How healthy is beer?

Q: How many calories are in beer?

100 g of beer has 43 kcal. A typical portion, 1 can (355 ml) (356 g), has about 153 kcal.

Q: How much protein is in beer?

Beer has 0.5 g of protein per 100 g, or about 1.6 g in 1 can (355 ml).

Q: Is beer good for weight loss?

Beer is low in calories (43 kcal per 100 g), so it adds volume to meals without many calories. No single food causes weight loss; the overall diet does.

Is beer healthy? There is no healthy amount of alcohol; less is better. Beer scores 0/100 on the HowHealthyIs Score: 100 g provides 43 kcal. Beer brings calories from alcohol and carbohydrate with very few nutrients. Source: USDA FoodData Central.

Low fat

Score explained

The score compares nutrient density per 100 kcal across every food we cover (NRF9.3 method). Beer ranks higher than 0% of them.

Note: Alcoholic drinks get a fixed score of 0: alcohol is a cause of several cancers and health bodies do not recommend any amount for health, so nutrient density is not a fair measure here.

Counts in favor (% daily value per 100 kcal)

Magnesium3%
Protein2%
Potassium1%
Calcium1%
Iron0%
Fiber0%
Vitamin A0%
Vitamin C0%
Vitamin E0%

Counts against

Saturated fat0%
Added sugars0%
Sodium0%

Raw NRF9.3: 8 minus 0 = 7. The score is not a verdict on whether to eat a food; portion, the whole meal and your own health matter more. Full methodology

How many calories are in beer?

Your amount

Calories153kcal

Protein1.6g

Carbohydrates13g

Fat0g

Fiber0g

Sugars0g

Nutrition facts for beer. Per 100 g and for the selected portion (356 g). %DV uses FDA Daily Values.
Nutrient	Per 100 g	Per portion	%DV
Energy and macronutrients
Calories	43 kcal	153 kcal
Protein	0.5 g	1.6 g	3%
Carbohydrates	3.5 g	13 g	5%
Fiber	0 g	0 g	0%
Sugars	0 g	0 g
Added sugars	0 g	0 g	0%
Fat	0 g	0 g	0%
Saturated fat	0 g	0 g	0%
Vitamins
Vitamin A	0 µg	0 µg	0%
Vitamin C	0 mg	0 mg	0%
Vitamin E	0 mg	0 mg	0%
Minerals
Calcium	4 mg	14 mg	1%
Iron	<0.1 mg	<0.1 mg	0%
Potassium	27 mg	96 mg	2%
Magnesium	6 mg	21 mg	5%
Sodium	4 mg	14 mg	1%

Source: USDA FoodData Central, "Alcoholic beverage, beer, regular, all" (FDC 168746). Values rounded.

Why is beer good for you?

A typical portion does not supply 10% or more of the daily value for any of the nine nutrients we score.

Good ways to use it

If you drink, keeping it to small amounts
Alternating with water

What should you watch out for?

Alcohol is a cause of several cancers; the lower the intake, the lower the risk. Do not drink in pregnancy or before driving.

Which drinks score higher?

Other drinks with more nutrition per calorie. Variety matters more than picking one winner.

Diet cola

1 kcal per 100 g

Low calorie

Green tea

1 kcal per 100 g

Low calorie

Black tea

1 kcal per 100 g

Low calorie

How does beer compare?

Common questions about beer

How many calories are in beer?

100 g of beer has 43 kcal. A typical portion, 1 can (355 ml) (356 g), has about 153 kcal.

How much protein is in beer?

Beer has 0.5 g of protein per 100 g, or about 1.6 g in 1 can (355 ml).

Is beer good for weight loss?

Beer is low in calories (43 kcal per 100 g), so it adds volume to meals without many calories. No single food causes weight loss; the overall diet does.

Sources

U.S. Department of Agriculture. FoodData Central, SR Legacy: "Alcoholic beverage, beer, regular, all", FDC ID 168746. fdc.nal.usda.gov
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Daily Value on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels (21 CFR 101.9).
Fulgoni VL, Keast DR, Drewnowski A. Development and validation of the Nutrient-Rich Foods Index. J Nutr. 2009;139(8):1549-1554.
Monteiro CA, et al. Ultra-processed foods: what they are and how to identify them. Public Health Nutr. 2019;22(5):936-941.

Review and updates

Last updated: October 8, 2026
Medical review: Pending. A registered dietitian signs off every food page before launch. Our reviewers
Score version: HowHealthyIs Score 1.0

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