Units and calories in Irish cream liqueur

Irish cream liqueur is an alcoholic drink made by blending whiskey with cream and sugar. But how much alcohol is in it, and how many calories? Read on to find out.

How much alcohol is in Irish cream liqueur?

The minimum strength of liqueurs sold in the UK is 15% ABV (alcohol by volume).¹ That means at least fifteen percent of the drink is made up by pure alcohol.

Checking an Irish cream liqueur's label for its ABV (alcohol by volume) tells you what percentage of the drink is made up of alcohol. For example, an Irish cream liqueur with 17% ABV is seventeen percent pure alcohol – and the higher the percentage, the more alcohol there is.

A good way to keep track of how much you’re drinking is to know how many units of alcohol are in your drink. One unit of alcohol is 10ml (ten millilitres) of pure alcohol – and the number of units you are drinking depends on the drink’s size and strength. 

For example, a 50ml serving of 17% ABV Irish cream liqueur has 0.85 units in it.

The UK Chief Medical Officers’ (CMOs) low risk drinking guidelines advise you not to drink more than 14 units a week, spread over three or more days, with several drink-free days - and no bingeing.

Regularly drinking more than the low risk drinking guidelines increases your risk of serious health conditions including heart problems, high blood pressure and poor mental health. Drinking alcohol also causes at least seven types of cancer, including breast, bowel, mouth and throat cancers.²

How many calories are in Irish cream liqueur?

Alcohol is high in calories. It contains around seven calories a gram - almost as many as fat.³

And the calories in an Irish cream liqueur don’t just come from the alcohol – it’s high in sugar too.

A 50ml glass of Irish cream liqueur contain 153 calories – about the same as a large chocolate biscuit. This would take you about 15 minutes of running to burn off.

Calories from alcohol are often described as 'empty calories', meaning they have no nutritional value because they are consumed in addition to the calories your body needs. Drinking alcohol affects the way your body processes fat for energy too, and alcohol makes you more likely to store fat around your middle.^5,6

Find out more about alcohol, calories and maintaining a healthy weight