Do you know that alcohol can be considered a major source of energy, containing around 7 calories of energy per gram? The energy provided by alcohol is quite similar to that of fat, which provides 9 calories of energy/gram. We all know that many alcoholic beverages include added sugars, which provide a good amount of extra calories. It’s no wonder many health experts advise against drinking alcohol if you’re trying to lose weight.
Does alcohol make you fat?
Your body cannot store the energy it gets from alcohol. This energy must be oxidized for instantaneous use by the cells of your body. Although your body consumes all of the alcohol by circulating it in your bloodstream, it fails to oxidize the fats, carbohydrates, and proteins in alcohol. As a result, you are forced to store them for later use. Therefore, alcohol can make you fat, but indirectly!
Can you lose weight even by drinking alcohol?
Dieting is about losing weight by controlling your calorie intake. This means that in order to lose weight, you must be able to consume less energy than your body needs. Yes, you can surely lose weight even if you consume alcohol every day. But, to do this, you need to maintain your target caloric intake, including those that go with alcohol. In simple words, you will be required to eat less food to compensate for the high energy content present in alcohol. Unfortunately, this means a reduced intake of essential vitamins and nutrients found in food, which could have a negative effect on your health. As a result, you would have low energy levels to perform those activities, which help you burn fat from your body. Also, with the reduced intake of a high-protein diet, you would lose more lean muscle, which affects your metabolism rate.
So if you want to lose weight and stay healthy, you need to limit your alcohol intake. On the other hand, you should eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, which offer you more nutrients and give you a low energy index.