Let’s start with an important reminder: alcohol - or ethanol, to use its chemical name
- is a toxin. That’s why no alcoholic drink can truly be labelled as ‘healthy.’ All alcohol
contains the same active ingredient, and the risks apply no matter the format.
Are Hard Seltzers ‘Healthier’?

So, let’s look specifically at hard seltzer and why people have questioned if they are
indeed a ‘healthier’ alcohol choice. The main reasons are likely to be:

• They tend to be low-calorie (and marketed as such) compared to other types
  of alcohol
• They contain little to no sugar
• They are a relatively simple drink from an ingredients perspective and
  therefore may be perceived as easier to digest
• Many choose to have full disclosure nutritional labels (not a legal requirement
  for alcohol in the UK) which provide transparency of what is in the drink

So, are they?

Short answer: yes, but only in relative terms.

Hard seltzers aren’t ‘healthy’ (they still contain alcohol), but compared to most other
drinks, they’re significantly lighter in calories and sugar.

Here’s why:

Cocktails

Delicious, but often the worst offenders nutritionally. Many cocktails contain 20 – 50g
of sugar in a single serve - that’s the equivalent of 4 – 10 teaspoons - adding
hundreds of extra calories on top of the alcohol itself. Creamy or syrup-based drinks
like piña coladas or espresso martinis can exceed 500 calories in one glass.

Cider

Refreshing, but deceptively heavy. A typical 330ml bottle contains 15 - 25g of sugar,
roughly the same as a can of cola, and 180 - 220 calories. The sweetness that
makes cider so drinkable is exactly what makes it one of the highest-calorie alcohol
choices.

Wine

Often seen as the ‘lighter’ choice, but the sugar content varies significantly by style.
Dry wines tend to have 1 - 3g per glass, while sweet or rosé wines can contain up to

10g, with calories adding up accordingly. It’s lighter than a cocktail or cider, but not
necessarily low in sugar, when you consider that the grams of sugar mentioned are
in your typical medium glass of wine, which is only 150ml.

Beer

Lower in sugar, yes - but high in calories. A standard 330ml beer usually contains
170 - 200 calories, primarily from the carbohydrates in malt. Also, most beers aren’t
friendly to those with gluten intolerances.

Hard Seltzer

By contrast, hard seltzers are intentionally light - usually 80 - 110 calories per 330ml
and 0 - 5g of sugar. That’s around 45 - 50% fewer calories than beer, and a fraction
of the sugar found in cocktails or cider. The result is a cleaner, crisper drink that fits
better with today’s more health-conscious drinking habits.

We thought it would be useful to show a comparison table of the ABV%, calories,
and sugar across common alcoholic drinks (per 330ml serving unless otherwise
stated):

This confirms that hard seltzers are a genuinely lighter option compared to most
alcoholic drinks.

But if you’re looking for the lightest of them all, Gullies goes even further. Each can is
crafted to be clean, balanced, and refreshingly simple - with nothing unnecessary
added. Gullies contain:

• 80 calories per 330ml — a market-leading low
• Zero sugar
• Zero artificial flavourings, sweeteners, or preservatives
• Zero gluten

And with our full-disclosure nutritional panel, every ingredient is listed clearly - so you
always know exactly what you’re drinking.

Curious to see the difference for yourself?

Try our Gullies Variety Pack and find your favourite flavour.