The NHS has warned against consuming excess calories by drinking alcohol. Drinking one beer five days a week is “equivalent to eating 221 doughnuts” a year, the advice states.
While you may be cutting down on sweet treats, drinking just one standard glass of wine can contain as many calories as a piece of chocolate, the advice warns. It also states that drinking one pint of lager is the same as tucking into a packet of crisps.
With many unaware just how calorie-filled their favourite drink is, the NHS has compared alcoholic beverages with sugary and fatty treats to show the food equivalent of the calories you’re consuming. For example, the NHS states that drinking four bottles of wine each month is the same as eating 48 Big Macs per year.
Read More: Gregg Wallace’s ‘simple’ weight-loss plan which shifted four and a half stone
Which are the most calorific alcoholic drinks?
1. Beer - 239 calories per pint
According to the NHS the worst offender is beer. A pint of 5% strength beer comes in at 239 calories per pint, the equivalent of a standard size Mars Bar.
2. Alcopops - 172 calories per bottle
A standard 330ml bottle of 4% strength alcopop is the equivalent number of calories as eating two chocolate digestive biscuits. It totals 172 calories, and that’s if you stop at one bottle.
3. Cream liqueur - 153 calories per shot
Would you rather have a shot of 17% cream liqueur or a wagon wheel? One 50ml shot of cream liqueur is 153 calories, equivalent to the sweet treat.
4. Wine - 133 calories per glass
Unfortunately for wine lovers, a standard 175ml (medium) glass of 12% wine is 133 calories. That’s the equivalent of eating three jaffa cakes.
5. Gin - 95 calories per double measure
Gin is one of the less calorific drinks, however having a few would still add up even when using slimline tonic. One 50ml measure of 40% gin is 95 calories which is equivalent to one standard size milky bar.
6. Fortified wine - 77 calories per double measure
If you like a little tipple of fortified wine, you could be consuming the equivalent of 10 jelly babies for every double measure you drink. A 50ml measure of 17.5% fortified wine is 77 calories.
Men and women who are looking to lose weight are not advised to regularly drink more than 14 units a week. For more information on the recommended limit for alcohol units or the calorie content of alcoholic drinks visit the Drinkaware unit and calorie calculator .
Why is alcohol so fattening?
Drinks including wine, beer, cider, and spirits, are fermented and made from natural starch and sugar. Because of this alcohol contains 7 calories per gram, which is almost the same as the number of calories in a gram of fat.
As the taste of alcohol can be bitter or strong it is often consumed with very calorific mixer drinks, such as coke or tonic water. Drinking alcohol can also make you prone to overeating.
Tips to avoid weight gain when drinking
Aside from putting on some extra weight, drinking too much alcohol can also cause “less obvious, but more serious, health problems” the NHS states. To avoid piling on the pounds when boozing the NHS has listed its top tips for cutting calories.
-
Drink a glass of water after each alcoholic drink
-
Don’t drink on an empty stomach as you’ll reach for unhealthy food
-
Drink at your own pace and avoid drinking in rounds
-
Buddy up with a friend to cut down on drinking
-
Take small sips of your drink and pace yourself
-
Don’t save up your weekly units to "binge drink" at the weekend
-
Add soda to white wine to help the drink last longer
READ NEXT:
-
Four of the best mobility exercises for the elderly, according to expert
-
Experts explain why you should never ditch carbohydrates for weight loss
-
Scots mum crowned 'fittest woman on earth over 40' after CrossFit Games win
-
Getting physically tired from thinking may be caused by toxic build up in brain, new research finds
-
Polio warning as Scots parents urged to check if children's vaccines are up to date
