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Low carb diets have become increasingly popular as an effective way to lose weight and improve health.
They usually involve cutting down foods that are high in carbohydrates such as refined grains, fruits, starchy vegetables and legumes, and instead focus on healthy fats and proteins.
However, many people do not know if alcohol can be consumed with a low carbohydrate diet, and recommendations on the subject may be contradictory.
This article examines whether you can or should drink alcohol with a low carb diet.
Many types of alcohol are high in carbohydrates – some contain more carbohydrates per serving than soft drinks, sweets and desserts.
For example, beer is usually high in carbohydrates, with starch being one of its main ingredients.
It typically contains 3 to 12 grams of carbohydrate per 12-ounce serving of 355 ml, depending on various factors, such as a light or regular variety (1).
Mixed drinks are usually high in carbohydrates because of ingredients such as sugar, juice and other high added carbohydrate mixes to enhance the flavor.
For comparison, here is the number of carbohydrates contained in some popular alcoholic drinks (1):
summary Beer and mixed drinks are particularly rich in carbohydrates, some drinks containing up to 34 grams of carbohydrate per serving.
Alcohol is rich in empty calories, which means that it contains a lot of calories without the vitamins, minerals and other essential nutrients that your body needs.
This can not only contribute to nutritional deficiencies, but also lead to weight gain over time.
Alcohol is the second most dense nutrient after fat intake, or 7 calories per gram (2).
By adding a single dose of alcohol to your diet every day, you can add hundreds of extra calories while producing virtually no protein, fiber or micronutrients.
If you do not adjust your diet for these extra calories, they can cause weight gain, regardless of your carbohydrate intake.
summary Alcohol contains a lot of calories but contains few important nutrients like protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals.
Studies show that the abuse of alcohol can block the burning of fat and hinder weight loss.
Indeed, when you drink alcohol, your body metabolizes it before using the other nutrients to use as fuel (3).
This can slow down the burning of fat and store extra carbohydrates, protein and fat in your diet as fat, leading to excess body fat (4).
Heavy alcohol consumption can also decrease fat breakdown and increase fatty acid synthesis, leading to a build-up of triglycerides in the liver. Over time, this causes a disease called fatty liver (5).
This can not only have adverse effects on your waistline, but also serious consequences on your health.
summary Alcohol has priority over other nutrients for the metabolism in your body. It can slow the burning of fat and increase fat storage.
Several studies have shown that drinking in moderation may be linked to a reduced risk of weight gain (6, 7).
On the other hand, excessive amounts of alcohol have always been associated with weight gain in the observational studies.
A study of 49,324 women found that heavy drinkers consuming at least two drinks a day were more likely to gain weight than non-drinkers (8).
Another study of nearly 15,000 men showed that increased alcohol consumption was associated with an increased risk of weight gain over a 24-year period (9).
Therefore, regardless of whether you are on a low carb diet or not, it is best to consume alcohol in moderation, ie one drink a day for women and two drinks a day for men (10).
summary Drinking alcohol in moderation may be linked to a lower risk of weight gain. However, excessive intake has been associated with a higher risk of weight gain in the observational studies.
Some types of alcohol can be included in a low carbohydrate diet when they are consumed in moderation.
For example, wine and light beer both contain little carbohydrate, with only 3 to 4 grams per serving.
Meanwhile, the pure forms of liquor such as rum, whiskey, gin and vodka are all without fuels.
To add a little flavor to these drinks while controlling carbohydrate intake, simply omit the sweeteners sweeteners and instead mix the liquor with low carbohydrate options like soda or tonic water without sugar.
Here are some types of low-carb alcohol that can fit into your low-carbohydrate diet when consumed in moderation (1):
summary Light beer and wine contain few carbohydrates, while pure liquor forms such as rum, whiskey, gin and vodka do not contain carbohydrates.
Some types of alcohol are free of carbohydrates or carbohydrates and can enroll in a low carbohydrate diet.
These include light beer, wine and pure forms of liquor such as whiskey, gin and vodka.
However, it is best not to consume more than 1 to 2 glasses a day, as excessive consumption can slow down fat burning and lead to weight gain.
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