Ask a Dietitian

This New Year some of you may be thinking of shedding a few pounds. You might try to up your exercise, drop the night-time snacks or just be more mindful of your portions. But have you considered the alcohol?
Alcohol Calories:
Alcohol is the second most calorie dense nutrient after fat. It contains 7 kcal per gram. Fat has 9kcal/g and protein and carbs have 4kcal/g. Alcohol is considered empty calories because it does not contribute vitamins or minerals to our diet. Each alcoholic beverage you consume can add a significant amount to your daily intake. Have a look:
8oz long island iced tea 400 kcal
8 oz Margarita 200 kcal
3oz Cosmopolitan 165 kcal
5oz red or white wine 125 kcal
1 beer 140 kcal
Light Beer 105 kcal
5oz champagne 100 kcal
1.5oz gin, vodka or rum 100 kcal

Alcohol Metabolism:
Alcohol is easily absorbed into our bloodstream and is sent to the liver for detoxification. If alcohol is present the liver will prioritize its’ metabolism ahead of fats and carbs. This means you won’t be burning calories from other sources when you are metabolizing alcohol. Your liver can clear alcohol at a rate of about 1 drink per hour. Consuming more alcohol than that will leave you feeling tipsy.
While your liver is busy metabolizing alcohol it becomes ineffective at releasing sugar into the blood, causing blood sugars to drop. This can cause hunger at the end of the night of drinking or early the next morning.
If you consume more alcohol calories than you can burn (in addition to your food calories) the excess energy will be converted into fat for storage. For alcohol, this fat is stored in the liver which with long-term overconsumption can lead to a fatty liver and excess fat around the abdomen “beer belly”.
Alcohol Reduction
You don’t need to abstain completely as this usually leads to a short term alcohol fast followed by binging with no habits changed. Instead consider changing some of your habits.
1. Have a glass of water first before alcohol so you quench your thirst and allow yourself to savour the alcohol more slowly
2. When you have a glass of wine during cooking, pour yourself only half a glass and make it last longer.
3. Alternate your beer or wine with a glass of water or Perrier at parties and social gatherings
4. Set a limit before you go out. (Offering to be the Designated Driver helps you stick to your goals)
5. Select mixed drinks that have low calorie mixes such as soda, tonic and lemon or lime juice rather than Coke, Eggnog or liqueurs.
6. If you are trying to lose weight set an alcohol calorie limit and include that as part of your daily intake. Consider no more than 200kcal/day on average.