A standard 1.5-ounce shot of tequila contains about 97 to 100 calories, zero carbs, and zero sugar. That puts it right in line with vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey at the same proof. Tequila isn’t meaningfully lower in calories than other distilled spirits, but it is one of the lower-calorie alcohol options overall.
How Tequila Compares to Other Spirits
All 80-proof distilled spirits land at roughly 97 calories per 1.5-ounce shot. Vodka, gin, rum, and whiskey all hit that same number. Higher-proof versions (94 proof) jump to about 116 calories per shot. Tequila follows the same pattern because the calories in any distilled spirit come almost entirely from the alcohol itself, not from residual sugars or other ingredients. Once a spirit has been distilled, the original source material (agave, grain, potatoes) no longer matters much for the calorie count.
Where tequila does differ from many other drinks is in what it lacks. A shot has zero grams of carbohydrates and zero grams of sugar, according to USDA data. That makes it a straightforward choice if you’re tracking macros or following a low-carb diet. But the same is true of most unflavored distilled spirits.
100% Agave vs. Mixto Tequila
Not all tequila is made the same way. Bottles labeled “100% agave” are distilled entirely from blue agave. Mixto tequila, on the other hand, only needs to be 51% agave, with the rest coming from other sugar sources. Mixto and flavored tequilas may contain added sugars that change the calorie and carbohydrate profile, so if keeping calories low matters to you, stick with 100% agave.
Even within 100% agave tequila, there’s a wrinkle most people don’t know about. Mexico’s Tequila Regulatory Council (CRT) allows producers to add small amounts of glycerin, caramel coloring, oak extract, and sweeteners without disclosing them on the label, as long as these additives make up less than 1% of the bottle’s total volume. These are used to adjust color, flavor, or mouthfeel, and the practice is common across the industry. The caloric impact of that small percentage is minimal, but it means “additive-free” labels carry more weight than you might expect.
What About Agavins and Blood Sugar?
You may have seen claims that tequila is better for blood sugar because of agavins, a type of natural sugar found in the agave plant. Agavins are genuinely interesting. They resist digestion in the mouth and small intestine, travel to the large intestine intact, and get fermented by gut bacteria into short-chain fatty acids. Agave syrup has a low glycemic index (10 to 27), far below honey or table sugar, and the short-chain fatty acids produced during fermentation may even play a role in appetite regulation.
Here’s the catch: distillation breaks down and removes agavins. By the time agave has been fermented and distilled into tequila, those sugars are gone. The beneficial properties of agavins apply to agave syrup or the raw plant, not to the finished spirit sitting in your glass. Any claim that tequila uniquely helps with blood sugar management doesn’t hold up.
Where the Calories Really Add Up
The biggest factor in how many calories end up in your tequila drink isn’t the tequila. It’s everything else. A standard 4-ounce margarita comes in at about 170 calories, and that’s a modest pour. Restaurant margaritas served in larger glasses with sweetened mixes can easily hit 300 to 500 calories. Frozen versions blended with sugar syrups go even higher.
If you want to keep a tequila drink genuinely low-calorie, your best bet is tequila with club soda or seltzer and a squeeze of lime. That keeps you close to the base 100 calories of the shot itself, since club soda adds zero calories. A tequila on the rocks with lime works the same way. The moment you introduce triple sec, simple syrup, premade mixes, or fruit juices, you’re doubling or tripling the calorie count.
How Tequila Stacks Up Against Beer and Wine
Compared to beer and wine, straight tequila is a lighter option. A 12-ounce regular beer typically runs 150 calories, and craft beers or IPAs can push well past 200. A 5-ounce glass of wine averages 120 to 130 calories. A shot of tequila at roughly 100 calories delivers more alcohol per calorie than either of those, which means you’re consuming fewer total calories for the same effect.
That math changes quickly with mixed drinks, though. One large margarita can match or exceed the calories in two beers. So the “low calorie” label only sticks if you’re drinking tequila neat, on the rocks, or with a zero-calorie mixer. The spirit itself isn’t the problem. The cocktail is.