Is Vodka Keto? Carbs, Calories and Flavored Pitfalls

By the DrinkLeader team · Published 2026-10-13 · Data updated 2026-10-12 · 8 min read

Plain vodka is about as low-carb as an alcoholic drink gets: the catalog average is 0.6g of carbs per 1.5 oz pour, and 77 of 79 vodkas list 5g or less. It still has about 95 calories a pour, because alcohol supplies energy even with no sugar. The carbs enter with flavored bottles and with mixers, which is why the question "is vodka keto" usually comes down to what is in the glass beside it.

Why distilled vodka has almost no carbs

Vodka starts as a fermented mash or juice, then is distilled. Distillation separates the alcohol and water from the sugars and starches left behind. What you pour is mostly ethanol and water, with no meaningful carbohydrate unless something is added afterward. This is why the unflavored bottles in the catalog sit at or near 0g.

The calories, on the other hand, are real. The NIAAA defines a US standard drink as 14 grams of pure alcohol, which is 1.5 fl oz of 80-proof (about 40% ABV) distilled spirits. Alcohol carries about 7 calories per gram, so a standard pour of vodka lands close to 100 calories even with zero carbs. A stronger vodka has more.

Plain vodkas in the catalog

Here are the lowest-carb vodkas, which for unflavored bottles all round to the same figure:

The calorie differences you see between the rows are differences in ABV and the way each producer reports its number, not in sugar. If two vodkas have the same ABV and the same pour, they will show about the same numbers.

Where the carbs come from: flavored vodka

Flavored vodkas are a different product. After distillation, many producers add flavoring and sweetener, and some also lower the ABV, which changes both the carb count and the calories. These are the vodkas in the catalog with 3g of carbs or more per pour:

The highest-carb entry on the full list has 8.0g per standard pour, still small next to a sweet cocktail but noticeable if you are counting closely. Sweet tea, whipped and dessert flavors tend to be at the top, while lighter fruit infusions tend to be lower. Brand pages such as Skyy and Deep Eddy show how one brand mixes plain and flavored products.

Vodka versus other spirits

Vodka averages 95 calories, gin 108, rum 101 and whiskey 108. The differences follow the average ABV. Note that the hard seltzer row is for a 12 oz can at about 5% ABV, a different serving from a spirit pour, so compare it with care. The spirits comparison walks through those trade-offs.

The mixer is the real variable

Most people drinking vodka are not sipping it neat. A vodka and soda water adds no sugar. A vodka and tonic, cranberry, orange juice or a bottled sour mix adds the carbs the vodka did not have. If you want ready-made options, canned vodka sodas are a convenient low-carb shortcut, although they vary by brand and flavor:

The same cans are sold in several flavors, and flavored versions often carry a few grams more than lime or plain. Our low-calorie cocktail guide covers how to order a lighter highball at a bar, and the keto alcohol guide explains how the 2g and 5g bands work across all drink types.

How to keep vodka low in carbs

• Choose unflavored vodka. If you like flavor, add a squeeze of lime or lemon rather than buying a sweetened bottle.
• Mix with soda water or another zero-sugar mixer. Check the label of any diet mixer yourself, since brands differ.
• Check the ABV. A higher-proof bottle has more calories in the same pour.
• Count pours in standard drinks. A heavy pour at a bar can be more than one: see the standard drink guide.
• Browse the zero-carb list to compare vodka with other drinks that list 0g.

A note on what these numbers mean

The figures on this page are the ones in the DrinkLeader catalog, which uses manufacturer and primary-source nutrition data where available and rescales values to a standard serving for comparison. Distilled spirits in the US are not required to carry a full nutrition panel, so many entries rest on the standard alcohol-to-calorie relationship plus any carbohydrate the producer states. The methodology page explains how.

Ketosis and individual carbohydrate limits vary from person to person, and this page does not tell you what is right for you. What it can do is show which drinks list almost no carbs. This page is information, not medical advice. The CDC defines moderate drinking as up to two drinks a day for men and one for women when adults choose to drink, and says drinking less is better for health than drinking more.