How Alcohol Influences Your Diet: What to Know Before You Drink

Cutting down on drinking alcohol helps in losing weight as alcohol consists of “empty calories,” meaning it gives you calories without any nutritional benefits and also affects the organs in a bad way. One of the favorite things to do when socializing or partying is alcohol consumption. Alcohol intake is done as a pastime and both culturally and socially. There are some studies which suggest that alcohol can have some good qualities, such as red wine can help in reducing the risk for heart disease.⁽¹⁾

Not many know that alcohol also has a huge role to play when it comes to managing weight. If one is looking to lose some pounds, it may benefit them to stop drinking their daily glass of wine.

In this article, we will discuss about the different ways in which alcohol can interfere with weight loss and what to drink instead of alcohol.

Alcoholic drinks are commonly referred to as “empty” calories, meaning that they give your body unnecessary calories, but do not have much in the way of nutrients.

A one 12-ounce can of beer contains about 155 calories and a 5-ounce glass of red wine has about 125 calories. Drinking when you are out with friends can cause roughly about few hundred extra calories. Alcoholic drinks that contain mixers, such as soda or fruit juice are heavier in calories.

Liver is one of the vital organs of the body with its primary role being acting as a “filter” for any foreign substances which get inside the body, such as alcohol and drugs. The liver also plays a role in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins. Drinking alcohol in huge quantities can cause alcoholic fatty liver, which is a condition where the liver gets damaged so much so that the manner in which the body metabolizes and stores the fats and carbohydrates gets affected.⁽²⁾ If there is any change in the manner on which the body stores the energy from food then it causes lot of difficulty in losing weight.

Other than the calorie content, there are other causes of weight gain from drinking alcohol. When one drinks alcohol, it gets burned as a fuel source first before the body uses it for other purpose.⁽³⁾ This can consist of lipids from fats or glucose from carbohydrates. When the body uses alcohol as the main source of energy, the extra glucose and lipids end up as fat or adipose tissue making it difficult to lose weight.

The “beer belly” is very much real my friends.

Eating foods that are full of sugars, like soda, candy and beer containing lot of calories causes the excess calories to get stored in the body as fat. Consuming drinks and foods that are high in sugar and calories can rapidly increase the weight and the tendency of the body to accumulate the extra fat in the abdominal region.⁽⁴⁾

Alcohol also affects the levels of hormones in the body, more so the testosterone.⁽⁵⁾

Testosterone is a sex hormone which affects the various metabolic processes, such as fat burning and muscle formation capabilities.

According to a study, it was found that reduced levels of testosterone can predict the development of metabolic syndrome in men. The metabolic syndrome is characterized by: high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high body mass index and high blood sugar levels. Reduced levels of testosterone also affect the quality of sleep, more so in older men.

Intoxication affects your judgment and when one is drunk on alcohol, it becomes difficult to fight the cravings to eat junk food and other such unnecessary items causing increase in weight.

Alcohol decreases inhibitions and can cause impulsive decision-making, especially when it comes what you eat.⁽⁶⁾

A recent study done on animals found that mice which were given ethanol in a span of three days showed a substantial increase in food consumption. According to this study, it was found that alcohol can actually trigger the hunger signals in the brain resulting in increased desire to eat more food.

Drinking alcohol impairs the digestive function. Alcohol puts strain on the intestines and stomach and this leads to reduced digestive secretions and transportation of food through the digestive tract.⁽⁷⁾

The digestive secretions are an important element to healthy digestion, as they work by breaking down the food into fundamental macro- and micronutrients, which can be easily absorbed and used by the body. Drinking alcohol causes hindrance in the digestion and absorption of the nutrients and this in turn affects the metabolism, which plays a role in managing weight.

A drink before going to sleep might sound relaxing, but it has the opposite effect. Studies show that alcohol can cause increased periods of wakefulness in the sleep cycles.⁽⁸⁾. Sleep deprivation occurring as a result of impaired sleep or lack of sleep can lead to a hormonal imbalance linked with satiety, hunger and energy storage.

You may think that you can never enjoy a alcoholic drink without suffering from the repercussions on weight. However, you need not cut out the alcohol completely and there are some alcoholic drinks with lesser calories, such as these 100-calorie options, which you can enjoy instead:

• Vodka: Vodka is an alcoholic beverage which should be mixed with a low calories option, such as club soda instead of sugary juices, to cut down on the calories.
• Whiskey: Similarly opt for whiskey on the rocks instead of mixing it with the cola to cut down on the calories.
• Tequila: This drink consists of the customary tequila “shot,” which comprises of only tequila, salt and lime.
• Gin: For this drink, try something simple, such as martini to cut down the calories on an alcoholic drink.
• Brandy: Brandy can be served as an after-dinner digestif, which can be good for you and you can enjoy your alcohol without the fear of putting on weight.

While cutting the alcohol completely is good for your health and helps with weight loss; however, one can enjoy a drink now and then socially while maintaining your weight by modifying your drink and enjoying both the sides to it.

It is highly recommended to drink alcohol in moderation for better health, better body, better digestion and improved sleep without the fear of the extra “empty” calories. Moderation is the key when it comes to enjoying your drink and maintaining your weight.

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