Alcohol and weight

Losing excess weight can improve your health and wellbeing. To lose weight, you need to consume fewer calories than your body uses. Calories are found in both food and drinks. Alcohol is a high-calorie liquid, which is why reducing how much alcohol you drink can help you lose weight. 

How alcohol affects your weight loss

Alcohol is high in calories. One gram of alcohol contains seven calories, compared to 1g of protein or carbohydrate, which contains four calories. One gram of fat contains nine calories, making alcohol almost as calorific as fat.

The calories in alcoholic drinks are often called “empty calories”. This is because although alcoholic drinks provide substantial calories, they usually provide your body with few nutrients.

Calories in alcohol

On average, a pint of beer contains about the same number of calories as a Mars bar, while the calories in a standard glass of wine are about equivalent to those found in three Jaffa Cakes.

A standard bottle of alcopop contains about the same number of calories as two chocolate digestive biscuits, while the calories in 50 ml of cream liqueur are about equivalent to those found in one Wagon Wheel biscuit.

Double measures (50 ml) of fortified wine and gin are roughly equivalent to 10 jelly babies and one Milky Bar, respectively.

Low-calorie alcoholic drinks

To help reduce the number of calories you consume through alcohol, it can be helpful to switch from high-calorie alcoholic drinks to lower calorie alcoholic drinks. Cocktails (mixes of different types of alcohol) are particularly high in calories. 

It is important to avoid the temptation of drinking greater volumes when consuming lower calorie alcoholic drinks as this will negate the effects of choosing lower calories alternatives. Single units of the following alcoholic drinks tend to contain fewer calories than wine or beer, however they tend to contain more units of alcohol (ie are stronger then beer or wine): 

• Brandy
• Gin
• Tequila
• Vodka
• Whiskey

Alcohol and weight gain

The calories in many alcoholic drinks (eg beer, cider, wine and spirits) come from natural starch and sugar, which are fermented or distilled to produce alcohol. 

Drinking less alcohol can, therefore, help reduce your calorie intake and also improve your health. NHS guidelines state that men and women should not drink more than 14 units of alcohol a week. This should be spread out over the week — binge drinking can harm your health in the short and long term. 

To reduce your alcohol intake, you can try alternating between consuming an alcoholic drink and water. This will also help you stay hydrated as alcohol is a diuretic, which means it dehydrates your body. 

If you’re drinking white wine, you can add soda water to your drink to make it last longer. 

Avoid drinking in rounds and instead drink at your own pace, taking small sips, to avoid drinking more than you usually would. Having a friend join you in cutting down on alcohol can make this easier. 

It is also a good idea to have a healthy meal before drinking alcohol. Drinking alcohol on an empty stomach can irritate your gut. If you’re snacking while drinking, try to choose healthier options. 

Other ways drinking impacts weight loss

Drinking alcohol adds calories to your diet in two ways. First, through the calories found in alcohol itself and second, through the tendency for people to snack while drinking and/or choose less healthy meals after drinking. Drinking less alcohol makes it more likely that you’ll choose healthier snacks and meals.