ALCOHOL AND WEIGHT CONTROL
Limiting your consumption of alcohol is not only important to your general health and well being, it’s also essential if you wish to maintain your desirable weight. Each gram of alcohol has 7 calories (there are about 200 calories in one ounce), compared to 4 calories in carbohydrates or protein. Even more significant is that calories from alcohol are considered “empty calories”, because they don’t add any nutritive value to the diet. If alcohol is served in a mixed drink, such as a whisky sour or a Manhattan, the amount of calories is even higher.
It is known that alcohol stimulates the appetite, and according to some recent tests, people on restricted-calorie diets may be more likely to eat more after consuming alcohol. That’s why most experts advise dieters to limit their consumption of pre-meal alcoholic drinks.
Another recent study, conducted by Stanford University researchers, provides some rather interesting news. In the study, several middle-aged, overweight men were furnished food and an average of two alcoholic drinks per day. While the men consumed more calories due to the added alcohol, and ate slightly more food, compared with non-drinkers, their basal metabolism experienced a pronounced increase after one drink per day, thus burning off some of the excess calories. The faster metabolism rate also appeared to counteract some of the excess alcohol calories in men who had one to three drinks a day compared with light drinkers or non-drinkers. The results seem to indicate that alcohol calories may not turn into fat as readily as other calories. While the study is not conclusive, and while alcohol consumption may turn out to be somewhat less fattening than traditionally believed, moderation is still recommended.
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