Comments on: Carbs and calories in your booze of choice

By: Gregory

Gregory — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 18:35:25 +0000

Here’s a recent article with citations on the effects of alcohol for people concerned about their body composition and health. I found it interesting.

http://www.t-nation.com/free_online_article/sex_news_sports_funny/a_muscleheads_guide_to_alcohol_1

Thanks for the link.

MRE

By: Dennis

Dennis — Sun, 27 Jul 2008 23:50:38 +0000

I’m eating grass-fed beef only and walk 12,345 steps RT to the pub for a few (not over 6) 20 oz. Guinness draft….so far BG not over 99 using advocate TD-4223 meter…must be good carbs in the beer or the walking…

By: Val

Val — Sat, 12 Jul 2008 21:15:58 +0000

I saw someone mention Mike’s Hard Light Lemonade. I’ve also read about Long Beach Brewing having a new product called Thin Ice that uses sucralose and allegedly has 1g of carb per 12oz. Haven’t tried either but will be keeping my eyes open for them. (Right now I’m on a tour of light beers. Current stop: Corona Light. Not bad, but I liked Amstel better.)

By: Kathy

Kathy — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 14:51:07 +0000

If I only get one drink per day, I get to choose the glass!

By: Zach

Zach — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 19:03:14 +0000

there HAS to be carbs in some of that stuff! what about Cpt. Morgan’s? Jack Daniels? Those guys HAVE to HAVE carbs!

i don’t believe it. you should read some of the processing steps for these alcohols. Jack Daniels gets filter through maple sugar charcoal…umm…hello?

zach

I wouldn’t think that Jack Daniels would have carbs but I don’t know about Cpt. Morgan’s spiced stuff. Doesn’t sound like anything I would put in my mouth.

By: Susan Mc

Susan Mc — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 16:24:19 +0000

Hi Dr Mike,

Oh those Margaritas are hard to resist. Bartenders will make them sugar free but I suppose you know that.

Quick question -
Looking at spirit in this chart, it seems wrong that gin at 40 proof would have the same carbs (none) but 20% more calories than the other spirits listed. The http://www.nal.usda.gov/fnic/foodcomp site gives the same carb and kcal counts for all spirits at the same proof. Gin equals vodka equals scotch etc.

Do you have an explanation?

Thanks,
Susan

The only explanation I have is that the chart is incorrect. I, too, would assume that all spirits that are 40 proof would have the same number of calories.

By: Dee

Dee — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 15:26:59 +0000

The alcohol increases the level of fatty liver … ”

Fatty which?

Thank you for the clear explanation. I’m curious now what insulin levels are for people who take in zero carbs–say, those on the vodka and skinless broiled chicken breast diet. (I just made that up and never will try it, though I can see the attraction of vodka to someone eating nothing but broiled skinless chicken breast.) It probably varies among individuals, but in general would you expect people to lose at zero carbs if they’re still consuming alcohol?

Sure people can lose eating boiled, skinless chicken breasts and vodka. I worry about alcohol intake (as an impediment to weight loss) only when weight loss stalls.

By: mrfreddy

mrfreddy — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 12:10:24 +0000

is 3 big tumblers of scotch a large amount?

Not for you and me, mrfreddy, not for you and me.:-)

By: Michael R. Eades, M.D.

Michael R. Eades, M.D. — Thu, 03 Jul 2008 05:48:21 +0000

A number of people wrote asking about how alcohol affects metabolism. It is metabolized similarly to fats and contains about 7 kcal per gram as compared to 9 for fat and 4 for both carbs and protein. The real problem occurs because much of the liver’s capacity for detoxification is occupied by dealing with alcohol, making it difficult for the liver to then break down (i.e, metabolize) insulin, allowing levels to remain higher than they should.

I’m not talking about the occasional drink here - I’m talking about the situation in which people drink a fair amount. The alcohol increases the level of fatty liver and decreases the liver’s capacity to break down insulin while adding a fair number of calories and, often, a large number of carbs to the mix.

It’s tough to lose weight while continuing to drink large amounts of booze on a regular basis.

By: mrfreddy

mrfreddy — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 12:24:55 +0000

Michael, when I first started low-carbing, I’d heard 5g for a proper Guinness pint - the 20oz. royal kind - but that always seemed unlikely. Judging from the funny way I feel after downing 3 or 4 (not the buzz, I feel that of course, but I also get a funny, icky, carby rush kinda feeling), I’d guess 20g is closer to the mark.
I recognize some of the brand names you mentioned, but I couldn’t tell you if the specific beers you mentioned are available here. The Chimay sounds interesting, tho.