Budweiser is an enormously popular American lager designed to mimic the easy-drinking beer popular in Bavaria and throughout Germany. Many Budweiser enthusiasts might wonder, given the beer’s light, easygoing profile, how many calories and carbs are in this American mainstay. Budweiser has been the flagship beer of the Anheuser-Busch beer family for decades now, and if you’re wondering how many calories and carbs are in Budweiser, you’ve come to the right place.
Per 12 fl. oz (355 ml), Budweiser has 145 calories, with 10.6 grams of carbs. This is very similar to its counterparts, close to the average for the style.
However, that isn’t everything you need to know about Budweiser. If you’re curious about the exact nutrition facts, ingredients, and comparison to other American adjunct lagers, keep reading. By the end of this article, you’ll have all the information you need to make the best choice for your next beverage.
How Many Calories In Budweiser (5% ABV)? Explained
Budweiser has 145 calories per 12 fl. oz (355 mL) can, with 10.6 grams of carbohydrates, 1.3 grams of protein, and 0 grams of fat. Because Budweiser is also available in 16 and 25-oz sizes, we’ll also let you know the calories in each of those.
Each 16 oz. can of Budweiser contains 193.33 calories, while each 25 oz can has about 302 calories. The 16oz can also contain 14.1 grams of carbs, while the 25oz can contain 22.1 grams of carbs.
As Bud is an American lager, its calorie count is pretty much standard for the style, although this is lower than some higher-alcohol European-style beers like ales and stouts. You can learn more about the exact type of beer that Budweiser is in this article.
Budweiser’s ingredients are rice, barley, water, and hops. This is pretty much standard for beers, although rice is often omitted from other beer styles. For the American adjunct lager – the “adjunct” term comes from the use of rice and other ingredients like corn syrup – these are the staple ingredients. That’s why many of these beers taste similar to drinkers unfamiliar with the style.
Some brands also use hop extract over the hop plant itself to change the beer’s flavor profile and carb content. Still, Anheuser-Busch remains committed to using genuine hops, referred to on their website as “only the supplest, most aromatic hops”.
How Many Calories Compared To Other American Lagers?
When comparing it to other beers of the American adjunct lager style, the calorie and other nutrition facts are all very similar. Budweiser is a commonly enjoyed beer produced by a major brewer nationwide. At 145 calories, Budweiser is certainly at the more calorific end of the spectrum, but it does not have the most calories of any of its direct competitors.
| Corona Extra | 148 Calories |
| Pabst Blue Ribbon | 142 Calories |
| Busch | 114 Calories |
| Modelo Especial | 143 Calories |
| Yuengling | 130 Calories |
Corona Extra, as you can see from the table above, has the most calories of any beer of this style, with 148, slightly more than Budweiser’s 145. The lightest is Anheuser-Busch’s secondary brand, Busch, with 114 calories per 12oz can.
How Much Sugar Is In Budweiser?
Alcohol labeling regulations in the United States do not require manufacturers to list the sugar content of their beverages. For that reason, the exact amount of sugar in Budweiser is unreported. However, as a general rule, beer contains a negligible amount of sugar. Ingredients containing sugars are often used in the brewing process, but these sugars are turned into alcohol. As a result, although beer might not have any sugar, it can still be very calorific. Beer, as you’d expect, contains carbohydrates, and Budweiser is no exception to this general rule.
Is There Fat In Budweiser?
As a general rule, beer contains no fat. Although some fat may be apparent in some beers, beer is typically very low in fats, low enough for the amount to be next to zero. Budweiser lists 0 grams of fat in its nutrition information.
As a curious aside, fat typically affects the frothy, foamy head of your beer. That’s because the foam forms due to a protein that binds naturally to lipids (fats). So if there’s fat in your beer, it won’t form a nice foamy head. It’s for that reason that you might notice sipping a glass of beer in between bites of fatty food causes the head to dissipate quickly.
Is Budweiser Keto-Friendly/Low Carb?
Although the precise answer to this depends on your specific program and health goals, the answer is probably no.
Most low-carb diets restrict your carbohydrate consumption to 100-150 grams per day. Budweiser, with its 10.6 grams of carbohydrates, won’t massively throw your low-carb diet out if you enjoy it in moderation.
The keto diet, on the other hand, is a very different proposition. The keto diet requires adherents to get their calories almost entirely from protein and fats, going as low with the carb allowance as 20 grams per day. If you’re only getting 20 grams of carbs, your 12oz can of Budweiser is just over half your carb allowance!
Considering that most of the calories in beer come from carbohydrates, beer generally is not considered to be a low-carb or keto option. Beer like Budweiser, made from barley, hops, and rice, is made from high-carb ingredients. You might consider a light beer alternative to Budweiser if you want to drink beer and stay on the keto diet.
Is Budweiser A Healthier Beer?
The definition of a “healthy” beer varies depending on your health goals. As a full-strength lager, there are definitely lower-carb and lower-calorie beers on the market than Budweiser. Even compared to other full-carb lagers, Budweiser’s relatively high 145 calories is more than, for example, Busch, at 114.
If you want to restrict your calories for weight loss or maintenance reasons, Budweiser is definitely better than many sugary or highly alcoholic beverages. However, compared to plain water or lighter beers, it is probably best not to consider Budweiser a “healthy” beer.
If you want to consider a low-carb option but love the taste of Budweiser, the beer’s low-carb cousin, Bud Light, might be for you. Bud Light has considerably fewer calories, at 110 per 12oz can. Light beer is generally lower in carbs and calories than full-strength beer.
You can also consider the alcohol percentage of your choice of beer. Most lagers have an alcohol content of about 5%, responsible for much of the drink’s calorie content. Lower-alcohol beer is generally best for lowering your calorie intake.
