We’ve all heard it being said that our alcohol habits are connected to our waistline, in other words the more we drink the more weight we gain, but a new study examines why certain women who drink frequently develop a “beer belly” while others can drink daily and not gain weight.
Most drinks are a combination of carbohydrates, sugar and ethanol. The ethanol is absorbed into your bloodstream while the remainder of the drink (sugar and carbs) is processed by the body as other foods are, the normal digestive system. The alcohol or ethanol however is diverted to the liver instead and burned off quite quickly. The sugars and carbs mix with whatever else is being digested by your body and is likely to be stored as fat.
Just as certain foods are more fattening and make you gain weight when you eat them excessively, so too alcoholic drinks with a high calorie content will have the same effect.
Researchers therefore point out drinking is not the problem, it is how often we drink and how much we drink that is likely to contribute to our waistlines.
An article from FoxNews.com discussed the issue at great length, here is an excerpt from that post which should shed some light on the issue:
A 2010 study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine may be the best news for booze since the 21st Amendment. Researchers found that women who had one or two alcoholic drinks a day were actually less likely to gain weight than those who shunned the sauce. And they did it while consuming more calories overall (from food and drink) than both heavy drinkers and teetotalers.
Short of striking a deal with the devil, how did they manage to pull that off? Researchers believe that the bodies of long-term moderate drinkers somehow adapt to metabolize alcohol differently than heavy or occasional drinkers. They use more energy, burning the calories in the drink—or even more than that—while digesting it, Dr. Lu Wang, the lead researcher of the study and an instructor in medicine at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, said.
Read the full article: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/06/14/drinking-alcohol-to-shrink/#ixzz2WTMHM6y1
So what should you do to avoid excess weight from alcoholic drinks?
The truth is that researchers have collected data which proves that moderate drinkers actually enjoy healthier lives than teetotallers, so abstinence is not necessary, however moderation is advised.
Never ever drink alcoholic drinks on an empty stomach and if your do intend on snacking while drinking, which is recommended, choose healthier options rather than unhealthy, greasy options which normally accompany a night of drinking such as crisps, chips, burgers and other fast foods.
Eat a healthier dinner before you start drinking rather than drink on an empty stomach. Order or cook before you start drinking so you’re not tempted to go for the less healthy options once you start downing alcohol.
Pace yourself by taking small sips and again don’t feel pressurized into keeping up with your friends. Drink at a pace that you are comfortable with and avoid binge drinking.
Don’t overdo it! Binge drinking is never a good idea, for your physical health, mental health and overall wellbeing.