I’ll acknowledge that a hard seltzer paired with a cheeseburger over summer weekends tastes pretty fantastic.

And the beautiful thing about hard seltzer?

It’s low-calorie.

In other words, I feel relatively guilt-free when I drink it.

But that sounds too good to be true, leaving me to wonder.

What’s actually in hard seltzer?

Looking At The Label

Depending upon the brand, the facts of the food label vary from White Claw to Truly. Even Bud Light makes its own hard seltzer.

And among flavors, the nutritional profile differs. Some might be higher or lower in sugar, for example.

A typical 12 oz. can of White Claw contains 100 calories, 2 grams of carbohydrates, and 2 grams of sugar.

16 and 19.2oz cans are also available for purchase.

The food label breakdown of a Truly hard seltzer looks relatively comparably to White Claw; Truly offers 24oz. cans.

A distinguishing feature that tends to separate one brand of hard seltzer from another, and sways a lot of consumer choice, is the percentage of alcohol by volume.

Both Truly and White Claw contain 5% ABV per 12 oz. can. Numerous brands like Corona offer 4.5%.

But as you up the ante, Four Loko offers 12% ABV in a 23.5 oz. can—a 16 oz. can of White Claw Hard Selzer Surge contains 8% ABV.

In its simplest form, any hard seltzer begins with club soda and alcohol. Cane sugar with fruit-flavored additives tells the whole story behind most hard seltzers.

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Pros

For those inclined to pair alcohol with their meal, what’s not to like about the low-calorie benefits of hard seltzer?

Athletes and bodybuilders who train and eat with an extremely high level of discipline need to indulge on occasion.

A few hard seltzers may be easier to reconcile with than carboloading through beer.

For health-conscious individuals like myself, coping with stress the day after drinking leaves you feeling worse off than consuming the actual alcohol itself.

The low-calorie, carb, and sugar content of hard seltzer may diminish the anxiety. It does for me.

Before drinking, I know two cans of hard seltzer won’t leave me feeling bloated like I do from a single can of beer.

And that gives me a modicum of peace.

Another benefit to hard-drinking seltzer’s the lack of stigma around it.

Hard seltzer feels relatively gender-neutral, making it an ideal drink of choice for any social occasion (ex. Dinners, beach parties, cookouts).

Cons

Any form of alcohol is not suitable for you.

But how healthy is hard seltzer?

One or two grams of sugar from hard seltzer sounds a lot better than a margarita.

Depending on how it’s prepared, a cocktail like that may contain 50+ grams of sugar in one serving size.

Which Hard Seltzer Is The ‘Best?’

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.

The nutrition facts for hard seltzer compare similarly across brands, especially in the case of a 12 oz. can.

Liquor.com issued superlatives in May to the following hard seltzer brands:

• Best Overall: Quirk Spiked & Sparkling Seltzers
• Best Keto-Friendly: Upslope Spiked Snowmelt
• Best Low-Calorie: Corona Hard Seltzer
• Best Organic: Maha Organic Hard Seltzer

Is It For You?

Ironically, fans of LaCroix flocked to hard seltzer brands like White Claw and Truly years ago.

But how do you want consuming alcohol to make you feel afterward?

Are you looking for something tasty and pleasurable without a care in the world? There are plenty of more satisfying alternatives beyond mostly carbonated water and alcohol.

Maybe you’re hoping to cut down on drinking so much; low-calorie hard seltzer might help facilitate such a lifestyle change.

Or, for the health-conscious individuals aspiring to lose a few pounds of body weight, one or two hard seltzers won’t destroy the progress you’ve made.

The calories can add up, so can the alcohol, which might lead to bad judgment in the short term and affect your health if you make it a habit. Enjoy in moderation.

Read more:

• Are Bang Energy Drinks Healthy?
• Is Coffee Actually Healthy?