Alcohol is an macronutrient that contains calories for the body. Alcohol contains seven calories per gram of alcohol. Protein and carbohydrate contains four calories per gram of macronutrient, but alcohol contain seven calories per gram of alcohol.
Because alcohol contains seven calories per gram, alcohol is a dense source of energy for the bodies. The body burn alcohol for energy instead of burning fat for energy. Alcoholic beverage contain different amounts of calories.
How Alcohol Adds Calories and How to Reduce Them
Light lager contains fewer calories then craft IPAs. Craft IPAs contains more calories because the craft IPAs contains more residual sugar extracted from the grain used to brew the alcohol. Wines contain different amount of calories depending upon the type of wine chose.
Dry wines contains fewer calories than fortified wine. Fortified wines like Port or dessert wines contain high amounts of sugars. People may assume that the small volume of fortified wines contain fewer calories.
However, fortified wines contain a high density of calories per volume of liquid. Distilled spirit like vodka, gin, and tequila contain the same amount of calories in an standard shot. Distilled spirits does not contain carbohydrates.
However, the mixer add to the distilled spirit can add many calories to the drink. For example, tonic water contain sugars that add to the calories in the drink. If you use soda water instead of tonic water, you can avoid the calories from the sugar in tonic water.
Cocktails contains a very high amount of calories. Cocktails that contain coconut cream or triple sec contain high amount of calories. A cocktail can contain as many calories as a full meal like a burger.
When a person drink a cocktail, they may consume many calories in a few minute due to the sugar content in the cocktail. In order to consume less calories from alcohol, choose vodka sodas or dry martinis. Vodka sodas and dry martinis contains fewer calories because they dont contain added sugar and syrups.
Using fresh citrus juice instead of bottled juice can also reduce the amount of sugar consumed. Reducing the amount of sugar in alcoholic drinks will also reduce the amount of calories consume from these drinks. An hour of brisk walking can burn the calories in one high-calorie cocktail.
Several high-calorie cocktails will contain alot of energy that the individual can burn by doing physical activity. In order to manage the amount of alcohol you drink, plan your limit before you start drinking. Additionally, alternate every alcoholic beverage with a glass of water.
Alternating alcoholic beverages with water will keep you hydrate. Additionally, this will allow you to control the rate at which you consume alcohol. This will also help you to avoid ordering alcoholic beverage impulsively.
By understanding the math of the menu, you can choose spirits that are “cleaner” and contain no sugar. Choosing spirits that contain no sugar will allow you to better meet your health goal.
