Beer, wine and spiritsUSDA SR LegacyFDC 168749
Calories in light beer
USDA FoodData Central record for “Alcoholic beverage, beer, light” — per 100 g, per every USDA serving size, and next to the other beer, wine and spirits rows.
The short answer
Light beer: 29 kcal per 100 g. 1 can or bottle (12 fl oz) (354 g) is 103 kcal with 0.7 g of protein. Source: USDA FoodData Central record 168749, "Alcoholic beverage, beer, light".
Per 100 g
| Nutrient | Per 100 g | Share of energy |
|---|---|---|
| Energy | 29 kcal | 100% |
| Protein | 0.2 g | 3% |
| Fat | 0 g | 0% |
| Carbohydrate | 1.6 g | 22% |
| Alcohol | — | 75% |
Light beer is 29 kcal per 100 g in USDA FoodData Central (SR Legacy). Of that energy, about 3% comes from protein, 0% from fat and 22% from carbohydrate, and 75% from alcohol. That works out to 0.7 g of protein per 100 kcal — essentially not a protein source.
Per serving
The serving sizes USDA lists for this record, priced from the per-100 g figures above. Nothing here is rounded to a “portion” — the gram weight next to each label is what the calories are computed from.
| Serving | Weight | Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 100 g | 100 g | 29 | 0.2 g | 0 g | 1.6 g |
| 1 fl oz | 30 g | 9 | 0.1 g | 0 g | 0.5 g |
| 1 can or bottle (12 fl oz) | 354 g | 103 | 0.7 g | 0 g | 5.7 g |
Compared with other beer, wine and spirits
| Food | kcal / 100 g | Protein / 100 g | Per serving |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regular beer | 43 | 0.5 g | 153 kcal · 1 can |
| Light beer | 29 | 0.2 g | 103 kcal · 1 can or bottle (12 fl oz) |
| Table wine | 83 | 0.1 g | 123 kcal · 1 serving (5 fl oz) |
| Red wine | 85 | 0.1 g | 125 kcal · 1 serving (5 fl oz) |
| White wine | 82 | 0.1 g | 121 kcal · 1 serving (5 fl oz) |
| 80-proof spirits (vodka, gin, rum, whiskey) | 231 | 0 g | 97 kcal · 1 jigger (1.5 fl oz) |
Other tables in beverages
The same numbers for the foods this one usually shares a plate — or a shopping list — with.
Questions about light beer
- How many calories are in light beer?
- Light beer: 29 kcal per 100 g. 1 can or bottle (12 fl oz) (354 g) is 103 kcal with 0.7 g of protein. Source: USDA FoodData Central record 168749, "Alcoholic beverage, beer, light".
- How much protein is in light beer?
- Light beer has 0.2 g of protein per 100 g and 0.7 g per 1 can or bottle (12 fl oz) (354 g). That is 0.7 g of protein per 100 kcal — essentially not a protein source.
- Where do these calorie figures come from?
- USDA FoodData Central record 168749, “Alcoholic beverage, beer, light” (SR Legacy, FDC SR Legacy 2018-04 + FNDDS 2024-10-31). Energy is USDA nutrient 1008 (Energy, kcal); protein, fat and carbohydrate are read from the same record. USDA data is in the public domain, and the FDC ID above links straight to it.
How calorie.one logs it
Type “light beer” into calorie.one and the app matches this exact record — “Alcoholic beverage, beer, light” — estimates the grams, and shows the line with its USDA label. You correct the amount; the per-100 g figure is never guessed. That split between recognition and arithmetic is the whole methodology. For the numbers in context, read Alcohol calories: beer, wine and spirits by the drink.
Related reading
Count with real numbers
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