Corona Extra is a very popular Mexican lager. It’s the biggest-selling imported beer in the United States and is often consumed with lime. As a popular summertime beverage, many Corona drinkers wonder how many calories are in this refreshing, classic pale lager. If you were wondering how many calories and carbs are in your cold bottle of Corona Extra, read on!
The standard 12 fl. oz (355 ml) bottle of Corona has 148 calories, with 13.9 grams of carbs. This is close to standard for the style but higher than other similar beers and Corona’s main American competitors in the adjunct lager market.
Is that all you need to know about your ice-cold bottle of Corona? Of course not! If you’re curious about the exact nutrition facts, ingredients, and comparison to other Mexican and American adjunct lagers, please continue reading. By the end of this article, you’ll have all the information you need to make an educated choice when you reach for your next bottle of Corona.
How Many Calories In Corona (4.6% ABV)? Explained
Corona has 148 calories per 12 fl. oz (or 355 mL) bottle. This includes 13.9 grams of carbs, 1.2 grams of protein, and 0 grams of fat. Corona is mostly sold in the familiar clear 12oz bottle, although other sizes are available, too.
Other bottle sizes include the 8.5 oz “Coronita” and the 31.8oz “Corona Familiar”. As you’d expect, these different bottle sizes have different calorie and carb counts. The “Coronita” has 104 calories per bottle, and the “Corona Familiar”, the larger bottle, has 392 calories per bottle.
Corona has a pretty standard calorie count for the American adjunct lager style, although it is at the calorific end of the spectrum. This is still lower than other beer styles, but it’s worth noting in direct comparison to Corona’s competitors.
The ingredients in Corona are water, barley malt, non-malted cereals, and hops. These ingredients are fairly standard for beers of this style and, indeed, for most beers. The “non-malted cereals” referred to in the Corona website’s ingredient list is mostly corn. These ingredients make Corona taste fairly similar to other beers of the style, particularly Mexican beers like Pacifico or Modelo.
Corona also includes antioxidants, yeast, and propylene glycol alginate as a stabilizer. These additional ingredients, however, have little to do with Corona’s calorie levels.
How Many Calories Compared To Other Mexican and American Lagers?
Comparing Corona to other beers in the Mexican and American adjunct lager style, its calorie count is fairly similar. Corona, one of the most popular beers in Mexico and the United States, is produced by Grupo Modelo, a major brewer south of the border. It competes with other full-strength lagers, although its international appeal does give Corona a subtly different market segment from the likes of Busch and Budweiser.
| Corona Extra | 148 Calories |
| Pabst Blue Ribbon | 142 Calories |
| Budweiser | 145 Calories |
| Modelo Especial | 143 Calories |
| Pacifico | 140 Calories |
As you can see in the table above, Corona Extra has a higher calorie count, but not by much, compared with similar beers. It is the most calorific beer among its competitors, but its 148 calories are only 8 more calories than the lowest in the above table, Pacifico.
How Much Sugar Is In Corona?
Here’s a fun fact. Alcohol labeling regulations in the United States do not require manufacturers to list the sugar content of their alcoholic beverages. For that reason, we don’t know the precise amount of sugar in the average bottle of Corona Extra.
However, it’s worth noting that beer is not usually very high in sugar. Ingredients that contain sugar, like malted barley, are a part of the brewing process. But this sugar is used up as the beer is brewed and turned into alcohol over the course of beer production. Beer still has a pretty dense calorie count, but it is typically very low in sugar.
Is There Fat In Corona Extra?
As with sugar, beer is typically low in fats. Corona Extra lists 0 grams of fat in its nutritional information. Beer isn’t usually made with fatty products, and Corona is no exception.
Is Corona Keto-Friendly/Low Carb?
The exact answer to this question depends on your own program and your health goals. Regardless, Corona Extra is probably not going to fit into your keto diet.
Modern drinkers are more health-conscious than any generation before. Keto and low-carb diets have been staples of weight loss routines for decades now, and many beer drinkers wonder if they can stick to their favorite brew and still remain within the boundaries of their new diet. Corona, America’s favorite imported beer, is one that many people wonder about.
Typically, a low-carb diet will restrict your carbohydrate intake to 100-150 grams per day. A single Corona, with 13.9g of carbs, is not likely to tip you over your limit. It should be noted, however, that you won’t be able to get those carbs from food.
Keto is a far more restrictive diet, however. You might be on a carb intake as low as 20 grams per day. If that’s the case, a single bottle of Corona could take up more than half of your daily carb allowance. Even if you’re at the higher end of the keto carb allowance, more like 50 grams of carbs per day, your Corona is going to take up more than 20% of your allocated carbohydrate intake.
One or two Coronas won’t put you over the limit in that case, but it might be worth considering a light beer with lower carbs and fewer calories. In fact, Corona Light or Corona Premier might just be the beer for you! These are low-carb, low-calorie alternatives to full-strength Corona Extra that could scratch your beer itch without the heavy carb intake.
Because the bulk of the calories in beer come from carbohydrates, beer is usually not considered within the boundaries of the keto diet.
Is Corona A Healthier Beer?
As with keto and low-carb diets, the definition of a “healthy” beer varies depending on your health goals. Corona is a full-strength lager with 4.6% ABV. It is the most calorific beer of its style compared to its direct competitors. While 148 calories are not as much as some sugary jumbo sodas, it’s still mostly empty calories with little nutritional value beyond its carbohydrate offerings.
Compared to plain water, light beer, or near beers, Corona Extra likely should not be considered a “healthy beer”.
Consider also the alcohol content of your choice of beer. Most lagers have an alcohol content of about 5%, responsible for much of the drink’s calorie content. Corona has an ABV of 4.6%, which is a little lower.
