Alcohol has 7 calories (29 kJ) per gram, second only to fat (9 calories/ 37kJ per gram). One standard drink contains 10 grams of alcohol which yields 70 calories from alcohol alone (not to mention sugar also contained in many alcoholic drinks). If you have one standard drink every night of the week, this is equivalent to consuming 5 Tim Tams worth of extra calories per week!
Alcohol can therefore contribute significantly to the amount of calories you are allowed, especially when you are trying to control the amount of calories you are consuming.
It's Not Just the CaloriesAlcohol also:
- Suppresses fat oxidation- Contains no other nutritional value, and is therefore 'empty calories'
- Can deplete your body of other vitamins and minerals
- May interfere with your hunger hormones and cause you to eat more
- Increase the risk of common cancer
- Inflame the lining of the stomach, intestine and pancreas
So how can you help to minimise the amount that you drink?The following tips can help to reduce the amount of alcohol that you drink from week-to-week.
1. Alternate each glass with some soda or mineral water2. Use low calorie mixers
3. Don't drink daily
4. Avoid over-eating while you are drinking
5. Enjoy without guilt (if you choose to drink moderately and sensibly)
Recommendations:- No more than two standard drinks per day and no more than 4 standard drinks on any one day
- You should have at least one or two alcohol-free days per week
- Don't 'save up' all your daily drinks to have them all in one big night!
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6 Comments
"If you have one standard drink every night of the week, this is equivalent to consuming 5 Tim Tams worth of extra calories per week!". That means 7 standard alcoholic drinks = 5 Tim Tams (not packs). So when females devour a pack of Tim Tams (i think equals 11), we can have 15 standard drinks.
ReplyGood one skidaddle--I have decided to give up drinking all together! Now I just drink alone
ReplyMy doctor only allowed me 2 drinks per day...so I saw another 2 doctors and now I am allowed 6
Replyomg! so when young ppl want to have a big night we can only have 2 drinks!? you people can stick it up your bum
1 ReplyI only drink on weekdays and weekends! I tried to have 2 alcohol free days per week but I couldn't find anywhere that serves free alcohol.
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