Ever wondered why we call the gut of men who drink too much beer a ‘pot’?
Alcohol contains the second most amounts of kilojoules per gram behind fat, just one gram yields 29kJ! In Australia, a standard drink is defined as 10g of alcohol however one portion of our favourite beverage does not necessarily mean one ‘standard drink.’ Let’s look at how some popular alcoholic beverages compare…
It is clear from the table above that spirits contain the least amount of energy, providing you mix them with soda water or perhaps a diet mixer. Cider contains the most amount of energy per serve at 600kJ (that’s about 2 scoops of ice cream!). It is important to remember that alcohol may be included as part of a healthy lifestyle however if weight loss is a goal of yours, consume no more than 3 standard drinks per week.
Choose your drinks wisely and follow these tips to help reduce excessive kilojoule consumption:
– Always alternative an alcoholic beverage with a non-alcoholic beverage
– Try not to top up your drink before you’ve finished it
– Choose soda water or a ‘diet’ mixer to reduce the total amount of kilojoules consumed
– Sip slowly and don’t choose alcohol to quench your thirst, choose water!