Twisted Tea has grown to be a very popular drink, especially after the 2020 outburst of Twisted Tea memes. However, not many people are very familiar with what is actually in Twisted Tea, whether or not it's good for them (in any way), and if it's safe to drink on a more regular basis. One of the questions we've seen a lot at Sin Columna is "how many calories in Twisted Tea?"
If you too are interested in learning more about the calories, nutrients, and health effects of Twisted Tea, read on and find out more.
First Things First: Is Twisted Tea... Actually Tea?
Twisted Tea is technically a malt-based alcoholic beverage, meaning that it is brewed from malted barley. This means that it does not have the same health benefits as tea, which is typically brewed from Camellia sinensis leaves. Yes, Twisted tea does have tea in it -- but the fact that it is combined with alcohol may have further implications.
In short, Twisted Tea does contain antioxidants, but not to the same extent as tea.
What Does Twisted Tea Have in It?
Twisted Tea is made with select tea brews, lemon juice, and malt liquor. To this, different variations (including those made by "knock-off companies'') may have different types of sweeteners, flavors, and so on.
The good news is that you can make a Twisted Tea version at home. This also means that you can have better control over what goes into your spiced-up tea (including how much sugar, the kind of tea you use, and how much alcohol you mix it with).
How Many Calories Are There in a Twisted Tea?
A can of Twisted Tea weighs in at 396 grams and has 190 calories. This is about the same as most regular soft drinks, but it's important to remember that a large part of that number of calories is attributed to alcohol, actually. Not many people are fully aware of this, but alcohol has approximately 7 calories per gram.
This means that if you drink, say, Twisted Tea with an alcohol content of 4.5%, that would be like drinking a beer (which usually has around 5% alcohol). So, in short, the number of calories in a Twisted Tea depends on how much alcohol is in it.
If you want to better control how many calories you get into your body, making your own "Twisted Tea" at home with less alcohol can help you "save" some of those calories (all while still enjoying the taste of your favorite drink).
Twisted Tea and Calories: FAQs
What are the Twisted Tea nutrition facts for 12 oz cans?
One 12 oz. can of Twisted Tea contains about 190 calories, of which about half come from the alcohol. Furthermore, it will also contain about 0 grams of dietary fiber, 11 grams of sugar, and no trans fat, cholesterol, or vitamins.
