What alcohol to drink when you are on a diet?
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It is well known: alcoholic beverages contain many calories. But between a glass of red wine with a meal, a beer as an aperitif and a cocktail during the evening, do you know which of the three has more calories?
It is recommended not to exceed 20 g of alcohol per day for women and 30 g for men. In fact, consumed in excess, alcoholic beverages promote many health problems and are fattening. We often forget that they are very caloric! Not to mention that the nutritional labeling of alcoholic beverages is not mandatory. Therefore, it is difficult to know how many calories we absorb when we drink alcohol.
Empty calories in alcohol: what are they?
An alcoholic beverage is a liquid containing mainly ethanol, obtained by distillation of fermented fruit juices, cereals. An alcoholic beverage is generally very rich in sugars and very caloric.
You should know that in terms of nutrition, there are two types of calories:
Complete calories, which contain essential nutrients for the proper functioning of the body: minerals, proteins, vitamins, fatty acids, fibers;
Empty calories, which contain mostly "bad" nutrients, such as refined sugar and saturated fat, and provide no benefit to the body.
Alcohol, on the other hand, only provides empty calories. When we ingest alcohol, the nutritional contribution is null, but the excess will be stored in the form of fat in our cells.
Alcoholic Beverage Calorie Chart
Calories on average (per 100 ml)
Light beer (4-5%) 32 calories
Medium beer (5-6%) 51 calories
Strong beer (7% and above) 62 calories
Red wine 89 calories
Dry white wine 86 calories
Sweet white wine 101 calories
Rosé wine 86 calories
Cider 32 calories
Champagne 80 calories
kir 90 calories
royal kir 95 calories
Gin 265 calories
Vodka 239 calories
Whiskey 250 calories
Rum 231 calories
Mimosa 73 calories
Champagne, cider, rum, whisky. What alcohol is more and less fattening?
As can be seen in the table:
A glass of champagne represents only 80 kcal per 100 ml;
A glass of dry white or light rosé wine (low in sugar and alcohol) provides the fewest calories, followed by red wine;
On the cocktail side, the Mimosa (a mix of champagne and fruit juice) would be the least caloric;
The caloric intake of a glass of cider is one of the lowest: around 30 kcal (depending on the type of cider: raw, sweet, traditional...);
A light beer (less than 5% alcohol) or a dark beer will also be low in calories.
Unlike :
Strong alcohols such as vodka, rum, mixed with a sweet soda, are very caloric;
The record for the highest calorie strong alcohol is held by whisky;
Strong, light beer is quite high in calories.
What alcohol to drink when you are on a diet?
Everything depends first of all on your diet: always consult your doctor before embarking on a diet, to assess your needs and better adapt your eating habits. But in general we will prefer a plate of semi-dry cider, a glass of light red wine or even a light beer.
You can limit yourself to consuming a glass of champagne, or a glass of dry white or rosé wine.
Because the calories in alcohol are "empty," there are no nutritional health benefits from consuming it. Therefore, it is best... not to drink alcohol at all! If you can't do without a drink from time to time, choose alcoholic beverages that contain the least amount of alcohol and sugar and, of course, always in moderation!
How many calories does a glass of red, white or rosé wine have?
The caloric content of a wine varies according to the volume of alcohol and its sweetness. Most wines have an alcohol content of around 12°, or just under 90 kcal in total.
Most of the energy in wine actually comes from the alcohol: most wines only contain one to three grams of sugar per 100ml. Thus, its energy value is linked to its alcoholic content: the higher the latter, the more calories the drink has.
According to several studies, drinking wine in reasonable quantities (one or two glasses a day) could be beneficial for the cardiovascular system. This would be especially the case with red wine, which contains tannins, these antioxidants that prevent cell deterioration and help keep arteries in good condition.
Beer, an alcohol with fewer calories than wine?
From an energy point of view, wine has more calories than beer. But it is the amount of liquid consumed that counts in the end: a glass of wine contains about 12 cl, while half contains twice as much beer. Thus, a glass of red wine contains just under 90 kcal on average, compared to around 130 kcal for half a glass.
The effects of alcohol on weight
Beyond the harmful consequences on health (nervous, digestive, cardiovascular systems), alcohol has a considerable effect on weight gain.
In Korea, Dr. Hye Jung Shin's team analyzed the medical data of 26 million adults between 2015 and 2016. Result: Drinking half a standard dose of alcohol per day (the equivalent of 7 pure grams of alcohol) exposes you to the obesity and metabolic syndrome (overweight, obesity, high blood pressure, abnormal blood glucose or fats).
In a study carried out by Euromonitor International in 24 countries and broadcast by The Guardian, it even showed that in many countries more calories are consumed from alcoholic beverages than from soft drinks.
Today, few steps have been taken to effectively combat the effects of alcohol on weight. Manufacturers still refuse to display nutritional labeling for alcoholic beverages on the product.
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