Tag: nutritional value

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Calories from alcohol are “empty calories”, they have no nutritional value.

Alcoholic drinks are made by fermenting and distilling natural starch and sugar

Being high in sugar means alcohol contains lots of calories – seven calories a gram in fact, almost as many as pure fat!

Calories from alcohol are “empty calories”, they have no nutritional value. Most alcoholic drinks contains traces of vitamins and minerals, but not usually in amounts that make any significant difference to our diet.

Drinking alcohol also reduces the amount of fat your body burns for energy. While we can store nutrients, protein, carbohydrates, and fat in our bodies, we can’t store alcohol. So our systems want to get rid of it, and doing so takes priority. All of the other processes that should be taking place ( including absorbing nutrients and burning fat) are interrupted.

With a pint of lager containing the same amount of calories as a slice of pizza, the calories soon add up

A pint of Heineken, 5% alcohol has 227 calories

A large glass of red wine, 13% alcohol has 170 calories

A Jack Daniels, 40% alcohol has 111 calories

Source: Drinkaware.co.uk

 

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Why calories in alcohol are extra fattening

Alcoholic drinks are made by fermenting and distilling natural starch and sugar

Being high in sugar means alcohol contains lots of calories – seven calories a gram in fact, almost as many as pure fat!

Calories from alcohol are “empty calories”, they have no nutritional value. Most alcoholic drinks contains traces of vitamins and minerals, but not usually in amounts that make any significant difference to our diet.

Drinking alcohol also reduces the amount of fat your body burns for energy. While we can store nutrients, protein, carbohydrates, and fat in our bodies, we can’t store alcohol. So our systems want to get rid of it, and doing so takes priority. All of the other processes that should be taking place ( including absorbing nutrients and burning fat) are interrupted.

With a pint of lager containing the same amount of calories as a slice of pizza, the calories soon add up

A pint of Heineken, 5% alcohol has 227 calories

A large glass of red wine, 13% alcohol has 170 calories

A Jack Daniels, 40% alcohol has 111 calories

Source: Drinkaware.co.uk

 

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The French Paradox, vitamin K2 the key

The French Paradox, the claim the French lived longer than Americans because they drink more red wine was put forward by Dr Serge Renaud in the 1990’s. He said red wine had nutrients like resveratrol which helped reduce heart disease. Even though the French had  more dairy products like cheese, in their diet

This claim has since been debunked because you would have to drink so much red wine to get enough of these nutrients, to increase the risk  of other diseases like cirrhosis. The research did highlight the presence of vitamin K2 in the French diet.  Vitamin K2 is a known factor in reduced levels of heart disease. The vitamin is to be found in green leafy vegetables, fruits, grains and dairy products.

The French diet is rich in vitamin K2

In her 2012 book, Vitamin K2 and the Calcium Paradox, Canadian nutritionist Kate Rhéume-Bleue proposes that the explanation for the lower rate of cardiovascular disease in France is the high level of vitamin K2 (also known as menaquinone) in some of the fattier foods that form a part of the French diet. Lack of vitamin K2 in the diet is linked to increased calcification of plaques in artery walls.

Rhéume-Bleue writes,

“ The French Paradox isn’t a paradox at all. The very same pâté de foie gras, egg yolks and creamy, buttery sauces that we inaccurately labeled “heart attack on a plate“ literally supply the single most important nutrient to protect heart health.[23] ”

As one example, Rhéume-Bleue points to the fact that a 3 ½-ounce serving of goose liver pate contains 369 micrograms of menaquinone, while a 3 ½-ounce serving of pan-fried calf liver of the kind frequently eaten in North America contains only 6 micrograms of menaquinone.[24]

The French diet is rich in short-chain saturated fatty acids and poor in trans fats

In his 2009 book Cholesterol and The French Paradox, Frank Cooper argues that the French paradox is due to the lack of hydrogenated and trans fats in the French diet.[25] The French diet is based on natural saturated fats such as butter, cheese and cream that the human body finds easy to metabolize, because they are rich in shorter saturated fatty acids ranging from the 4-carbon butyric acid to the 16-carbon palmitic acid. But the American diet includes greater amounts saturated fats made via hydrogenating vegetable oils which include longer 18- and 20-carbon fatty acids. In addition, these hydrogenated fats include small quantities of trans fats which may have associated health risks.[26][27][28]

 

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Do you know how alcohol affects your skin? 10 Q&A’s

1. Why does your skin appear dull after drinking?

Alcohol dehydrates your skin and depletes it of vital skin nutrients

2. If you overindulge in alcohol, what long-term effect on facial blood vessels occur?

Drinking alcohol causes facial blood vessels to dilate. Excessive alcohol can cause the vessels to dilate permanently. This causes red spiky veins.

3. Does alcohol consumption affect other skin conditions such as rosacea and psoriasis?

Alcohol may aggravate these skin conditions and cause additional flare ups

4. Which foods should you avoid when suffering a hangover?

Anything fried. Choose nutrient rich foods to reverse some of the negative effects of the drinking from the night before, whole grain toast for example

5. Alcohol depletes which beneficial vitamin?

Vitamin A, an important anti-oxidant

6. Why is vitamin A beneficial to the skin?

Vitamin A is an anti-oxidant that boosts collagen production and skin cell turnover

7. What is the primary physical trait of heavy drinkers?

Heavy drinkers usually have rosy cheeks, a red nose or a flushed face

8. What should you drink along with alcohol to avoid dehydration?

Drinking water along with alcohol will counteract the effects of the alcohol and will decrease dehydration

9. The toxins in alcohol can contribute to what unattractive skin flaw?

Alcohol can cause the build up of cellulite

10. After several drinks, the body will divert oxygen and blood away from where?

The skin. Skin loses important blood circulation because oxygen and blood is diverted to the liver and other organs

Source: Howstuffworks.com

 

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Missing Link Between Breast Cancer and Alcohol Discovered

A protein has been identified that plays a key role in the link between drinking alcohol and breast cancer.

Women with higher levels of the molecule in their breasts are more likely to develop cancer if they drink too much, research suggests.

Scientists in Mexico say their discovery could lead to a test showing which individuals are most at risk. Preventative measures could them be taken, such as helping vulnerable people cut down on alcohol.

The protein, an enzyme called CYP2E1, is believed to be involved in breaking down ethanol, otherwise known as alcohol , in the body.

In the process, unstable destructive oxygen molecules called free radicals are generated, which attack cell membranes and DNA.

Free radical damage, or oxidative stress, is known to be linked to cancer as well as other health problems such as heart disease and diabetes.

Alcohol consumption is a long-established risk factor for breast cancer but until now the reason for the link has not been clear.

In this situation why aren’t women being warned of the dangers? How are drinks companies allowed advertise alcohol without any warning? Why is there no breakdown of the composition of alcohol drinks on the bottles or cans?

 

 

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7 REASONS TO GIVE UP ALCOHOL FOR A MONTH AND EMBRACE BEING SOBER

Handbag.com//uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com

Why should you go sober for a whole month?

Lose weight

Empty calories are defined as those that provide energy without nutritional value – something that alcohol has in spades. A large (250ml) glass of wine contains an average 170 calories per serving. Drinking one of those a day (which is well within the recommended safe drinking levels for women) adds up to a whopping 61,880 extra calories a year. So that a single glass of wine could cost you an extra 18lbs of weight in one year alone.

Avoid alcohol dependence

Does it worry you that you can’t watch TV without a glass of wine, see your friends without a gin or enjoy a burger without a beer?

We’re not saying you are on the highway to alcoholism, but taking a break is  a good way to stop both physical and psychological dependence on alcohol.

To improve your skin

Alcohol wreaks havoc with a carefully maintained youthful glow. But just five days off the pop could see a huge improvement.

It dehydrates the skin and slows down circulation, leaving the complexions looking dull and dry. Not only is booze a nutritional black hole, but it depletes the body of vital minerals that contribute to healthy skin.

Long term drinking can lead to broken capillaries and aggravate or cause eczema or psoriasis, while sluggish liver and kidney function emphasises bags under the eyes.

Lower your tolerance

The more you drink, the higher the tolerance to alcohol becomes. According to Drinkaware.co.uk, your liver builds up an enzyme to metabolise alcohol, and the more you drink, the more of this enzyme you have.

This means you will have to drink more to get the same effects which is obviously bad for your body. Taking a break will allow those enzymes to deplete.  Good for your liver and your wallet.

Save money

It’s not all about your liver you know. December is an expensive month, and giving up booze will do wonders for readdressing the balance of your wallet. Just think how cheap a meal out is without two bottles of 20 pounds wine?

Improve your memory

Alcohol can damage your brain cells by effecting the ends of neurons. This can lead to memory loss, affect brain function and there is growing research that regular drinking can increase your chances of getting dementia.

Reduce your risk of cancer

There’s no denying the link between drinking and cancer. In fact alcohol causes around 4% of cancer cases in the Uk every year – that’s about 12,500 cases.  So giving your body a break can be no bad thing for your organs