Whatever your fitness jam is, we reckon you wouldn’t wish to undo all the great work you’ve pumped into your workout or have your goals slammed from chugging unnecessary liquid calories. And we get it, sometimes only a cold frothy brew can quench that post workout thirst. Thankfully, low-calorie non-alcoholic drinks exist.
Not only are non-alcoholic drinks lighter on cals, there’s a whole host of health benefits that can help you to keep smashing goals. Your sleep improves, you won’t be stuffing a kebab at 3am, and your focus will be next level. Whether you are training for a 10km or smashing out leg day at the gym, when it’s time to kick back with a few bevvies, your best bet is with low-calorie drinks that are non-alcoholic.
What is a low-calorie drink?
According to Food Standards Australia, for a liquid to be classed as low-calorie, it must contain no more than 19 cals per 100ml. Luckily at Craftzero, we carry some of the best low-calorie drinks that are non-alcoholic to help tick your calorie and thirst quenching boxes.
What is the difference between an alcoholic low-calorie drink and a non-alcoholic low-calorie drink?
It may come as a surprise but technically there are no low-calorie alcoholic drinks. Even Vodka, alcohol’s lowest calorie offering, has around 100 calories per shot! The big difference here is that without alcohol, non-alcoholic drinks are naturally much lower in calories than their alcoholic counterparts.
Non-alcoholic beer typically has around a quarter the load of even the most low-calorie beers that are alcoholic. In addition, due to food labelling requirements, all the nutritional information is displayed on bottles of non-alcoholic wines, whereas with alcoholic wine bottles, your guess is as good as ours. So with non-alcoholic drinks, you’ll always know what you are drinking.
Why drink low-calorie non-alcoholic drinks?
If you exercise regularly and watch what you eat but still put away a six-pack or worse, a slab of beer every Friday night, you’re just making achieving your goals more challenging. Switching to non-alcoholic beer with low calories can help you get to your goals quicker and easier, while still giving you the tasty refreshment you seek on a Friday night.
How are low-calories non-alcoholic wines made?
The best non-alcoholic wines are made from good quality alcoholic wine. The alcohol is gently removed from the wine using a variety of different techniques. Anything that doesn’t start off as wine means you’re just drinking fancy grape juice! Typically a good non-alcoholic wine will average under 20 calories per 100ml whereas even your most low-calorie wine will average 80 calories per 100ml.
Top 3 low-calorie non-alcoholic wines
Two Hoots Non-Alcoholic Wine - Chenin Blanc
The brand
Two Hoots alcohol-removed wine is crafted in the coastal region of South Africa with grapes picked from low-yielding dryland vines. Two Hoots certainly give a hoot about elevating the quality of the category and deliver a range of premium non-alcoholic wines.
The calories
17 cals per 100ml
The ABV
0.5%
The taste
This is a full-bodied non-alcoholic, low-calorie white wine that is beautifully dry and balanced. It features notes of crisp apple and peach with a burst of acidity on the finish.
Thomson & Scott Noughty Sparkling Chardonnay
The brand
This British non-alcoholic wine house produces one of the lowest calorie wines on the planet. Made with Chardonnay grapes grown in the sandy and calcareous vineyards of Southern Spain, you’ll be cheersing with a glass that's less than a fifth the calorific load of its alcoholic counterpart.
The calories
14 cals per 100ml
The ABV
0.0%
The taste
This has a dry brut profile that could easily be mistaken for an alcoholic wine. Notes of crisp apple are balanced with acidity and a robust mouth feel.
1920 Wines Non-Alcoholic Pinot Grigio
The brand
This non-alcoholic Pinot Grigio is one of three wines by 1920 wines that’s produced in the South East of Australia.
The calories
18 cals per 100ml
The ABV
<0.5%
The taste
This non-alcoholic low-calorie wine is light, crisp, and has a good balance of sweet and dry. It features nashi pear, crisp apple but with a bit of chew in the mouth and a well-rounded feel.
How are low-calorie non-alcoholic beers made?
At Craftzero, we pride ourselves on stocking the best non-alcoholic beers on the planet. Surprisingly, once the alcohol is removed, you can get some great low-calorie beers that taste as good as they look on the caloric scales. There are a couple of ways to make non-alcoholic beer, but simply put, the alcohol is either removed from a full-strength beer or special yeasts are used that don’t produce alcohol during the brewing process.
Top 3 low-calorie non-alcoholic beers
Lightning Minds Pale Ale
The brand
Based in Western Australia, LIghtning Minds are a small-batch craft brewery on a mission to create the best non-alcoholic beer. As a side benefit, they have also created one of the best low-calorie non-alcoholic beers.
The calories
12 cals per 100ml
The ABV
<0.5%
The taste
This is an Aussie take on a classic American Pale Ale. It has bright, tropical hops. She’s a little hazy, assertively bitter, and a low-calorie beer to boot!
Bach Brewing All Day Non-Alcoholic IPA
The brand
Bach was the first New Zealand craft brewery to market a non-alcoholic beer. This is one of the lowest-calorie beers we have on offer!
The calories
8 cals per 100ml
The ABV
<0.5%
The taste
Hoppy, citrusy, with flavours of mango, papaya, and pine. This is a seriously sessionable non-alcoholic IPA.
Big Drop Uptown Craft Lager
The brand
Big Drop is one of the world’s most well-known, dedicated non-alcoholic craft beer brewers. Their Uptown Craft Lager is also one very well-known low-calorie beer.
The calories
11.8 cals per 100ml
The ABV
0.5%
The taste
Whilst low on calories, this non-alcoholic lager is big on taste. It has bright floral hop aromas with a hint of caramel and peppery warmth. It is full-bodied but not heavy.
How are low-calorie non-alcoholic spirits made?
Some of the lowest calorie drinks you find (apart from water) are non-alcoholic spirits. More often than not, they are water based with very little sugar added. Plus, you have control over how you mix it and what calories you wish to add to it. Non-alcoholic spirits are made as either a concoction, where different flavour profiles are brought together to mimic a spirit or as a distillation, where botanicals are distilled on water in a traditional copper still to create a unique and refined low calorie spirit.
Top 4 low-calorie non-alcoholic spirits
Sans bar Notting Hill Stroll (Gin Substitute)
The brand
Sans Bar brings you non-alcoholic versions of the most famous spirits from around the world. We recommend exploring their range to make all of your favourite low-calorie non-alcoholic cocktails.
The calories
3 cals per 100ml
The ABV
0.0%
The taste
You don’t get much closer to a Dry London Gin than with Notting Hill Stroll. This has traditional juniper and citrus profiles and a great mouth feel. Mix with soda water for an incredibly low-calorie non-alcoholic drink.
Ms Sans Margarita
The brand
Ms Sans is an Australian-made range of non-alcoholic spirits and ready-to-drink non-alcoholic cocktails. With a focus on health, this is a very low-calorie RTD.
The calories
18 cals per 100ml
The ABV
0.0%
The taste
This one has so much punch, you won’t believe it has no tequila or sugar in it! Zesty lime plays off a pinch of sea salt and the non-alcoholic Tequila and Triple Sec are the stars of the show. Just shake with ice and pour.
Seadrift Classic
The brand
Seadrift is a Sydney-based, non-alcoholic distiller that has a focus on fresh, local ingredients. Their range of two non-alcoholic spirits is multi-award winning.
The calories
0 cals per 100ml
The ABV
0.0%
The taste
Not to be confused with a gin-mimic, Seadrift classic blends fresh coriander, kaffir lime, lemongrass, and locally foraged sea kelp. This has a truly refreshing and unique drinking experience.
Monday Distillery Dark & Stormy
The brand
Victorian-based Monday Distillery has a flavourful range of sugar-free, guilt-free non-alcoholic RTDs that cover all your drinking bases.
The calories
<1 cals per 100ml
The ABV
0.0%
The taste
The Monday Dark & Stormy gives you non-alcoholic spiced rum and fiery ginger soda flavours with warming caramel notes. This is so full of flavour you will not believe it is a low-calorie drink. Serve over ice with a squeeze of lime.