Arielle Cruz
Alcohol and weight loss are two concepts that don't go hand in hand. Alcohol is a toxin that is quickly absorbed by the body and treated as fat, with little nutritional value. It can cause impaired digestion and absorption of nutrients, affecting the metabolism of organs that play a role in weight management. Alcoholic drinks are often high in calories, with a standard drink containing 10 grams of alcohol, providing 290kJ of energy from the alcohol alone. The high calories in alcohol are not available to our muscles and can lead to weight gain, especially in the abdominal area, resulting in a beer gut. Alcohol also increases the desire for junk food and can lead to poor food choices, further impeding weight loss. To lose weight, it is recommended to limit alcohol consumption and be mindful of the number and type of drinks consumed, as well as the extra calories from mixers.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Calories | Alcohol is high in calories, with 7 calories per gram, and is often referred to as empty calories due to its lack of nutritional value. |
| Nutritional Deficiencies | Alcohol can cause damage to organs involved in digestion, absorption, and processing of nutrients, leading to potential nutrient deficiencies. |
| Metabolism | Alcohol is prioritised by the body for metabolism, affecting the processing of other nutrients and contributing to weight gain. |
| Decision-Making | Alcohol impairs judgment and self-control, leading to poor food choices and increased consumption. |
| Sleep Quality | Alcohol consumption can result in lower quality sleep, hindering weight loss and increasing cravings and hunger. |
| Workout Consistency | Drinking can lead to missed workouts and a negative impact on fitness routines. |
| High-Calorie Mixers | Mixed drinks with juices, syrups, or liqueurs can significantly increase calorie intake. |
| Portion Size | Larger drink portions can lead to unintended excess calorie consumption. |
| Alternatives | Lower-calorie alcoholic options include vodka, whiskey, and gin on the rocks, or cocktails with club soda and antioxidants. |
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What You'll Learn
Alcohol is high in calories and low in nutrients
Alcoholic drinks are often referred to as "empty calories". This means that they provide your body with calories but contain very few nutrients. Alcohol is a macronutrient with seven calories per gram, which is almost as many as a gram of fat. A 12-ounce can of beer contains around 155 calories, and a 5-ounce glass of red wine contains around 125 calories. By comparison, a recommended afternoon snack should have between 150 and 200 calories. A night out with several drinks can easily add up to a few hundred extra calories.
Drinking alcohol can lead to weight gain as it affects the way your body processes fat for energy. While your body can store many nutrients, protein, carbohydrates, and fat, it needs to prioritise getting rid of alcohol, which is toxic. This process interrupts other functions, like absorbing nutrients and processing fat. Alcohol is burned first as a fuel source, and the excess glucose and lipids from carbohydrates and fats are stored as adipose tissue, or fat. This can lead to what is known as an alcoholic fatty liver, which can damage your liver and affect the way your body metabolises and stores carbohydrates and fats.
Alcohol also impairs your judgment and self-control, making it difficult to stick to your diet. It lowers inhibitions and can lead to poor decision-making, especially when it comes to food choices. Many people find that they eat more junk food after drinking, and it can be hard to resist cravings the next day. Alcohol can also disrupt your sleep, leading to increased appetite and cravings.
If you are trying to lose weight, it is important to be mindful of your alcohol consumption. While you may not need to cut it out completely, reducing your intake and choosing lower-calorie options can help. Vodka and whiskey are lower-calorie options, and you can skip the soda or juice mixers. Alcohol-free and low-alcohol drinks can also be a good choice, but be mindful of their sugar content.
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Alcohol impairs judgement and self-control
Alcohol is a depressant that can significantly impact a person's brain chemistry and cognitive abilities. It impairs judgement and self-control by altering one's behaviour and lowering inhibitions. This can lead to poor decision-making and negative outcomes for one's health and social standing.
When alcohol is consumed, it is burned by the body as a fuel source before anything else, including glucose from carbohydrates or lipids from fats. This means that the excess glucose and lipids are stored as fat. Alcohol also slows down physiological functions like heart and breathing rates.
Research has shown that alcohol-dependent individuals make disadvantageous decisions, reflecting poor decision-making under ambiguity and risk. They also tend to make more risky choices, reflecting poor decision-making under risk. Alcohol-dependent individuals also show working memory impairments, which are correlated with high-risk decision-making.
Alcohol lowers inhibitions, leading people to say and do things they normally wouldn't. It draws a person into the present moment, and they may act on impulses without considering the costs and benefits of their actions. This can lead to outcomes such as drunk driving, which can have legal and physical ramifications.
When it comes to dieting, alcohol can impair judgement and self-control, leading to the consumption of fattening foods that are not part of one's diet. It can also contribute to weight gain by providing empty calories—calories that provide energy but have little to no nutritional value. These empty calories can hinder weight loss and contribute to increased muscle loss, intensified hunger, and cravings.
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Alcohol negatively affects sleep quality
Secondly, alcohol suppresses REM sleep, and when alcohol levels drop later in the night, you are likely to experience more active REM sleep. This means you are more likely to have vivid or stressful dreams, causing you to wake up more frequently.
Thirdly, alcohol can worsen symptoms of sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that causes disruptions throughout the night. Drinking before bed can increase your risk of developing sleep apnea by 25%.
Additionally, alcohol can alter your sleep architecture and interfere with your circadian rhythms. It can also lead to chronic sleep problems and disorders in the long term.
The negative impact of alcohol on sleep quality is supported by a study that found a positive correlation between the Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test-Korean Revised (AUDIT-KR) score and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index-Korean (PSQI-K) score. This suggests that higher alcohol consumption is associated with poorer sleep quality.
It is important to note that while alcohol may help some people fall asleep initially, it ultimately compromises sleep quality and quantity by causing sleep disruptions later in the night.
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Alcohol can cause weight gain
Alcohol is a macronutrient with seven calories per gram. These are often referred to as "empty calories" as they provide your body with calories but contain very little nutritional value. For example, a 12-ounce can of beer contains 155 calories, and a 5-ounce glass of red wine contains 125 calories. Alcoholic drinks with mixers, such as fruit juice or soda, contain even more calories.
Alcohol can also increase your hunger levels and cravings for salty, greasy, and high-calorie foods. It can impair your judgment and self-control, leading to poor food choices and increased consumption of fattening foods. Alcohol may affect hormones that control appetite, hunger, and stress, further contributing to weight gain. Studies have shown that alcohol activates cells in the brain that signal intense hunger.
The impact of alcohol on weight gain can vary depending on individual factors, such as the type and amount of alcohol consumed, drinking frequency, dietary habits, and unique body composition and lifestyle factors. However, excessive alcohol consumption is associated with an increased risk of weight gain and serious health issues, including high blood pressure, high triglycerides, insulin resistance, heart disease, stroke, liver disease, and certain types of cancer. Therefore, it is important to monitor alcohol consumption as part of a balanced diet and to prioritize healthier alternatives when drinking.
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Alcohol may increase the risk of malnutrition
Alcohol is a toxin that can have detrimental effects on your body, especially when consumed in large quantities. It is often referred to as containing “empty calories”, providing your body with calories but very little nutritional value. Alcohol is a macronutrient with seven calories per gram, and these calories are burned first by your body as a fuel source, before it uses energy from carbohydrates or fats. This means that the other energy is stored as fat, hindering weight loss.
Alcohol abuse creates an internal environment that predisposes individuals to malnutrition. When alcohol is metabolised by the liver, it uses up essential vitamins and minerals, such as niacin, thiamine (vitamin B1), and other B vitamins, leaving fewer nutrients available for other bodily functions. Alcohol also interferes with the absorption and storage of vitamins B12, folacin, and vitamin A. As a diuretic, alcohol increases urine output, leading to the loss of water-soluble minerals such as zinc, magnesium, and potassium.
Heavy drinkers are at a particularly high risk of malnutrition as they often forego food and good nutrition to prioritise alcohol consumption. Alcohol lowers inhibitions and impairs judgment, leading to poor decision-making and potentially causing individuals to eat fattening foods that are not part of their diet. Additionally, alcohol irritates the gastrointestinal system, increasing acid secretion by the stomach, which can injure the small intestine and further interfere with nutrient absorption.
The negative effects of alcohol on nutrition can have severe and permanent consequences on brain function. Thiamine deficiency, commonly seen in individuals with severe alcohol use disorders, can result in serious neurological problems, impaired movement, and memory loss. Omega-3 fatty acid deficits may also influence brain function in those with alcohol use disorders. Therefore, it is crucial to prioritise good nutrition and ensure sufficient nutrient intake, either through a balanced diet or by supplementing with multivitamins.
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Frequently asked questions
Alcoholic drinks are often referred to as ""empty calories""", meaning they are calorie-dense but provide little nutritional value. Alcohol also impairs your judgment and self-control, making you more likely to eat fattening foods that are not part of your diet. Alcohol also negatively affects your sleep quality, which can hinder weight loss and increase muscle loss.
If you want to drink alcohol while dieting, you can reduce your consumption of other foods to fit it into your daily calorie count. You can also opt for lower-calorie alcoholic drinks, such as vodka or whiskey on the rocks, and avoid sugary juices or sodas.
Alcohol is burned by the body as a fuel source before using other sources of energy such as glucose or lipids. This means that when your body uses alcohol as its primary source of energy, the excess glucose and lipids are stored as fat.
