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Current and Breaking News for Professionals, Consumers and Media |
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Why do we need responsible alcohol education? More than half of Americans weigh too much and alcohol can contribute a significant amount of calories. Yet, alcohol is not nutrition labeled as other foods are. As weight loss surgeries become more and more common, many patients and physicians don’t realize that after gastric bypass surgery you get drunk faster and take longer to get sober. Adolescents and young adults are engaging in more risky drinking behavior. It’s estimated that one-fifth of young adults are binge drinkers. It has become a “fashion phenomenon” for young people to copy and try to out-do their friend’s behavior. Young women are increasingly practicing “drunkarexia,” going without food for days so that they can party on alcohol and not gain weight. Some with eating disorders are restricting their food intake even further to make room for alcohol. The trend to drink alcohol (a depressant) spiked with energy drinks (a stimulant) is on the rise. This combination reduces the outward symptoms of drunkenness but not the consequences of impaired judgment and delayed reaction time which increases the risk for overdosing and accidents. As more and more energy shots and caffeine-enhanced malt shots -- 2 ounce bottles -- appear on the market, this pairing will become even more common. Do you know: How much alcohol is in a typical drink? What a standard serving of beer, wine or spirits is? How many calories are in each type of alcohol? How much protein, fat and carbohydrates are in alcoholic drinks? What is considered moderate alcohol consumption for men and women? Let’s start with moderation. According to the US Dietary Guidelines moderate alcohol consumption is 2 drinks a day for men and 1 drink a day for women. Females weigh less and metabolize alcohol more slowly than men, so less is best. Women who are pregnant or attempting a pregnancy should not drink. The advice for breastfeeding varies. Some experts feel wine or beer is fine but not hard liquor; others advise against drinking. If you are breastfeeding and choose to drink, do not nurse for at least 2 hours afterward. This may sound practical but the actuality of nursing may not allow this spacing if an infant is hungry. One drink equals: 1 (12 ounce) bottle of beer, 1 (5 ounce) glass of wine, or 1 (1˝ ounce) jigger of spirits – gin, whiskey, vodka, scotch. The drink you are poured at a party, bar or restaurant may vary considerably from the standard. Mixed drinks with multiple shots or add-ons such as soda, cream, coconut juice, and sugar can increase both the calories and volume of alcohol consumed. The standard drink of 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine or 1˝ ounces of liquor are equivalent in alcohol content, yet only 39% of people know this. They are not equivalent in calories or other nutrients. Liquor averages 98 calories a serving but ranges from 86 calories for rum to 120 calories for gin. Wine averages 118 calories in a standard serving but again ranges from 105 to 125 calories. Beer and malt beverages vary the most from light beer at 100 calories a serving to some malt beverages at more than 240 calories in the same 12 ounces. Liquor contains no protein, fat or carbohydrate. The calories come from alcohol. Wine has a small amount of carbohydrates, 1 to 5 grams in a serving. Beer has more, from 3 grams of carb in light beer to 38 grams in flavored malt beverages. You can, however, tell the alcohol content by dividing the proof by two. If whiskey is 40-proof, it is 20% alcohol. Except for proof and some information on allergens, no nutrition information is currently required on alcohol labels, leaving you in the dark about calories and nutrient values. The Consumer Federation of America (CFA) and others have long advocated for more descriptive labeling. “Right now consumers have no way of knowing the most basic information about alcoholic beverages, “ said Chris Waldrop, the Director of the CFA Food Policy Institute. To foster responsible alcohol education, CFA has developed an “Alcohol Facts” sheet available on their website www.consumerfed.org; click on What’s New. In all my counter books, listed below, there are extensive listings for the nutrient values of beer, champagne, liquor, and wine. Be alcohol educated; drink responsibly. © NRH Nutrition Consultants, Inc. Jo-Ann Heslin, MA, RD, CDN is a registered dietitian and the author of the nutrition counter series for Pocket Books with 12 current titles and sales in excess of 6 million books. The books are widely available at your local or on-line bookseller. Current titles include: The Healthy Wholefoods Counter, 2008 The Cholesterol Counter, 7th Ed., 2008 The Diabetes Carbohydrate and Calorie Counter, 3rd Ed., 2007 The Calorie Counter, 4th Ed., 2007 The Compete Food Counter, 2nd Ed., 2006 For more information on Jo-Ann and her books, go to www.TheNutritionExperts.com. www.HealthNewsDigest.com Top of Page 
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