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How Many Calories in Drinks
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Alcohol and your Diet
If
you enjoy a couple of glasses of wine or beer after a hard day in the
office, you've got some extra work to do to make your weight-loss plan
effective. Booze is teeming with calories.
As well as being 'empty' calories - i.e having little nutritional value, alcohol can also play havoc with your willpower and resolve. After a couple of glasses of wine and, as well as the calories shown below, you could find yourself reaching for the crisps or nuts if you're not careful. If you're out with friends you could find yourself talked into going for a curry, chips or pizza and undoing all your hard work. A doner kebab can contain your entire day's calorie allowance - a startling 2,000 calories!
If you want to cut down on your alcohol consumption you need to look at your own lifestyle and find your own way of doing it - here are a few ideas:
How to reduce alcohol consumption - Health Tips for Drinkers
-
Give up alcohol completely for a set time - a week ,a month or until you've hit a target weight . As well as helping your weight-loss, it will also have benefits to your long-term health.
If you can't give up drinking during your diet try these tips:
- Don't drink in the week. If you enjoy going out with
the gang after work on Fridays, or to your favourite bar on Saturday,
this could be the way forward, BUT just because you've abstained all
week it doesn't mean you can binge on the weekend!
- Try to avoid buying rounds - it makes it harder to
control how much you drink.
- Have at least two or three alcohol-free days a week.
- Alternate alcoholic drinks with water or low-calorie
soft drinks.
- Go for a small glass of wine (125ml) rather than
a large (250ml) glass, and steer clear of special offers like 'buy two
large glasses and get the bottle of wine free'. You may save pounds
in your wallet but will gain pounds on your body!
- Drink weaker or low alcohol brands. Alcohol contains
lots of calories, so generally the weaker your drink the better for
your diet (and health). For example, the calories in a pint of lager
can vary from 140 up to 300 plus for some exotic varieties. Your common
or garden pint usually comes in at under 200.
- If your favourite tipple is a mixer like gin and tonic or vodka and
cola , order a tall version with lots of ice and top up with extra low
calorie mixer. Stay well away from doubles!
- If you are drinking wine at home use a small glass
(125ml) and if you are drinking shorts use a measure!
- Volunteer to be the designated driver on an evening out - think of all the calories you'll save!
Alcoholic beverages contain very little carbohydrate -
most wines and spirits have virtually none - but it's full of calories,
only fat has more.
Cutting down on alcohol when you trying to get into shape is a quick
way to reduce your calorie intake without losing any nutrients.
Calorie counter for popular alcoholic drinks
The calorie counter below will give you an idea of how fattening a drink might be. My maxim is to go for quality rather than quantity. Keep the alcohol measures small and use lots of ice and low-calorie mixers. Dry is better than sweet, as more of the sugar is converted to alcohol.
Drink |
Kcals |
Measure |
| How many calories in Beer and Lager? | ||
| Beer - Canned and draught bitter | 90 | half pint (284ml) |
| Beer - How many calories in Lager (ordinary 3-4% ABV) | 80 - 85 | half pint (284ml) |
| Beer - How many calories in Lager (premium 5% ABV) | 90 -169 | half pint (284ml) |
| Beer - How many calories in Draught Mild bitter | 70 | half pint (284ml) |
| Beer - How many calories in Brown ale | 80 | |
| Beer - How many calories in Bottled Stout | 105 | |
| How many calories in Cider - Dry | 95 | half pint (284ml) |
| How many calories in Cider - Sweet | 110 | half pint (284ml) |
How many calories in Wine ? |
||
| How many calories in a glass of spirits? | 50 ml = pub double | |
| How many calories in vodka | 120 | 50ml |
| How many calories in gin | 121 | 50ml |
| How many calories in whisky | 122 | 50ml |
| How many calories in premium whisky, gin, vodka | 140 | 50ml |
| How many calories in liqueurs, brandy | 150 | 50ml |
| How many calories in cream and chocolate liqueurs | 180 | 50ml |
| How many calories in a mixer ? | ||
| How many calories in tonic water | 35 | 100ml |
| How many calories in cola | 43 | 100ml |
| How many calories in caffeine based energy drink | 45 | 100ml |
| How many calories in tonic, cola etc (slimline) | 1 | 100ml |
| How many calories in a glass of water | 0 | any size |
What is the lowest calorie alcoholic drink?
If you're looking for the lowest calorie alcoholic drink in absolute terms, it's vodka and any zero calorie mixer. But the difference between vodka and other standard spirits is pretty minimal. My personal favourite is a nice gin and slimline tonic with loads of ice...yum! Adding a slice of lemon doesn't make it any healthier or count as one of your five fruits of the day!
How many Units are in Alcoholic Drinks?
Calculating how many units you are drinking depends on the size and the strength of your drink - check out the label when next taking a swig.
Drink |
ABV(Alcohol
by Volume) |
Units |
A pint of Beer |
4% |
2.3 |
A bottle(330ml)Strong Lager |
6-7 % |
2 |
A standard glass(250ml) of Wine |
12% |
3 |
A small glass(125ml) of Champagne |
12% |
1.5 |
A single measure of Vodka or Gin |
37- 47% |
1 |
A pint of Cider |
5% |
2.8 |
A bottle(275ml) Strong Cider |
8.5% |
2.3 |
Your body takes around 1 hour to 1 1/2 hours to process each unit of alcohol. *
How to Calculate the number of Alcohol Units in a Drink
This is an easy one - even for us maths-challenged types! Simply multiply the size of the drink by the ABV (Alcohol by Volume) and then divide by 1000.
Example 1 - 500ml Bottle of Strong Lager (5% ABV)
500 x 5 = 2,500
2500/1000 = 2.5 units of Alcohol - approx
160 Calories
Example 2 - 125ml Glass of Red Wine (12% ABV)
125 x 12 = 1500
1500/1000 = 1.5 units of Alcohol - approx
85 calories
Example 3 - 50ml Gin (40% ABV)
50 x 40 = 2000
2000/1000 = 2 units of Alcohol - approx
120 calories
Example 3 is for a pub double of neat (undiluted) mid range gin. Note that premium gin can be up to 47% ABV. The calories in a Gin and Tonic depends on the type of mixer - add zero for low-calorie mixer and 80 calories for 200ml of ordinary tonic.
Beer Belly
 |
A 'beer belly' is one of the bad side effects to drinking
regularly. This apple shape occurs because calories from alcohol are
not stored in the body, but used immediately as energy. The body wants
to get rid of alcohol as soon as possible - it's a toxin, so it rapidly
sends it to the liver to detox the body. This is not good because
instead the body stores calories from other sources - fat for instance!
This tends to accumulate around the belly - not a good look! Figures from the Department of Health reveals that drinking five pints of beer a week has the same number of calories as eating 221 doughnuts a year. To burn off a pint of beer you need to run for 13 minutes or swim for 20 minutes. Beer calories can add up fast if you're out for the night - try a low-calorie soft drink for a change - it's healthier too. Work on that six pack on your abs instead of the version with tins of lager - you'll enjoy the admiring looks you'll get much more than a headache from the night before! |
Emma's
Diet Tip 
If you're out for the night drink a glass of water or a soft drink alternately with alcoholic drinks...you'll thank me in the morning!
Work out the Calories in Drinks
Find out how fattening your favourite tipple is.
Is it better to miss out on the profiteroles or the second glass of wine?*
Use our simple chart as a guide to find out how many calories
there are in drinks.
Keep in mind that measures at home tend to be a lot bigger than pub measures.
half pint = (284ml)
Alcohol calories by ounces
100ml = approx. 3.4 ounces
* lose the profiteroles, they are much higher at 280 calories a serving
than even a large 250ml glass of wine at 190-240 calories. Both are empty
calories though, instead choose an energising dessert with vitamins, minerals
and fibre, such as a juicy fruit salad.
Minimum cost plan for units of alcohol
( BBC report - opens in new window )
The UK government gave a cool reception to proposals for a minimum charge of 50p per unit of alcohol. In an effort to cut down on binge drinking and cheap supermarket 'loss leaders', England’s chief medical officer Sir Liam Donaldson had called for the minimum charge to be introduced.
Prime Minister Gordon Brown appeared reluctant to endorse the proposal saying that were no plans to penalise the majority of drinkers who drink sensibly.
Alcohol and Health
The UK official recommendations are a maximum of 14 units of alcohol a week for women and 21 alcohol units a week for men.
It's important that you have a couple of alcohol-free days a week to allow your liver a rest, and most medical authorities agree that drying out completely now and again for a couple of weeks to a couple of months will help your long-term health.
Keep an eye on your drinking with our chart and find out how many calories in a pint or glass of your favourite drink.
Fast Loans in the UK
Save 450 calories a day without suffering!
Find out how a simple change to your lifestyle can save you 450 calories a day without eating or drinking less.
Read how to keep a food diary
One in ten deaths caused by Alcohol - Daily Telegraph Article (opens in new window)
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