Chew On This: Fight flab with beer, says, er, beer group
Britain's Campaign for Real Ale claims that switching from wine to a pint of beer for one week will save as many calories as going for a 30-minute jog. Or, as the press reported it, "Beer can help you lose weight, says, er, beer group." I love British tabloid headlines.
Don't let this encourage you to rush off to a brew pub to get yourself a washboard stomach, though. It only works with moderate drinking. "The term beer belly is grossly unfair," complained head of CAMRA Mike Benner, "because beer has less calories than a lot of drinks. Consumed in a responsible and moderate manner, beer can supplement a healthy lifestyle. It is full of vitamins and nutrients. It's been called liquid bread."
Said beer expert Professor Charlie Bamforth, "The major source of calories in any alcoholic drink is the alcohol itself, and because beer has the lowest average alcohol content it is also lowest in calories."
Still, 34 percent of men and 29 percent of women believe beer is the most fattening of all alcoholic drinks. So here's the beer versus wine nitty gritty: Half a pint of 3.8 percent strength beer has 85 calories; in a 175 ml glass of red wine lurk 119.
Don't let this encourage you to rush off to a brew pub to get yourself a washboard stomach, though. It only works with moderate drinking. "The term beer belly is grossly unfair," complained head of CAMRA Mike Benner, "because beer has less calories than a lot of drinks. Consumed in a responsible and moderate manner, beer can supplement a healthy lifestyle. It is full of vitamins and nutrients. It's been called liquid bread."
Said beer expert Professor Charlie Bamforth, "The major source of calories in any alcoholic drink is the alcohol itself, and because beer has the lowest average alcohol content it is also lowest in calories."
Still, 34 percent of men and 29 percent of women believe beer is the most fattening of all alcoholic drinks. So here's the beer versus wine nitty gritty: Half a pint of 3.8 percent strength beer has 85 calories; in a 175 ml glass of red wine lurk 119.
It can be one of the most potent, though. If you're traveling to Scotland, you'll find the strongest, made by BrewDog of Fraserburg in Aberdeenshire. Called Sink the Bismarck, it's 41 percent alcohol.
Posted on Wednesday 11th August 2010 in
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