One beer a day may lead to healthier bones and a glass of wine could improve your cholesterol levels. Drinking too much, however, could negate these benefits and pack on the pounds. Depending on your drink of choice, an alcoholic beverage can contain anywhere from 80 calories in a 4 oz. serving to 250 or more for a blended libation. One evening of free-flowing drinking can conceivably make up 40 percent of your recommended daily calorie intake or more.
Calories
Weight gain has a lot to do with calorie intake. One pound of fat is equivalent to 3,500 calories. Your body will store as fat many of the calories you take in but do not use through exercise or other calorie-consuming functions. By eating the correct number of calories each day--an amount that's determined by your age, activity level and gender--you could prevent weight gain, according to the American Heart Association. People often mistakenly believe that because alcohol is liquid, it must contain fewer calories than solid food. That could not be further from the truth.
Beer and Wine
The average, non-light can of beer has about 153 calories and a 5 oz. glass of table wine has about 123 calories. Once you stop your steady intake of alcohol calories, the weight could just fall away. Factoring in your calorie deficit alone, eliminating two regular beers or two glasses of wine from your daily diet could result in a 6 to 7.3 lb. loss of weight in three months and 12 to more than 14 lbs. after six months.
Binge Drinking
Binge drinking refers to consuming five or more drinks in one sitting. This type of drinking can lead to injuries, alcoholism and weight gain. According to "Drinking in America," a 2002 report by the Department of Justice, 43 percent of adults who identify as frequent drinkers had at least one binge episode in the past 30 days. Eliminating binge drinking could reduce your calorie intake by 615 calories if you drink wine, 765 calories if you drink beer, and 410 calories if you drink a straight distilled alcohol like vodka, rum or gin. If you add a mixer to your alcohol, you can factor in those calories as well. Orange juice or regular cola adds at least 500 calories to a binge episode. If you eliminate one binge episode a week, you could reduce your intake by roughly 2,000 to 3,060 calories a month, resulting in more than 1/2 lb. of weight loss.
Other Considerations
Dropping a half a pound a month might not seem like a lot, but by reducing alcohol in your diet, you could be decreasing your calorie intake in other ways as well. A 2009 study of young professional women found that excessive drinking might lead to overeating. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism reports that drinking disorders and eating disorders often co-occur. People who drink also tend to consume fewer healthy foods and take in more calories from foods high in fats and sugar.
References
- CBSNews.com; Beer a Health Booster?; Brian Dakss; July 2009
- "The Atlanta-Journal Constitution"; Healthy Eating: Alcohol High in Calories; Carolyn O'Neil; February 2010
- KidsHealth: Binge Drinking
- 2002 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Drinking in America: Myths, Realities and Prevention Policy
- PsychCentral: Alcohol Abuse May Lead to Overeating, Depression; Rick Nauert; September 2009
- The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism; Eating Disorders and Alcohol Use Disorders; Carlos M. Grilo; November 2002
Member Comments