We Label Cereal and Candy Bars—Why Not Alcohol?
Alcoholic beverages should disclose ingredients, calories, sugar, and allergens—just like almost everything else we consume.
Happy Nutrition Month!
Recently, I had Dr. DeAnna Nara on The Mindful Drinking Podcast, which promoted me to think more deeply about the nutritional labeling of alcoholic beverages. I submitted this statement to regulations.org (comment period ends April 17, 2025) and encourage you to make your opinion known, too. My statement below is only slightly modified from the original.
When I pick up a chocolate bar, I can see how many calories and how much sugar it has. I know it’s not great for me, but I also know that a couple squares is a small indulgence.
When I reach for something to eat or drink—especially as I try to make healthier choices—I look at the label. I want to know what’s inside, how much sugar I’m consuming, and whether it’s something I’ll regret later. That’s basic information I rely on to take care of my health.
So why don’t alcoholic beverages have the same requirement?
Unlike packaged food, most alcoholic drinks in the U.S. aren’t required to disclose ingredients, calorie counts, sugar content, or potential allergens. That’s a glaring omission—and a dangerous one.
In fact, public health groups and lawmakers have begun calling for increased transparency. In 2022, a coalition of over 60 U.S. organizations petitioned the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to require ingredient and nutrition labels on alcoholic products—a move that mirrors recent requirements adopted in the European Union. The conversation is already happening. What’s missing is action.
Yes, alcohol production is complex. There’s a wide spectrum—from small-production natural wine to mass-produced spirits and canned cocktails. I understand that tiny producers may not have the resources to implement full labeling. In the EU, small wineries can disclose ingredients digitally via QR code, and that seems like a reasonable path forward here, too.
But for major producers of beer, wine, spirits, and ready-to-drink cocktails, there’s no excuse. Consumers deserve transparency.
Let’s be clear: alcohol is not a health product. It’s a known carcinogen and a contributing factor in over 200 diseases and injuries—including heart and liver disease, multiple cancers, road accidents, suicides, and interpersonal violence. According to the World Health Organization, it’s responsible for more than 3 million deaths each year—about 1 in 20 globally. And yet, we continue to treat it like just another beverage.
It’s also the ultimate empty calorie. Alcohol contains seven calories per gram with often no nutritional benefit. Many drinks also contain added sugars, artificial sweeteners, and stabilizers. Without labels, consumers can’t gauge how those choices may contribute to weight gain, insulin resistance, or other chronic health conditions. In a country where obesity is a leading public health concern, we should be asking why the regular consumption of unlabeled, high-calorie beverages is still the norm.
Then there’s the issue of allergens. People with sensitivities to ingredients like wheat, sulfites, or dairy deserve to know if those are present in their drinks—just as they would with any other food product.
Adding nutritional labeling won’t solve all of alcohol’s public health issues. But it’s a small, meaningful step. When people know how much sugar or how many calories they’re consuming—or whether a drink contains allergens—they can make better choices.
And that’s really the point. Just like I check labels when I’m trying to make healthier choices for myself, I want that same clarity when it comes to what I drink. It’s not about fear—it’s about facts.
Alcoholic beverages should be labeled with ingredients, calorie counts, sugar content, and other nutritional information. It’s a reasonable, responsible expectation—and one that’s long overdue.
Transparency shouldn’t end where the bar begins.
What’s happening and what’s next…
If you’re at at The Bar & Restaurant Expo on March 25th at 1 PM PDT, join me for a seminar, “Zero-Proof, Full Profit: Making NA Drinks Work for Your Business.” I’ll be talking about best practices for integrating non-alcoholic drinks into hospitality settings—covering menu strategy, pricing, staff training, consumer engagement, and operational execution during my talk. 🗣️
After a tough workout or long race, many athletes are turning to non-alcoholic beer—but does it work? I discuss in my latest episode of The Mindful Drinking Podcast, Is Non-Alcoholic Beer a Healthy Drink? 🎙️
Curious what I see in my crystal ball about mindful drinking and the future of no- and low-alcohol? In this interview, I talk to Malvika Patel, Editor and VP, Beverage Trade Network, about the Mindful Drinking and the Future of No/Low Alcohol. ✍🏻
YES LONG needed my friend!
Alcoholic beverages should be labeled with ingredients, calorie counts, sugar content, and other nutritional information. It’s a reasonable, responsible expectation—and one that’s long overdue.
Hey Derek, I agree with your point on disclosing all ingredients and allergens including calories, but the process of recreating, designing, and requiring new labeling specs for CRAFT DISTILLERIES right now is yet another difficult cost to swallow. It sounds silly, I know, but so many of these guys are currently on the brink of bankruptcy between market consolidation, the tariff war and the rising cost of doing business — right now, they need a lifeline, not additional product requirements and more hoops to jump through. That said, I do believe disclosure is important, and think these ingredients and calories should be clearly articulated on their websites. Down the road, great, let’s get them on the bottle, but right now it’s so important to pick our battles.