The Truth About Alcohol (+ 5 Tips for Smarter Holiday Sips)

Mixing, mingling and making merry this holiday wouldn’t be the same without alcohol. But for those of us with an agenda to neutralize weight gain, adding alcohol to the equation makes this a tough one to balance. Here’s why:

Partying with alcohol is fun because we like feeling intoxicated, but this intoxication comes with a caloric price tag. One gram of alcohol is 7 calories, which is more than one gram of carbohydrate (4 calories) and protein (4 calories) but less than one gram of fat (9 calories).

Not like we do from digesting carbs, fat and protein. This phenomenon, called the “thermic effect of food”, refers to the energy we use to digest food into small, absorbable components. Because alcohol is so easy to absorb, it enters our bloodstream without burning any extra calories.

Because alcohol is seen as a toxin, the liver prioritizes metabolizing alcohol first (get in line, fat…it’s not your turn!) which means you won’t be burning calories from other sources while that happens. The liver is only able to clear alcohol at a rate of around one ounce liquor per hour, which is why consuming more than this will leave you feeling tipsy.

This drop makes you want to reach for carbs. The liver helps keep our blood sugar steady, but a liver busy at work metabolizing alcohol can’t do this effectively, causing your blood sugar to drop and stay low until the alcohol is metabolized. This explains why you crave carbs and wake up the next day with a headache.

This is true for all extra calories eaten no matter the source, but what makes alcohol calories worse is that they are stored in your liver first. It takes time for the liver to ship out the alcohol-induced fat for proper storage in your fat cells. If the liver doesn’t do this fast enough (or if you drink too much, too often) the fat stays stuck in your liver and around your abdomen giving you what we refer to jovially as a “beer belly.”

CLICK TO TWEET THIS ARTICLE > Don’t skip out on the fun! Enjoy a few holiday beverages with these healthy tips in mind, via @myfitnesspal. #myfitnesspal

This of course doesn’t mean you need to completely dodge all social sips this season. Here are some tips to help prevent you from gaining too much of your holiday cheer:

1. POUR YOURSELF HALF AS MUCH

This will help you limit yourself to one or two drinks per party.

2. AVOID HIGHER CALORIE MIXED DRINKS

Forgo eggnog, margaritas, mudslides and other sugary mixed drinks — or have one and consider it dessert.

3. ALTERNATE BETWEEN HAVING ALCOHOL AND WATER

You’ll stay well hydrated.

4. SIP SLOWLY

Take the time to enjoy your alcoholic beverage.

5. KEEP YOUR ALCOHOL BUDGET AT OR BELOW 200 CALORIES

Know your alcohol portions and opt for these lower calorie alcohol alternatives:

• Red or white wine: 5 ounces | Calories; 125, Carbohydrate: 4g
• Light beer: 12 ounces | Calories: 100; Carbohydrate: 5g
• Champagne: 5 ounces | Calories: 100; Carbohydrate: 1g
• Vodka, whiskey, rum or gin: 1.5 ounces | Calories: 96; Carbohydrate: 0g

How do you keep tabs on your alcohol intake during the holidays?

Originally published December 2019

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