Alcohol Consumption And Weight Gain?

Alcoholic beverages including beer (regular and light), wine (red and white), sweet dessert wine and distilled spirits (gin, rum, vodka and whiskey) are a source of calories in the American diet but supply few essential nutrients. Consequently, excess drinking of alcoholic beverages may make it difficult to achieve and maintain a healthy weight. Heavy drinkers may also be at risk of malnutrition because it is difficult to meet daily nutrient recommendations by substituting alcohol calories in place of food.

Better Life Institute Inc., neither advocates nor condemns the moderate use of alcoholic beverages in our literature insofar as alcohol can have harmful or beneficial effects depending upon several factors. Certain individuals should not drink at all, including pregnant and lactating women, children and adolescents, people taking medications that interact with alcohol, individuals with specific medical conditions, etc. Beverages containing alcohol should not be consumed if a person engages in activities such as driving, operating machinery, tasks that require skill or coordination, or by people who have trouble restricting alcohol intake.

Many Americans consume alcohol daily and drinking in small amounts is generally okay, provided that people practice restraint and stick to government guidelines. The United States Department of Health and Human Services in their publication, Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005, provides key recommendations for those who choose to drink alcohol as follows: “Moderation is defined as the consumption of up to one drink per day for women and up to two drinks per day for men. Twelve fluid ounces of regular beer (approx. 144 calories), twelve ounces of light beer (approx. 108 calories), 5 fluid ounces of wine (approx. range 100-105 calories), or 1.5 fluid ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits (approx. 96 calories) count as one drink for purposes of explaining moderation. This definition of moderation is not intended as an average over several days but rather as the amount consumed on a single day”.(1)

Drinking one or two servings per day is generally not associated with macronutrient or micronutrient deficiencies; most occasional and moderate drinkers do not substitute alcoholic beverages for food. However, heavy drinkers may be at risk in two respects. If you substitute alcohol calories for food, you not only increase the chance of developing health issues, you also deprive yourself of necessary nutrients. And, if you drink alcohol to excess in addition to consuming too many calories, you will probably gain weight.

The Better Life Experts |

Reference

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. U.S. Department of Agriculture Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005