Beer, Liquor and Wine — Oh My!
Bite-size Reads for Your Health and Your Waistline
Congrats, you made it to the end of 2020! Or maybe you made it to a Tuesday evening, ’cause you know…quarantine life. Whether it’s an occasion, a fancy meal, an effort to unwind or watching your favorite guilty pleasure TV show (Bachelorette? Anyone? Love is blind? I know!), alcohol is part of life for many of us.
When it comes to alcohol and our health or weight loss efforts, we’ve heard a variety of reasons to steer clear or choose certain options. This often leaves us thinking: Is liquor fewer calories than beer or wine? What is the “healthiest” drink option? How can I enjoy and have it not mean a gain on the scale?
To many, this is a function of which has the least calories. If you read my articles often or listen to my podcast, you know the number of calories isn’t the whole story. We want to focus on the quality of the calories. No matter which drink you choose, alcohol, across the board, is empty calories. Empty calories are the calories intake that are void of nutrition. According to the Dietary Guidelines, a shot of hard liquor is around 98 calories, a 12-ounce beer is 150 calories, and a 5-ounce drink of wine is 120 calories.
Remember, often the alcohol itself isn’t the only source of calories when we make (or order) a cocktail. The mixer we add can really rack up the calorie count as well. Let me rephrase…can rack up the empty calories count as well. If hard liquor is your drink of choice, maybe steer clear of the sugary mixers like sodas or juices, and lean more towards soda water and a wedge of fresh fruit. So to answer your burning question: which is better, liquor, beer or wine? It really doesn’t matter. Wait, what?!
The truth is, alcohol’s impact on your health and your weight isn’t really about the calories. It filters down to one thing: your liver.
You’ve probably heard this before but most of us ignore it, thinking that’s for people who drink WAY too much…like alcoholics who develop fatty liver. But it actually plays a role for everyone, even when we drink in moderation. In the simplest terms, our liver is responsible for detoxification in the body and it can’t multitask. It prioritizes what it processes based on how toxic it is. The most toxic? Our drinks! And the other catch? When we’re drinking, we are most likely pairing it with food and until the alcohol is fully processed, the liver won’t address any of our food, whether that’s the fried pickles appetizer or the salad we had after them.
I know, the liver thing doesn’t answer the question of which drink is the best choice.
All in all, for many, alcohol is inevitably part of our lives. We can imbibe on occasion and maintain our health when we consider our liver and those empty calories. Having said that, one tip I tell those who ask: You get slimmer each day you keep alcohol away. Make the best choices for yourself and your wellbeing each day. You are in charge and you can do this!
If you find alcohol to be a crutch, remember you are not alone. For additional support and assistance, call the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services National Hotline at 1–800–662-HELP (4357).
