How many calories are in ale or stout? – Alcohol is high in calories. It contains around seven calories a gram – almost as many as pure fat.4 A pint of ale or stout with 5% ABV can contain over 250 calories, the same amount in a whole bagel. Calories from alcohol are often described as ’empty calories’, meaning they have no nutritional value because they are consumed in addition to the calories your body needs.
And drinking alcohol affects the way your body processes fat for energy.5 You are more likely to store fat around your middle – which is an area where men in particular tend to show weight gain, sometimes referred to as a ‘ beer belly ‘.6,7 What’s more, if you find that you eat more junk food after a drinking session, you won’t be alone.
Contents
Carbs & Calories in ALCOHOL: Essential Guide (PART 1)
That’s because drinking affects the hormones that control your appetite, 8 as well as making you less inhibited and therefore less likely to make healthy choices.9 Find out more about alcohol, calories and maintaining a healthy weight
Do stout beers have more calories?
Although we don’t initially think of beer as a lighter option, stout is around 50 calories less than other beers – even with the average 8% abv!
Is stout beer healthier?
They can be good for your health Are you ready to get scientific? Dark beer is rich in flavonoids – which contain powerful antioxidants that can help protect against diseases. Stouts are also high in vitamin B, preventing the build up of certain harmful amino acids believed to cause heart problems.
Does stout beer have less calories?
Editor’s Note: Get inspired by a weekly roundup on living well, made simple. Sign up for CNN’s Life, But Better newsletter for information and tools designed to improve your well-being. CNN — Guinness, like other Irish stouts, enjoys a seasonal popularity every St.
- Patrick’s Day.
- It has also been touted as being “good for you,” at least by its own advertising posters decades ago.
- But can this creamy, rich and filling beer really be added to a list of healthy beverages? Or is its reputation just good marketing? We researched the beer’s history and talked to brewing experts and break out the good, the not-so-great and the ingenuity of Guinness.
The original Guinness is a type of ale known as stout. It’s made from a grist (grain) that includes a large amount of roasted barley, which gives it its intense burnt flavor and very dark color. And though you wouldn’t rank it as healthful as a vegetable, the stouts in general, as well as other beers, may be justified in at least some of their nutritional bragging rights.
According to Charlie Bamforth, a professor of brewing sciences at the University of California, Davis, most beers contain significant amounts of antioxidants, B vitamins, the mineral silicon (which may help protect against osteoporosis), soluble fiber and prebiotics, which promote the growth of “good” bacteria in your gut.
And Guinness may have a slight edge compared with other brews, even over other stouts. “We showed that Guinness contained the most folate of the imported beers we analyzed,” Bamforth said. Folate is a B vitamin that our bodies need to make DNA and other genetic material; it’s also necessary for cells to divide.
- According to his research, stouts on average contain 12.8 micrograms of folate, or 3.2% of the recommended daily allowance.
- We showed that Guinness contained the most folate of the imported beers we analyzed,” Bamforth said.
- Folate is a B vitamin that our bodies need to make DNA and other genetic material.
It’s also necessary for cells to divide. According to his research, stouts on average contain 12.8 micrograms of folate, or 3.2% of the recommended daily allowance. Because Guinness contains a lot of unmalted barley, which contains more fiber than malted grain, it is also one of the beers with the highest levels of fiber, according to Bamforth.
Note: Though the USDA lists beer as containing zero grams of fiber, Bamforth said his research shows otherwise.) Bamforth researched and co-authored studies recently published in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing and the Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists, The Science of Beer.
Here’s more potentially good news about Guinness: Despite its rich flavor and creamy consistency, it’s not the highest in calories compared with other beers. A 12-ounce serving of Guinness Draught has 125 calories. By comparison, the same size serving of Budweiser has 145 calories, a Heineken has 142 calories, and a Samuel Adams Cream Stout has 189 calories.
- In the United States, Guinness Extra Stout, by the way, has 149 calories.
- This makes sense when you consider that alcohol is the main source of calories in beers.
- Guinness Draught has a lower alcohol content, at 4.2% alcohol by volume (ABV), compared with 5% for Budweiser and Heineken, and 4.9% for the Samuel Adams Cream Stout.
In general, moderate alcohol consumption – defined by the USDA’s dietary guidelines for Americans as no more than two drinks per day for men or one drink per day for women – may protect against heart disease. So you can check off another box. Guinness is still alcohol, and consuming too much can impair judgment and contribute to weight gain.
Heavy drinking (considered more than 15 drinks a week for men or more than eight drinks a week for women) and binge drinking (five or more drinks for men, and four or more for women, in about a two-hour period) are also associated with many health problems, including liver disease, pancreatitis and high blood pressure.
According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, “alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States: 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems.” And while moderate consumption of alcohol may have heart benefits for some, consumption of alcohol can also increase a woman’s risk of breast cancer for each drink consumed daily.
Many decades ago, in Ireland, it would not have been uncommon for a doctor to advise pregnant and nursing women to drink Guinness. But today, experts (particularly in the United States) caution of the dangers associated with consuming any alcohol while pregnant. “Alcohol is a teratogen, which is something that causes birth defects.
It can cause damage to the fetal brain and other organ systems,” said Dr. Erin Tracy, an OB/GYN at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School assistant professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive gynecology. “We don’t know of any safe dose of alcohol in pregnancy; hence we recommend abstaining entirely during this brief period of time in a woman’s life.” What about beer for breastfeeding? “In Britain, they have it in the culture that drinking Guinness is good for nursing mothers,” said Karl Siebert, professor emeritus of the food science department and previous director of the brewing program at Cornell University.
Beer in general has been regarded as a galactagogue, or stimulant of lactation, for much of history. In fact, according to irishtimes.com, breastfeeding women in Ireland were once given a bottle of Guinness a day in maternity hospitals. According to Domhnall Marnell, the Guinness ambassador, Guinness Original (also known as Guinness Extra Stout, depending on where it was sold) debuted in 1821, and for a time, it contained live yeast, which had a high iron content, so it was given to anemic individuals or nursing mothers then, before the effects of alcohol were fully understood.
Some studies have showed evidence that ingredients in beer can increase prolactin, a hormone necessary for milk production; others have showed the opposite. Regardless of the conclusions, the alcohol in beer also appears to counter the benefits associated with increased prolactin secretion.
The problem is that alcohol temporarily inhibits the milk ejection reflex and overall milk supply, especially when ingested in large amounts, and chronic alcohol use lowers milk supply permanently,” said Diana West, co-author of “The Breastfeeding Mother’s Guide to Making More Milk.” “Barley can be eaten directly, or even made from commercial barley drinks, which would be less problematic than drinking beer,” West said.
If you’re still not convinced that beer is detrimental to breastfeeding, consider this fact: A nursing mother drinking any type of alcohol puts her baby in potential danger. “The fetal brain is still developing after birth – and since alcohol passes into breast milk, the baby is still at risk,” Tracy said.
- This is something we would not advocate today,” Marnell agreed.
- We would not recommend to anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding to be enjoying our products during this time in their life.” Regarding the old wives’ tale about beer’s effects on breastfeeding, Marnell added, “It’s not something that Guinness has perpetuated and if (people are still saying it), I’d like to say once and for all, it’s not something we support or recommend.” Assuming you are healthy and have the green light to drink beer, you might wonder why Guinness feels like you’ve consumed a meal, despite its lower calorie and alcohol content.
It has to do with the sophistication that goes into producing and pouring Guinness. According to Bamforth, for more than half a century, Guinness has put nitrogen gas into its beer at the packaging stage, which gives smaller, more stable bubbles and delivers a more luscious mouthfeel.
- It also tempers the harsh burnt character coming from the roasted barley.
- Guinness cans, containing a widget to control the pour, also have some nitrogen.
- Guinness is also dispensed through a special tap that uses a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
- In Ireland, Guinness had a long history of hiring the best and brightest university graduates regardless of what they were trained in,” Siebert said.
“And they put them to work on things they needed. One was a special tap for dispensing Guinness, which has 11 different nozzles in it, that helps to form the fine-bubbled foam.” The foam is remarkably long-lasting. “After you get a freshly poured Guinness, you can make a face in the foam, and by the time you finish drinking it, the face is still there,” Siebert said.
The famous advertising Guinness slogans – including “It’s a good day for a Guinness” – started through word of mouth, said Marnell. “In 1929, when we were about to do our first ad, we asked (ourselves), ‘What stance should we take?’ So we sent around a group of marketers (in Ireland and the UK) to ask Guinness drinkers why they chose Guinness, and nine out of 10 said their belief was that the beer was healthy for them.
We already had this reputation in the bars before we uttered a word about the beer. “That led to the Gilroy ads that were posted,” Marnell explained, referring to the artist John Gilroy, responsible for the Guinness ads from 1928 to the 1960s. “You’ll see the characters representing the Guinness brand – the toucan, the pelican – and slogans like ‘Guinness is good for you’ or ‘Guinness for Strength.’ But those were from the 1920s, ’30s and ‘40s.” Today, he said, the company would not claim any health benefits for its beer.
- If anyone is under the impression that there are health benefits to drinking Guinness, then unfortunately, I’m the bearer of bad news.
- Guinness is not going to build muscle or cure you of influenza.” In fact, Guinness’ parent company, Diageo, spends a lot of effort supporting responsible drinking initiatives and educating consumers about alcohol’s effects.
Its DrinkIQ page offers information such as calories in alcohol, how your body processes it and when alcohol can be dangerous, including during pregnancy. “One of the main things we focus on is that while we would love people to enjoy our beer, we want to make sure they do so as responsibly as possible,” Marnell said.
How many calories in a 500ml bottle of stout?
There are around 500 calories in a full 500ml bottle of Bourbon County Brand Stout, but that should be many servings.
Is stout high in sugar?
ONE of the quickest ways to lose weight is to cut down on alcohol because booze is often little more than liquid sugar. You might be surprised to learn exactly how much of the sweet stuff is in your favourite tipple. That old saying “What’s your poison?” has never been more true, because over-consumption of sugar is one of the major health concerns of modern-day life.
One pint of stout has up to five teaspoons of sugar, more than half the recommended daily amount for an adult and more than you’ll consume in a half a Mars bar. Scientists have recently recommended to the World Health Organisation that men shouldn’t consume more than eight teaspoons (32g) of sugar a day or women six teaspoons (24g) a day.
Be warned: A Bacardi Breezer contains 5.5 teaspoons of sugar, a Vodka and Coke has 6.5 and a Smirnoff Ice has 7.5. I’m lucky that my favourite drinks are dry white wine or sparkly Prosecco, which have only a quarter of a teaspoon of sugar per glass. At least they’re not liquid sugar.
Men’s drinks are even worse for their waistlines and their health: Strong real ales can have up to nine teaspoons of sugar because sugar or honey is often added to the beverage to help produced the desired flavour. So just one pint takes you over the recommended daily sugar intake. Years ago they use to advertise that “Guinness is good for you” but a pint contains five teaspoons of sugar (real liquid sugar!) Even lager has about three teaspoons.
Like a G&T in the evening? It’s lovely in summer with ice and lemon, isn’t it, but be careful – that tonic could have five teaspoons of sugar in it. Compare that to a large glass of red wine, which only has a quarter of a teaspoon of sugar. A bottle of Magners pear cider was found to have eight and a half teaspoons while a pint of Strongbow dry cider had three and a half teaspoons of sugar in it.
Vodka, gin and whisky have minimal traces of sugar in them unless you top the drink up with a fizzy mixer such as coke or lemonade. Alcopops also had high sugar content with around five teaspoons per bottle. Liqueurs such as sambuca and Amaretto had around four teaspoons of sugar in a single shot. Cardiologist Dr Aseem Malhotra says: ‘The level of sugar in some of these drinks is quite staggering.
There’s nothing wrong with the occasional drink but unfortunately we are consuming much more than is good for us. “Recent scientific evidence reveals that the most significant dietary villain is sugar. But it’s not just hidden sugar that the food industry has profited from by adding to foods we don’t even associate with being junk foods.
Why is stout beer so good?
What Does Stout Beer Taste Like? – There is now a very broad range of different stouts on the market. What these all have in common is their rich, dark brown colour. The darkest stouts can appear almost black. In addition to the shade, stout beers are distinguishable from porters by their predominant flavours.
- Porters use roast malted barley.
- On the other hand, stouts are made from black patent malt.
- These give the beer its dark Color, sharp flavour, and unique ashy aroma.
- The milk stout is sweetened with lactose that is derived from milk.
- The lactose isn’t fermented by the yeast so this gives the beer a fuller, sweeter flavour.
It was once marketed as a nutritious drink, and even recommended for breastfeeding mothers! While milk stout was first made in the United Kingdom, dry stout is mainly made in Ireland. That explains its alternative name, which is Irish stout. The unsweetened flavour is what most drinkers readily associate with stout.
Is drinking stout fattening?
2. It’s the skinny in the brew world – While it may pack a punch with an average 8% abv, stout contains up to 50 fewer calories than many other brews. A pint of Guinness has fewer calories than a Corona – 125 compared to 148.
What beer has lowest calories?
Michelob Ultra Pure Gold – Credit: Michelob Michelob Ultra Pure Gold has the fewest calories of any beer on this list, but the refreshing taste means you can drink it and still feel like you’re enjoying a beer — because you are. This beer is slightly citrusy in taste and has a super lightweight mouth feel. It’s also USDA-certified organic and free of artificial colors and flavors.
Calories | 85 |
---|---|
Carbs | 2.5g |
ABV | 3.8% |
Style | Lager |
Brewer | Michelob Ultra |
3 Best Tasting Low-Calorie Beer
Is Guinness high in calories?
I reland, four-leaf clovers, and the color green probably come to mind when you think of St. Patrick’s Day. Oh, and beer. Lots and lots of beer. And since Guinness is perhaps the most popular Irish beer brand in the world, chances are your local watering hole will be offering specials on it come March 17.
Want to impress your friends? Buy them a round, and then set them straight on these common myths about the black brew. Myth: It’s black In fact, Guinness, a stout beer, is neither black nor dark brown. If you look closely and in the right light you can see that it’s really a very dark red that is the result of things that happen to the grains during processing.
Myth: Guinness is high in alcohol Guinness isn’t boozier than most other beers. In fact, it contains less alcohol by volume than a typical draught. An average beer contains 5% ABV, while Guinness clocks in at just 4.2%. So this St. Paddy’s Day, Guinness is a smart choice if you’re feeling festive but you want to take it easy (the holiday does fall on Monday, after all).
Health.com: 7 Ways to Keep Alcohol from Ruining Your Diet Myth: Guinness is high in calories Guinness, a stout-style brew, is known for its creamy texture, dark color, and rich, caramel-tinged flavor. That means it must be high in calories, right? Not so fast. A 12-ounce serving of Guinness sets you back 125 calories—just 15 more than the same serving of Bud Light.
Alcohol is beer’s main calorie source, and since Guinness is just 4.2% ABV, it’s relatively low in calories. The dark color and sweetness come from small amounts of roasted barley used in the brewing process. And that thick, creamy texture? Most beers are carbonated with carbon dioxide, but Guinness uses a mix of CO2 and nitrogen.
Nitrogen bubbles are smaller than CO2 bubbles, which produces a smoother “mouthfeel,” as beer nerds call it. Health.com: The 18 Best Snacks for Weight Loss Myth: “Guinness is Good for You” This one’s more of a half-myth. “Guinness is Good for You” was born as a catchy marketing slogan in the late 1920s, and wasn’t based on any scientific proof that drinking beer actually had any health benefits.
Today, some experts actually do believe that moderate alcohol consumption (including beer, wine, and spirits) could be good for you. Dozens of studies have shown an association between moderate drinking—that’s one drink a day for women, two for men—and a reduction in the risk of heart attack or dying of cardiovascular disease.
And other research suggests that light drinkers gain less weight in middle age than those who abstain. At the same time, however, other studies have shown a correlation between moderate alcohol consumption and increased risk of breast cancer. And of course, excessive drinking causes a slew of other health problems including liver damage, several types of cancer, and decreased brain function.
Bottom line : Go ahead and have a Guinness or two. But if you want to improve your health, you’d probably be better off eating something green, like kale or spinach, rather than downing a few too many pints. This article originally appeared on Health.com.
Why are stouts lower in calories?
36–41. Stouts are a type of ale that use roasted barley to create a rich, dark color ( 5 ). While they’re known for being higher in calories, the roasting process generally affects the color of the beer rather than the calorie count. As such, you can enjoy a number of low calorie stouts ( 5 ).
How many calories are in a 13% stout?
Calculate the calories in a beer
ABV | 1 oz. | 6 oz. |
---|---|---|
12.5% | 32 | 188 |
13% | 33 | 195 |
13.5% | 34 | 203 |
14% | 35 | 210 |
How many calories are in a Guinness Stout?
It’s estimated that a 12-ounce (355-ml) serving of Guinness Original Stout provides (4): Calories: 125. Carbs: 10 grams.
Is Guinness more calorific than lager?
Is Guinness Really Lower in Calories Than the Average Beer? – Guinness is also lower in calories than the average beer, even though it has a richer mouthfeel and fills you up. Bamworth says Guinness is 4.3% ABV, whereas most popular lager beers in the U.S.
are at least 5%. Alcohol is the main source of calories in any alcoholic beverage, so a Guinness will naturally be lower in calories than a beer containing 5% (or more) alcohol—even though it might seem more filling. The makers of Guinness use a process called nitrogenation, which pairs nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide to give the beer its iconic velvety texture.
This is similar to how drinking nitro cold brew is silkier than a regular cup of cold brew coffee, making it seem more filling without adding any extra calories.
Is stout bad for health?
It’s pretty likely that some of you will be tucking into a pint of Guinness this weekend, but did you know that (in moderation) stout has some extra health tricks up its sleeve? It’s not that bad for you on a basic nutritional level – the average pint has about 180-200 calories, 1.9 g of protein and 18.2g carbs.
- It also contains 14mcg of Folate (Folic acid, which is a B vitamin) and 185mg of Polyphenols, which can help prevent degenerative diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases,
- Dark beer, especially stout, has been found to reduce your risk of blood clots – a pint a day is all it takes, according to the University of Wisconsin,
The high-temperature used in the roasting process to develop the smooth finish of dark malts also fuels the formation of antioxidants, which can help may reduce the incidence of atherosclerosis and cataracts by as much as 50 percent, According to Joe Vinson, PhD, a researcher at the University of Scranton in the US, “dark beers are loaded with and, on average, contain nearly twice the amount of antioxidants found in light-coloured lagers.
Is stout beer high in carbs?
Keto Beer Options – We’re not going to be the most popular when we say this, but when it comes to drinks, beer may be the worst option for those on a keto or low-carb diet, Beer is packed with carbs, so you can throw off your macros with a single drink. A stout such as Guinness has 18g of carbohydrates per pint, However, there are some beers which keto-lovers can enjoy from time to time.
Is stout OK for diabetics?
BOTTOM LINE – Moderate alcohol consumption (no more than one to two drinks per day) is perfectly safe for most people with diabetes. To avoid hypoglycemia, don’t drink on an empty stomach and check your blood sugar often while drinking and up to 24 hours after you stop drinking. If you are planning to drink beer during a sporting event or other occasion, here are a few tips to remember:
One serving of beer is 12 ounces. Choose “light” beers—they are lowest in carbs, calories, and alcohol. Pace yourself—don’t have more than one drink per hour, and limit yourself to no more than three or four drinks for the day.
Is Guinness more fattening than beer?
I reland, four-leaf clovers, and the color green probably come to mind when you think of St. Patrick’s Day. Oh, and beer. Lots and lots of beer. And since Guinness is perhaps the most popular Irish beer brand in the world, chances are your local watering hole will be offering specials on it come March 17.
Want to impress your friends? Buy them a round, and then set them straight on these common myths about the black brew. Myth: It’s black In fact, Guinness, a stout beer, is neither black nor dark brown. If you look closely and in the right light you can see that it’s really a very dark red that is the result of things that happen to the grains during processing.
Myth: Guinness is high in alcohol Guinness isn’t boozier than most other beers. In fact, it contains less alcohol by volume than a typical draught. An average beer contains 5% ABV, while Guinness clocks in at just 4.2%. So this St. Paddy’s Day, Guinness is a smart choice if you’re feeling festive but you want to take it easy (the holiday does fall on Monday, after all).
- Health.com: 7 Ways to Keep Alcohol from Ruining Your Diet Myth: Guinness is high in calories Guinness, a stout-style brew, is known for its creamy texture, dark color, and rich, caramel-tinged flavor.
- That means it must be high in calories, right? Not so fast.
- A 12-ounce serving of Guinness sets you back 125 calories—just 15 more than the same serving of Bud Light.
Alcohol is beer’s main calorie source, and since Guinness is just 4.2% ABV, it’s relatively low in calories. The dark color and sweetness come from small amounts of roasted barley used in the brewing process. And that thick, creamy texture? Most beers are carbonated with carbon dioxide, but Guinness uses a mix of CO2 and nitrogen.
Nitrogen bubbles are smaller than CO2 bubbles, which produces a smoother “mouthfeel,” as beer nerds call it. Health.com: The 18 Best Snacks for Weight Loss Myth: “Guinness is Good for You” This one’s more of a half-myth. “Guinness is Good for You” was born as a catchy marketing slogan in the late 1920s, and wasn’t based on any scientific proof that drinking beer actually had any health benefits.
Today, some experts actually do believe that moderate alcohol consumption (including beer, wine, and spirits) could be good for you. Dozens of studies have shown an association between moderate drinking—that’s one drink a day for women, two for men—and a reduction in the risk of heart attack or dying of cardiovascular disease.
And other research suggests that light drinkers gain less weight in middle age than those who abstain. At the same time, however, other studies have shown a correlation between moderate alcohol consumption and increased risk of breast cancer. And of course, excessive drinking causes a slew of other health problems including liver damage, several types of cancer, and decreased brain function.
Bottom line : Go ahead and have a Guinness or two. But if you want to improve your health, you’d probably be better off eating something green, like kale or spinach, rather than downing a few too many pints. This article originally appeared on Health.com.
Why are stouts lower calories?
36–41. Stouts are a type of ale that use roasted barley to create a rich, dark color ( 5 ). While they’re known for being higher in calories, the roasting process generally affects the color of the beer rather than the calorie count. As such, you can enjoy a number of low calorie stouts ( 5 ).
Does Guinness have more calories than regular beer?
Is Guinness Really Lower in Calories Than the Average Beer? – Guinness is also lower in calories than the average beer, even though it has a richer mouthfeel and fills you up. Bamworth says Guinness is 4.3% ABV, whereas most popular lager beers in the U.S.
- Are at least 5%.
- Alcohol is the main source of calories in any alcoholic beverage, so a Guinness will naturally be lower in calories than a beer containing 5% (or more) alcohol—even though it might seem more filling.
- The makers of Guinness use a process called nitrogenation, which pairs nitrogen gas and carbon dioxide to give the beer its iconic velvety texture.
This is similar to how drinking nitro cold brew is silkier than a regular cup of cold brew coffee, making it seem more filling without adding any extra calories.