic without sour mix or triple sec.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz blanco tequila (80-proof)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- Splash of sparkling water
- Pinch of salt
- Ice
Shake tequila and lime with ice, strain into a rocks glass over fresh ice, top with a splash of sparkling water, and add salt.
11. Skinny Paloma (~110–125 Calories)
This skinny Paloma swaps grapefruit soda for grapefruit-flavored sparkling water, cutting about 60 calories with a single change.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz blanco tequila (80-proof)
- 4 oz grapefruit-flavored sparkling water (zero sugar)
- Juice of half a lime
- Pinch of salt
- Ice
Build over ice in a tall glass, squeeze lime, top with grapefruit sparkling water, and add salt.
Why It Is Light: A zero-sugar tequila Paloma with grapefruit soda water contains approximately 110 calories and about 1 gram of sugar.
12. Light Mojito (Less Than 95 Calories)
This light mojito keeps the mint and lime while using a zero-calorie sweetener instead of simple syrup.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz white rum (80-proof)
- 1 oz fresh lime juice
- 8–10 fresh mint leaves
- 1 tsp zero-calorie sweetener (monk fruit or similar)
- 3–4 oz club soda
- Ice
Gently press mint with lime juice and sweetener in a glass, add ice, pour rum, top with soda, and stir.
Why It Is Light: Bacardi's ready-to-serve Light Mojito contains less than 95 calories per 4-oz. serving. Sugar-free simple syrup contains 0 grams of carbohydrates, while regular simple syrup contributes about 5 grams of sugar per teaspoon.
13. Rum Soda With Lime (~95–100 Calories)
This rum soda combines white rum, soda, and lime for a tropical-leaning alternative to a vodka soda.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz white rum (80-proof)
- 4–6 oz club soda
- Lime wedge
- Ice
Build over ice, top with soda, and squeeze lime.
Why It Is Light: A spirit mixed with soda water gets nearly all of its calories from the alcohol, typically landing around 95–110 calories per 1.5 oz shot.
14. Citrus Gin Rickey (~100–115 Calories)
This citrus Gin Rickey highlights gin's botanicals with fresh lime and soda water instead of tonic.
Ingredients:
- 1.5 oz gin (80-proof)
- 0.75 oz fresh lime juice
- 4–5 oz club soda
- Ice
- Lime wheel to garnish
Build over ice in a tall glass, add lime juice, top with soda, and garnish with a lime wheel.
Why It Is Light: A standard Gin Rickey cocktail contains approximately 100–115 calories, though recipes with added ingredients or larger servings can range from 138 to 160 calories. The drink uses unsweetened soda water rather than sugar-containing tonic, so the calorie count stays close to that of the spirit itself.
Beyond specific recipes, you can apply a few simple principles to make almost any cocktail lighter.
How to Make Any Cocktail Lower in Calories
- Use a 1.5 oz jigger. A free pour at home can easily be 2–3 oz instead of 1.5 oz, which can nearly double a drink's calories.
- Choose soda water or diet tonic instead of regular tonic or soda.
- Use fresh citrus instead of sour mix or pre-made margarita mix.
- Replace simple syrup with a zero-calorie sweetener dissolved in water.
- Skip extras such as a float, sugared rim, or grenadine.
- Order by build at a bar: saying "tequila, soda water, lots of lime" helps you receive the drink you actually want.
Try Ready-to-Drink Little Saints
What Is the Skinniest Drink to Order?
The leanest bar order is a measured 1.5 oz pour of any 80-proof spirit with soda water and fresh citrus. That build lands at roughly 95–100 calories regardless of which spirit you choose. Ordering by build instead of by name works well, so "vodka, soda water, extra lime" is more reliable than ordering a "vodka soda" and hoping the bartender uses a jigger. For more bar-ordering strategy, see How To Order Low Calorie Cocktails At A Bar: Skinny Drinks.
While ordering the skinniest drink helps, it is also useful to understand how alcohol connects to belly fat.
What Alcohol Is Worst For Belly Fat?
As established, the mixer and total volume matter more than the spirit itself. Ethanol is processed identically by the liver whether it comes from beer, wine, or spirits. Research supports this pattern. A 2022 cohort study linked greater beer and spirits consumption to higher visceral adipose mass, which is the metabolically active abdominal fat associated with cardiometabolic risk. A 2026 study in the International Journal of Obesity using DXA body scanning on 5,761 participants found that higher weekly alcohol intake correlated with greater visceral fat accumulation, even after controlling for BMI and total caloric intake. Both studies point to the same conclusion: total intake and mixer sugar influence belly fat more than the specific type of alcohol.
How Do You Make a Cocktail Lower in Calories Without Losing the Flavor?
Sugar adds sweetness, body, and balance against acid in a cocktail. Removing it without replacing those functions often makes the drink taste thin. Real acid, a pinch of salt in the liquid, and a proper hard shake help restore the body that sugar was providing. Fresh citrus works better than sour mix. Zero-calorie sweeteners stand in for simple syrup. Diet tonic replaces regular tonic. The flavor remains while the sugar is removed. For a deeper look at where sugar hides in cocktails and how to swap it out, see Low Sugar Cocktail Recipes: Where Sugar Hides & How To Swap.
Low-Sugar and Low-Carb Swaps
The carbohydrates in almost any cocktail come from the mixer, not the alcohol. Unflavored distilled spirits contain zero carbohydrates per standard serving, so every gram of sugar in a cocktail comes from what you add to the glass. The swaps below address the most common sources.
- Diet tonic vs. regular tonic: Regular tonic contains about 32 grams of sugar per 12 oz, while diet tonic has approximately 0–1 gram of net carbohydrates.
- Fresh citrus vs. sour mix: Pre-made sweet-and-sour mix can add roughly 150 calories or more to a cocktail, whereas fresh lime juice provides a near-zero-calorie alternative.
- Zero-calorie sweetener vs. simple syrup: Sugar-free simple syrup made with monk fruit, allulose, or erythritol substitutes 1:1 for simple syrup with zero net carbs.
- Club soda vs. regular soda: Regular sodas contribute about 27–39 grams of sugar per 12 oz, while club soda contributes zero.
For a full breakdown of zero-sugar ordering strategies, see Best Zero Sugar Low Calorie Cocktails to Order.
The Zero-Sugar, Five-Calorie Upgrade: Little Saints
Every alcoholic recipe above still carries the calories of the spirit. For the lightest pour in the room, including low calorie cocktail recipes that are non alcoholic, Little Saints offers a clear next step.
The checkable specifics are straightforward. Each can contains zero grams of sugar, five calories, a stated 100 mg functional dose, and mushroom extracts at a minimum of 70% beta glucan, documented by certificates of analysis from the supplier. The dose and potency are both published, which sets these cans apart from sugar-sweetened non-alcoholic cocktails and many first-generation non-alcoholic spirits in this category.
The canned cocktails, including Little Saints Classic Spritz, Hugo Spritz, Classic Margarita, Paloma, Old Fashioned, Mojito, and Negroni Spritz, feature a functional blend that varies by flavor and draws from organic Reishi, organic Lion's Mane, Damiana, and botanical terpenes.
The statements made on our website have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration, Our products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease. If you are pregnant, nursing, taking any medications or have any medical conditions, consult your doctor before use.