Conclusion – Unfortunately for beer drinkers, beer does tend to come out on top when it comes to calorie content – giving some truth to the expression ‘beer belly’! On average, a pint of beer has 50% more energy content than a small glass of wine, which will cause you to pile on the pounds if not enjoyed in moderation.
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Does wine or beer make you fatter?
From health benefits to hangovers, there are some important differences between hop and grape that only science can explain. F Few drinks (save tea or coffee) divide the world so spectacularly as beer or wine. There’s no accounting for taste, of course – but there are subtle differences in the way they affect your body and determine your health.
Is one more fattening than another? How do their heart benefits compare? And which gives the worse hangover? BBC Future has combed through the data to bust some of the myths surrounding two of the world’s favourite drinks. Which gets you drunk more quickly? A pint of lager and a medium glass of wine both contain around the same alcohol content – two or three British units (16-24g).
However, your descent into inebriation relies on that alcohol passing into your blood stream – and the speed at which this happens can depend on the type of drink. Mack Mitchell at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Centre recently asked a group of 15 men to imbibe different drinks on different days.
- He made sure that the alcohol content was precisely matched to their body weight – and ensured they drank the alcohol at precisely the same rate, over a 20 minute period.
- Unsurprisingly, spirits entered the blood stream quickest, leading to the highest peak in blood alcohol content – followed by wine (reaching a peak 54 minutes after drinking) and then beer (which peaked 62 minutes after the drink was finished).
In other words, a glass of wine will go to your head more quickly than a pint of beer. Verdict: Beer is less likely to lead to embarrassment What drink is the more fattening? (Credit: iStock) Which gives you the biggest paunch? At face value, the myth of the beer belly should be true. Alcohol itself contains calories, not to mention all the sugars that make our favourite drinks so tasty. And at around 180 calories, a pint of beer has 50% more energy content than a small glass of wine – enough to cause you to pile on the pounds.
- For moderate drinkers, however, the differences seem to be minimal.
- A recent review of studies concluded that neither wine nor beer drinkers tend to put on weight over the short-term,
- The authors noted, however, that the longest study had lasted just 10 weeks.
- The studies could have missed minor weight gain – and even 1kg (2.2lbs) over that period would eventually add up to a beer belly weighing 25kg (55lbs) over five years.
That’s the equivalent to carrying 10 full-term babies. (On the plus side, the commonly held view that beer may cause men to develop breasts is almost certainly an unfounded myth,) Verdict: Slim differences, but wine may have the edge Hops or grape. which is the worst the following morning? (Credit: iStock) Which gives the worst hangover? Despite their best efforts, scientists have yet to conquer the drinker’s most formidable foe: the hangover. We don’t even fully understand what causes it.
Dehydration is likely to be an important factor (alcohol makes us pee more liquid than we take in) but it may also be caused by some of the byproducts of fermentation. Called congeners, these organic molecules give each drink its unique flavour and aroma, but they may also be toxic to the body, resulting in the throbbing head and nausea that usually follows a night of excess.
In general, darker drinks are thought to contain more congeners. In fact, the evidence so far is ambiguous. Although certain dark spirits like bourbon do seem to produce a worse hangover than crystal clear vodka, different types of beer and wine so far seem to be equal, Red wine contains polyphenols, which soothe inflammation and provide other health benefits (Credit: iStock) Which is better (or worse) for my health? We are often told that a glass of wine a day could help rejuvenate the body, reducing our risk of heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes.
- This life-giving sustenance is thought to come from “polyphenols” (found especially in red wine) that soothe inflammation and mop up damaging chemicals in the body.
- Beer is conspicuously absent from these health bulletins, but it too contains a fair share of polyphenols, and seems to offer modest benefits, akin to white wine but less than red wine.
Clearly, none of this gives you a free pass to binge drink, but if drank in moderation, a glass a day really may keep the doctor away. Verdict: Red wine wins hands down, but beer may be better than no drink at all Overall verdict: When it comes to health benefits, wine edges it as the best medicine.
Is beer worse than wine for belly fat?
Do Other Types of Alcohol Cause Belly Fat? – The most likely way beer contributes to belly fat is through the excess calories it adds to your diet. Other types of alcohol like spirits and wine have fewer calories per standard drink than beer. This means they may be less likely to cause weight gain and belly fat.
Interestingly, some studies have linked drinking moderate amounts of wine with lower body weights ( 35 ). The reason for this is unclear, although it’s been suggested that wine drinkers have healthier, more balanced diets compared to beer and spirit drinkers ( 7, 36 ). What’s more, studies have shown that the amount of alcohol you consume and how frequently you consume it also matter when it comes to your waistline.
In fact, one of the most risky behaviors for developing a beer belly seems to be binge drinking. Studies have found that drinking more than four drinks at one time can increase your risk of belly fat, no matter what drink you choose ( 19, 37, 38, 39 ).
What is the best alcohol for not gaining weight?
HOW TO DRINK AND NOT GAIN WEIGHT by Chelsea Futterman Let’s be honest, you just can’t beat a fresh margarita on a hot summer day, or a bold glass of Bordeaux by the fireplace around the holidays. Alcohol consumption is a way of life for most people. I like to be realistic with my clients – if they enjoy drinking, giving up alcohol may not be in the books for them long term.
- I most definitely recommend cutting down if they are drinking more than 1-2 nights per week in order to lose weight, but you can certainly maintain your status quo and enjoy a few tasty beverages at the same time.
- How does alcohol affect your body? First things first, let’s talk about what alcohol does to your body.
Your body treats alcohol as a toxin. Alcohol has no nutritional value, so your body does not use it as it would a carb, fat or protein. When you consume alcohol, your body stops all other metabolic processes (i.e. metabolizing and burning food for fuel) in order to rid your body of the toxin. CHOOSE YOUR POISON WISELY: THE BEST ALCOHOL DRINKS FOR WEIGHT LOSS. Stay away from sugary drinks (and yes, tonic water has sugar, just as much as a Coke). My go-to is tequila with a lot of fresh lime juice and Topo Chico with a salted rim (tastes like a not-sweet margarita).
- Refreshing, delicious and only 64 calories.
- Vodka with soda water is a classic low calorie drink, but if you are like me and HATE the taste of vodka, try adding a splash of your favorite fruit juice or olive juice.
- One splash is enough to kill the vodka flavor without adding a ton of extra calories.
- Beer and wine are the worst when it comes to drinking – one drink is anywhere from 100-170 calories.
Tequila, vodka, gin and whiskey are the best alcohols for weight loss, with only 60-70 calories for one drink. T RACK IT. Although alcohol is not a carb, a protein or a fat, it still has calories. So, you most definitely want to track it in order to stay within your weight loss or fat loss macros. You must decide to track alcohol as a carb or fat because it is technically neither.
- You can choose how you do it – I like to divide my alcohol evenly into carbs and fat.
- Since there are 4 calories in 1g of carbs and 9 calories in 1g of fat, if you drink a 120 calorie glass of red wine (this is a 5oz pour because who has 4oz anymore?!) that would be roughly 7g of fat and 15g carbs.
- Half of the calories go to carbs (60 calories/4 calories per gram of carbs = 15 carbs) and half of the calories go to fat (60 calories/9 calories per gram of fat = 6.7g fat).
Have I lost you yet? Just create a food in MyFitnessPal you can easily reuse, so you don’t have to do the math every time, just adjust the serving size. For your reference, there are roughly 69 calories in 1oz. of clear liquor (vodka, tequila, gin), so that would equate to 8g carbs and 4g fat. EAT CLEAN. Stay away from high fat, high carb foods when you are drinking. Eating lean protein and vegetables is ideal! Remember when I said your body stalls all metabolic processes as it is trying to detox your body of alcohol? Well, when you eat pizza and french fries when drinking, your body is more likely to store this food as fat. HYDRATE. This goes without saying, but make sure to chug some water before drinking, while drinking, after drinking, all the time! This will help ward off headaches, dehydration and water retention the next day, all of which can negatively affect your workouts.
Can wine cause belly fat?
Wine Belly vs. Beer Belly – Does wine make you gain belly fat? Wine on its own does not cause belly fat when consumed in moderation. Drinking too much wine over time can certainly affect your waistline, but the same is true for any type of alcohol. The more you drink, the more weight you might gain thanks to excess calories alone.
- As beer generally has more carbs and calories than wine, you’re better off drinking wine.
- If we’re talking about temporary belly bloat, wine and beer can cause your belly to expand.
- You can thank the yeast in both for that.
- Your temporary belly boat may also result from too much salt or fatty foods.
- An elimination diet is a good way to determine the cause of your bloat.
Some studies suggest that drinking red wine, particularly in the evening, can reduce belly fat over time. Unfortunately, these studies often include participants who follow healthy eating plans like the Mediterranean diet, so it can be challenging to pinpoint the real reason for those flat bellies.
Does beer cause belly fat?
Q: How does a so-called “beer belly” form? – A: Too many of any kind of calories, whether they’re from alcohol or sugary foods or just from eating too much food, can increase belly fat. Since an average beer can be more than 150 calories, it doesn’t take long for the calories (and the belly) to build.
Does wine add weight?
Is Drinking Wine Every Day Considered to be Problematic? – Wine drinking throughout the United States often appears to carry less social stigma than do other alcoholic beverages such as beer, liquor, and whiskey. One reason this may be is due to the connoisseur lifestyle that accompanies wine tasting.
The artistic fascination and the relaxing aspects of wine can be highly appealing to many. There is some research available that suggests a glass of wine a day does have positive health effects, although other studies suggest this may be rooted in myth. Other studies actually show that regular wine use can increase the potential for substance-use disorders.
Health professionals will suggest that wine drinking, like any other alcoholic beverage, should be kept to moderate amounts, One common health effect that does occur with regular wine use is significant weight gain which can have physical and mental health consequences.
How can I drink beer without gaining fat?
The Truth About Beer and Your Belly What really causes that potbelly, and how can you get rid of it? Have years of too many beers morphed your six-pack abs into a keg? If you have a “beer belly,” you are not alone. It seems beer drinkers across the globe have a tendency to grow bellies, especially as they get older, and especially if they are men.
But is it really beer that causes a “beer belly”? Not all beer drinkers have them – some teetotalers sport large ones. So what really causes men, and some women, to develop the infamous paunch? It’s not necessarily beer but too many calories that can turn your trim waistline into a belly that protrudes over your pants.
Any kind of calories – whether from alcohol, sugary beverages, or oversized portions of food – can increase belly fat. However, alcohol does seem to have a particular association with fat in the midsection. “In general, alcohol intake is associated with bigger waists, because when you drink alcohol, the burns alcohol instead of fat,” says Michael Jensen, MD, an endocrine expert and obesity researcher with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn.
- Beer also gets the blame because alcohol calories are so easy to overdo.
- A typical beer has 150 calories – and if you down several in one sitting, you can end up with serious calorie overload.
- And don’t forget calories from the foods you wash down with those beers.
- Alcohol can increase your appetite.
- Further, when you’re drinking beer at a bar or party, the food on hand is often fattening fare like pizza, wings, and other fried foods.
When you take in more calories than you burn, the excess calories are stored as fat. Where your body stores that fat is determined in part by your age, sex, and hormones. Boys and girls start out with similar fat storage patterns, but puberty changes that.
Women have more subcutaneous fat (the kind under the ) than men, so those extra fat calories tend to be deposited in their arms, thighs, and buttocks, as well as their bellies. Because men have less subcutaneous fat, they store more in their bellies. Beer bellies tend to be more prominent in older people because as you get older, your calorie needs go down, you often become less active, and gaining weight gets easier.
As hormone levels decline in men and women as they age, they’re more likely to store fat around the middle. Menopausal women who take tend to have less of a shift toward more belly fat than those who do not. Studies suggest that smokers may also deposit more fat in their bellies, Jensen says.
- Belly fat in the midsection does more than reduce your chances of winning the swimsuit competition.
- It’s linked to a variety of health problems, from to high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease.
- Carrying extra pounds in your thighs or hips is less risky than carrying them in the abdominal region.
Further, subcutaneous fat that you can grab around your waist and on your thighs, hips, and buttocks is not as dangerous as the visceral fat that’s found deep within the abdominal cavity surrounding your organs. Visceral fat within the abdominal wall is frequently measured by waist circumference.
- When waist circumference exceeds 35 inches for women and 40 for men, it is associated with an increased risk of, metabolic syndrome, and overall mortality,” Jensen says.
- He cautions that these numbers are simply guidelines, and recommends keeping your waist size below these numbers.
- There is no magical way to tackle belly fat other than the tried-and-true method of cutting calories and getting more physical activity.
Monounsaturated fats and so-called “belly fat” diets won’t trim your belly faster than any healthy, low-calorie diet, Jensen says. Because of the link between alcohol calories and belly fat, drinking less alcohol is a good place to start. Avoid binge drinking, which puts you at risk for damage and other serious health problems.
- The U.S. Department of Agriculture’ s 2010 D ietary Guidelines recommend limiting alcohol to one serving per day for women and two for men.
- Beer lovers should opt for light beers with 100 calorie or less, and limit the number they drink per day.
- Another option is to drink alcohol only on weekends, and to alternate drinks with low-calorie, non-alcohol beverages.
Don’t forget to have a healthy meal before or with your drinks to help you resist the temptation of high-calorie bar food. Doing sit-ups, crunches, or other will strengthen your core muscles and help you hold in your belly fat, but won’t eliminate it.
The only way to lose belly fat (or any kind of fat) is to lose weight. Aerobic exercises like running,, cycling, and tennis are some of the best to help reduce body fat. But “any kind of will help you keep the weight off more effectively than diet alone,” Jensen says. The good news is that when you start losing weight, you tend to lose it in the midsection first.
“Visceral fat is more metabolically active and can be broken down quicker than other fat,” Jensen says, “so it is usually the first to go, especially when you have a lot to lose.” Kathleen Zelman, MPH, RD, is director of for WebMD. Her opinions and conclusions are her own.
Can I drink wine and still lose weight?
Cons – Several studies have noted that excess alcohol consumption is linked to weight gain — especially in men ( 2, 12, 13 ). Alcohol contains more calories per gram than carbs and protein, and many alcoholic beverages — like beer, wine, and mixed drinks — may also be loaded with sugar.
Because of this, it can be easier to consume more calories than you intend to when drinking alcohol ( 2, 14, 15 ). Additionally, overconsumption of alcohol may lead to insulin resistance and blood sugar control problems, which may be a precursor to weight gain and type 2 diabetes ( 16 ). Note that 5 ounces (148 mL) of wine is considered 1 serving, and moderate drinking is defined as no more than 2 servings of alcohol per day for men and 1 serving of alcohol per day for women ( 15 ).
Summary Red wine is rich in the antioxidant resveratrol, but research is mixed regarding its positive weight effects. Excess alcohol consumption — including red wine — may lead to weight gain. Luckily, you don’t have to completely avoid drinking red wine if you’re trying to lose weight.
Stick to one serving. A serving of wine is defined as 5 ounces (150 mL) ( 15 ). Track your calorie intake. If you can include a serving of wine in your day and maintain a calorie deficit, then you should be able to continue losing weight. Avoid dessert wines. Dessert wines are sweeter and more likely to contain more sugar and calories per serving.
As long as you’re watching your portion sizes and drinking in moderation, wine shouldn’t have a huge effect on your weight. Additionally, if you notice that your weight loss is slowing down and nothing has changed except the amount or frequency of your red wine intake, try cutting back to see if that helps.
Summary You can drink red wine and still lose weight as long as you limit how much you drink and track your calories. Red wine is rich in antioxidants, but it’s also full of calories from alcohol and carbs. This makes it a mixed bag when it comes to weight loss. Too much red wine, or any alcoholic drink, may hinder weight loss and contribute to weight gain.
That said, red wine in moderation may provide some protective effects against weight gain. To enjoy red wine while losing weight, make sure to stick to a single serving, avoid sugary dessert wines, and track your calories,
Will I lose belly fat if I stop drinking wine?
4. Facilitate weight loss – Excess alcohol consumption may cause weight gain, which means that cutting out alcohol could lead to weight loss for some people. While alcohol is high in calories, and wine, beer, and mixed drinks add sugar to one’s diet, Kumar said that simply cutting it out may not always help you lose weight.
“Again, depends on what the baseline alcohol consumption is,” she said. “If heavier drinkers remove alcohol for a longer period of time, they might see weight loss, improvement in body composition, less stomach fat, improvement in triglycerides (one of the fat particles in the blood),” she said. Depending on the person, Kumar said she sometimes suggests cutting back on alcohol to lose weight.
“I have recommended completely eliminating alcohol for weight loss as a trial for some patients who have optimized all other aspects of their life (diet is pristine, exercise is maximal, sleep is adequate, stress is managed) to see if they are particularly sensitive to the weight gaining effects of alcohol,” Kumar noted.
Is wine every night bad for you?
How does wine affect the body? – In the short-term, alcohol can:
Impair judgment Disrupt sleep Interact with certain medications you might be taking, including over-the-counter pain relievers Trigger certain health conditions, such as migraines and mood issues
Some of these outcomes are possible even with moderate wine consumption. “When enjoyed in moderation, wine — specifically — doesn’t seem to have as many negative impacts as drinking other alcoholic beverages,” says Dr. Septimus. “But, truth be told, the studies supporting this aren’t entirely convincing.” Plus, many women don’t stop at a single 5-ounce serving of wine and many men don’t stop at just two.
- What is certain about wine and other types of alcohol is that drinking beyond moderation has clear impacts on a person’s health,” warns Dr. Septimus.
- Regularly drinking more wine than recommended increases a person’s risk of developing cancer, liver disease, chronic pancreatitis, sleep disorders and more.” And while you may hear some debate about whether a small glass of wine every now and then during pregnancy might be okay, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant women avoid alcohol completely.
Lastly, all alcohol — wine included — is a source of, Put simply, there are no beneficial nutrients in alcohol, and each gram carries seven calories with it. Drinking only in moderation can help curb such nutritionless calories, but drinking in excess can easily derail your weight loss or weight management goals.
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: Is Having a Glass of Wine a Day Good, Bad or Neither?
Is Heineken beer fattening?
Calories In Heineken – Heineken beer also contains approximately 150 calories per 12 oz serving. This is typically less than other alcoholic beverages like wine or liquor, so it may be a good option if you are worried about your calorie intake. That said, it’s still important to keep track of these calories and balance them with your daily nutritional needs so that you don’t end up gaining weight.
Does wine make you gain weight?
Is Drinking Wine Every Day Considered to be Problematic? – Wine drinking throughout the United States often appears to carry less social stigma than do other alcoholic beverages such as beer, liquor, and whiskey. One reason this may be is due to the connoisseur lifestyle that accompanies wine tasting.
- The artistic fascination and the relaxing aspects of wine can be highly appealing to many.
- There is some research available that suggests a glass of wine a day does have positive health effects, although other studies suggest this may be rooted in myth.
- Other studies actually show that regular wine use can increase the potential for substance-use disorders.
Health professionals will suggest that wine drinking, like any other alcoholic beverage, should be kept to moderate amounts, One common health effect that does occur with regular wine use is significant weight gain which can have physical and mental health consequences.
How many beers equals a glass of wine?
How Many Beers Equals a Bottle of Wine? – A standard “drink” contains around 14 grams of alcohol, which is roughly how much is present in a 12 oz. beer at 5% ABV and a 5 oz. glass of wine at 12% ABV. At these proportions, the average glass of wine is equal to the average can of beer.