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FEATURED ARTICLE:
It's party season! Spring has arrived, and everyone is feeling festive. Between graduation, Memorial Day, and all the other reasons to celebrate, everyone seems to be throwing a party. Parties are always an opportunity to indulge in delicious foods and cocktails. And we all know there's nothing better than a nice chilly cocktail on a hot summer day. But indulge in too many of these cocktails and suddenly a few extra pounds seem to appear. Why is this? What is it exactly about alcohol that makes us seem to gain weight so easily?
Well, we have to begin by talking about carbohydrates, because ultimately that is what alcohol turns into. Carbohydrates are not only breads, pasta, cereals, and grains. They are found in all fruits, vegetables, dairy products, and anything with added sugar. Carbohydrates are simply long chains of sugars linked together that are broken down into glucose, which is the main fuel for all of our cells. When the body needs fuel, the glucose is used immediately. However, if it is not needed the body stores glucose in the liver and muscles. When we drink alcohol, it is metabolized very quickly by the body since it does not contain any fiber or nutrients that would slow down its metabolism. Alcohol begins to be broken down in the stomach and is then rapidly absorbed through the small intestine. It then travels in the bloodstream to the liver, which is the only site that contains a large enough amount of the enzyme that breaks down alcohol. Therefore, when the liver is so busy breaking down the alcohol, it begins to ignore the fat that it usually packages up and sends out to other tissues. The fat then begins to collect in the liver in large amounts, which is how fatty liver, and eventually cirrhosis, develops. The liver is only able to metabolize about — an ounce of alcohol per hour, which is a good reason not to consume more than 1 drink per hour.
When we eat food, it contains calories. However, within these calories are nutrients, fiber, fat, and protein. Alcohol also contains calories but no nutrients and is therefore considered “empty” calories. To top it all off, alcohol contains 7 calories per gram while other carbs or protein contain only 4 calories per gram. This is yet another reason to be conscious about which and how much alcohol we consume. So which drinks should we be consuming? Well, common sense tells us that any very sweet drinks, such as those mixed with juice or soda, are going to be higher in calories. Any drinks mixed with cream, such as Bailey's Irish Cream or Kahlua are going to be high in calories as well as fat. When it comes to beer, those that are lighter in color tend to be lower in calories. Wine is a good choice; not only is it low in calories, but it provides antioxidants and other compounds that many researchers are now saying can be beneficial for heart health.
Now that you're considering the calories contained in your cocktail, we also need to be a bit more conscious about all those lovely snacks that go with them. Since alcohol can lower blood sugar, it can often make us feel hungrier. It might also make us feel a little bit freer about eating that late-night slice of pizza. All of this said, there is still plenty of ways to have an indulgent evening without feeling overindulged in the morning. Here are a few simple tips to keep you on track, but still having fun, this summer.
- Don't quench your thirst with an alcoholic drink. Begin and end the evening with a glass of water to keep you hydrated.
- Alternate your drinks with a “mocktail”. Have a glass of sparkling water with lime or something similar every other drink. This not only cuts calories, but keeps you hydrated AND coherent all night long.
- Choose wine, light beer, or low calorie mixers for your drinks. You can also try ordering liquor on the rocks-some of the new flavored liquors don't even need a mixer.
- If you really want that chocolate martini or pina colada, just have ONE. Then switch to something lighter.
Happy Summer!
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