Alcohol And Weight Loss: Friends Or Foes?

Alcohol is often referred to as empty calories, meaning it provides your body with calories but few nutrients. Alcohol can also lower inhibitions, leading to poor food choices. Studies have shown that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol can lead to a 24% increase in the intake of high-fat savoury foods. Alcohol also takes metabolic priority over carbohydrates and fats, meaning your body will process alcohol before anything else, creating a metabolic environment that inhibits fat burning. However, this does not mean you have to give up alcohol altogether to lose weight. Cutting back on the number of drinks you consume each week can help you reach your weight loss goals. Choosing drinks with lower calories, such as clear spirits with soda water, can also help.

Alcohol is high in calories

Alcoholic drinks are often referred to as "empty calories". This means that they provide your body with calories but contain very few nutrients. A 12-ounce can of beer contains almost 155 calories, and a 5-ounce glass of red wine contains 125 calories. Distilled alcohol, such as gin, rum, vodka, and whiskey, contains about 100 calories per 1.5 ounces. A martini (extra dry) contains about 140 calories for a 2.25-ounce glass, while a piña colada contains about 380 calories in a 7-ounce glass. Many mixed drinks include juices, simple syrup, or liqueurs, which quickly add extra calories.

Cocktails can be particularly high in calories. For example, an espresso martini can be around 350 calories due to the use of sugar syrup and sugar-rich coffee liqueurs. However, by making some simple swaps, such as using top-shelf spirits and espresso instead of liqueur, you can easily cut back on 100 calories. Other high-calorie cocktails to avoid when trying to lose weight include those that contain more than 400 calories per serve.

The high calorie content of alcohol is not the only factor contributing to weight gain. Alcohol can also increase your appetite and influence hormones linked to satiety, such as leptin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). This can lead to overeating and an increased overall calorie intake. Research shows that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol can lead to a 24% increase in the intake of high-fat savory foods.

In addition, alcohol has a higher metabolic priority than carbohydrates and fats. This means that your body will process alcohol before anything else, creating a metabolic environment that inhibits fat burning. Therefore, while alcohol does contain calories, it is the combination of these calories and the metabolic priority of alcohol that can hinder weight loss and potentially cause weight gain.

Alcohol lowers inhibitions and can lead to poor food choices

Alcohol is known to lower inhibitions, which can lead to poor decision-making, especially when it comes to food choices. This is one of the main reasons why drinking alcohol can slow down your weight loss journey.

Alcohol can increase your appetite and influence hormones linked to satiety, or the feeling of fullness. For example, studies have shown that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol can lead to a 24% increase in the intake of high-fat savoury foods, such as cheeseburgers, french fries and fettuccine alfredo. Even the most disciplined dieter will struggle to resist the urge to indulge in unhealthy foods when intoxicated.

In addition to lowering inhibitions, alcohol also provides a quick and easily accessible form of energy for your body. This means that when you drink alcohol, your body will prioritise processing this easily accessible energy source over burning fat. As a result, drinking alcohol can create a metabolic environment that is almost the opposite of what your body creates following exercise, with high circulating levels of fat and inhibited fat burning.

The combination of alcohol and sugars found in mixers and bar food is often what inhibits weight loss and causes weight gain. Alcoholic drinks are often referred to as "empty calories", as they provide your body with calories but contain very few nutrients. For example, a 12-ounce can of beer contains almost 155 calories, while a 5-ounce glass of red wine contains around 125 calories. Mixed drinks can contain as many calories as a meal, but without providing any nutritional value.

To avoid the negative impact of alcohol on your weight loss journey, it is recommended to cut down on the number of drinks you consume each week and to choose your drinks wisely. Clear spirits are usually lower in calories than dark spirits, and dry wines have fewer calories than sweet wines. When drinking alcohol, it is also a good idea to avoid sugary mixers and opt for healthier alternatives such as soda water or lime juice.

Alcohol can trigger hunger signals in the brain

Alcohol is known to have an impact on weight management and can impede weight loss. Alcoholic drinks are often referred to as "empty calories", providing the body with calories but containing very few nutrients. For example, a 12-ounce can of beer contains almost 155 calories, while a 5-ounce glass of red wine contains 125 calories.

Alcohol can also lead to poor decision-making, especially when it comes to food choices. People tend to make poor food choices when drinking alcohol, and drinking on an empty stomach can lead to eating or drinking more than intended. Alcohol lowers inhibitions, making it difficult to fight the urge to indulge in unhealthy foods.

Furthermore, studies have shown that alcohol can trigger hunger signals in the brain, increasing hunger and appetite. In an animal study, mice given ethanol over three days demonstrated a significant increase in food intake. This effect was also observed in another study where rats injected with galanin, a natural signaling agent in the brain, chose to drink increasing amounts of alcohol.

In tests on mice, alcohol activated brain signals that triggered the body to eat more food. The researchers found that alcohol caused increased activity in neurons called AGRP, which are fired when the body experiences starvation. Blocking these neurons with a drug reduced food intake, suggesting that alcohol-induced hunger is a neuronal response rather than a loss of restraint.

While it is not necessary to completely eliminate alcohol from your diet, reducing alcohol consumption and drinking mindfully can support weight loss efforts. Health experts recommend drinking in moderation, which means no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men.

Alcohol is metabolised by the body before carbohydrates and fats

Alcohol is often referred to as containing "empty calories" because it provides calories but few nutrients. Alcoholic drinks are high in calories, with a 12-ounce can of beer containing around 155 calories and a 5-ounce glass of red wine containing about 125 calories.

The body metabolises alcohol through various mechanisms, primarily involving the enzymes aldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH), alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), cytochrome P450 (CYP2E1), and catalase. These enzymes help break down the alcohol molecule, making it possible to eliminate it from the body. The liver is the major site of alcohol metabolism, although it also occurs in other tissues, including the pancreas, brain, and gastrointestinal tract.

Alcohol is first metabolised in the stomach through first-pass metabolism, which is decreased in alcoholics. In the liver, ADH, the major enzyme system for metabolising alcohol, converts ethanol into acetaldehyde. This acetaldehyde is further oxidised into acetate, which can be converted into various products, including CO2, fatty acids, ketone bodies, cholesterol, and steroids. CYP2E1 and catalase also break down alcohol into acetaldehyde, although CYP2E1 is only active after large amounts of alcohol are consumed, and catalase metabolises only a small fraction.

Alcohol consumption can influence the activities of several proteins that regulate fatty acid synthesis and oxidation, contributing to the development of fatty liver. Additionally, ADH and ALDH also metabolise other compounds, such as vitamin A1, and their occupation with ethanol metabolism may inhibit the metabolism of these other essential compounds.

Alcohol can increase your appetite

Alcohol can have an impact on your appetite and eating habits. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and can lead to poor decision-making, especially when it comes to food choices. An animal study found that mice given ethanol over a period of three days demonstrated a significant increase in food intake. This suggests that alcohol can trigger hunger signals in the brain.

Research shows that drinking a moderate amount of alcohol can lead to a 24% increase in the intake of high-fat savoury foods. Alcohol can also influence hormones linked to satiety, or the feeling of fullness, such as leptin and glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1). For example, you may finish a glass of wine in front of the TV and suddenly crave a midnight snack.

Alcohol is also referred to as "empty calories". Alcoholic drinks provide your body with calories but contain very few nutrients. A 12-ounce can of beer contains almost 155 calories, and a 5-ounce glass of red wine contains 125 calories. Mixed drinks can contain as many calories as a meal.

If you are trying to lose weight, reducing your alcohol consumption may help. You can still enjoy a drink, but it is important to be mindful of how drinking affects your eating habits. Health experts recommend drinking in moderation, which means no more than one drink per day for women and no more than two drinks per day for men. You may also want to drink less than that to lose weight.

Frequently asked questions