My husband and I are very fond of beers. He loves to make his own beers, from ales, lagers, stouts & porters, to malts. I personally prefer the light and sweet beers. Let’s take a glimpse of beers.
According to US regulations, a beer label must list calories when it claims to be a ‘light’ or ‘lite’ beer. A ‘lite’ beer, average 12-ounce, contains 100 to 130 calories. A regular 12-ounce beer has 150 to 200 calories.
Talking about the calories, here we go. Alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram almost as many calories as fat, 9 calories per gram. Alcohol has higher calories compare to the caloric content of carbohydrates or protein, 4 calories per gram. Therefore, the amount of calories in a beer is based on its alcohol content. One drink (per serving) is considered as a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a 1.5-ounce of 80 proof spirit or liquor. According to the Dietary Guidelines, an adult man should drinks no more than 2 alcoholic drinks per day. Believe it or not, a 12-ounce of regular beer (about 150 – 200 calories) has more the most calories than a 5-ounce of wine (about 120 calories), or a 1.5-ounce of 80 proof liquor (about 100 calories). Two regular beers would give you 300 to 400 Calories, which would roughly be equal to any of the following items: A double hamburger, a roast beef sandwich, or two slices of cheese pizza. Therefore, if you were a weight watcher, you would want to count the calories before drinking a beer.
It is no fair to call a big belly man, a beer belly. Even a man who doesn’t drink beer can still has a beer belly. It comes from excess calories not necessarily from beer. So cannot blame beer for that. Extra calories from foods and beer, or alcohol can all contribute to the increased waistline.
There are some good things about beer. Beer is fat-free same as wine but contains high calories. Fortunately, it contains some but small amount helpful nutrients, such as protein, potassium, folate, vitamin B12, and selenium. Besides the nutrients, beer has been associated with a lower risk of developing kidney stones. Beer contains high water content and the diuretic effect, and that is why it lower the risk.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
An interesting information that I have learned while writing this article. There is a difference between “liquor” and “liqueur”. Liquor is the common name for any distilled beverage. By sweetening the base liquor with the addition of fruits, flowers, plants, or pure juices to get to a minimum sugar content of 2.5%, it becomes a liqueur. This article is only giving the basic and general idea of beer. Dig into it if you found you’re interested.
Reference:
- WebMD Beer Calories Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
- Gates Circle Wine & Liquor
- The spruce eats: The Difference between a Liquor and a Liqueur https://www.thespruceeats.com/difference-between-liquor-and-liqueur-1807030
- 【相濡以沫】我愛黑啤酒：Porter 與 Stout https://mypaper.pchome.com.tw/a16842/post/1322435557
