Counting the calories and carbohydrates in your choice of alcoholic beverage can be one of life's little mysteries, according to a report by WBZ-TV in Boston. This is a problem for approximately 55 percent of American adults who consume wine, beer or spirits, according to the Consumer Federation of America. The American Heart Association warns against excessive drinking -- more than two servings per day for a man or one for a woman -- but evidence suggests that in those quantities it should not wreak havoc with your diet.
Variations
The many different brands of liquor available make it hard to gauge calories or carbohydrates across the board, according to the Consumer Federation of America. Calorie and carb contents are dependent on a company's recipe and how the alcohol is processed. The range of calories per serving is usually not as great as the range of carbohydrates per serving, however.
Content
The Consumer Federation of America indicates that spirits can contain anywhere from 86 calories per serving to 98 calories. Wine ranges from 105 calories per serving to 125 calories. Beer calories are the most difficult to get a handle on. Light beers generally contain about 100 calories per serving. Regular beers jump to 140 calories per serving. Carbohydrate content starts at zero for spirits and can jump to 38.0 g per serving for a malt beverage, with an average of 13 g for regular beer. Wines fall between 0.8 to 5.0 g carbohydrates per serving. Red wine generally contains slightly more carbohydrates and calories than white wine. Findings are based on a survey of 26 top-selling brands of wine, hard liquor and beer.
Difficulties in Determination
A drink is a drink is a drink, except when you are trying to count carbohydrates and calories. Wine, beer and spirits do not come with nutrition labels to guide you. This leaves consumers in the position of surfing product websites to learn the exact calorie and carbohydrate content of their preferred brand.
Impact of Serving Sizes
The issue of serving sizes further complicates matters. WBZ-TV quotes one expert who noted that the trend in wine glasses is to make them larger and larger. The American Heart Association indicates that a serving of wine equals 4 oz. When a drinker fills an over-sized wine glass even half way, he can consume as much as 8 oz., or two servings. A serving of beer is 12 oz., which is often the size of one bottle. Serving sizes of distilled spirits vary depending on the proof. You can have 1.5 oz. of an 80-proof liquor but only 1 oz. of a 100-proof liquor per serving.
Considerations
David L. Hanson, Ph.D., writes in an article on the website, Alcohol Problems and Solutions, that most alcoholic beverages actually contain fewer calories than their non-alcoholic counterparts. Asking for a glass of cranberry juice rather than a glass of wine may not be helping your diet along.
Myths
Hanson cites research studies that have proved drinking alcohol in moderation does not automatically equate to weight gain and, in fact, women may actually enjoy a slight weight loss. Hanson also says non-alcoholic beers tend to be higher in carbs than regular beers, no matter what their advertisements tell you. And rum does not contain sugar. The fermentation process leaves only ethyl alcohol behind, which has zero carbs.
References
- Alcohol Problems and Solutions: Calories, Carbs & Fat in Popular Beverages; David J. Hanson, Ph.D.
- Consumer Federation of America: CFA Reveals Alcohol, Calories and Carbs in Top Selling Beer, Wine and Distilled Spirits Brands
- WBZTV.com: Hard to Figure Out How Many Calories in Alcohol; Kate Merrill; May 24, 2010
- American Heart Association: Alcohol, Wine and Cardiovascular Disease
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