Diets in Review Blog » beer

Lowest Calorie Beers for St. Patrick’s Day

Matt — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 06:00:53 +0000

We all know that St. Patrick’s Day is more like “national drink some beer day.” But, what is the holiday really all about? St. Patrick, not of Irish descent, is known for establishing monasteries, churches, and schools all over the country. He used these aids to help him convert the Gaelic Irish to Christianity. He used the three-leafed shamrock to help represent the combination of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. St. Patrick died on March 17, thus this day has been commemorated as St. Patrick’s Day ever since.

Why is alcohol associated with St. Patrick’s Day? This is a generalization and a huge stereotype. In Ireland, people drink as a social past time as they do here in America. As it rains quite a bit in Ireland, so the tradition is to hit the local pub for a pint or two. Seems to me that people in America hit the local bar whether it’s rain or shine! So, with that being said, you might as well indulge in some healthy choices of beer if you are going to partake in this festive holiday. Below is a list of the healthiest choices of beer, both foreign and domestic.

Low-Calorie St. Patrick’s Day Beer Choices

These options are based on 12 oz. serving size. None of these contain any fat.

Miller 64: Contains 64 calories and 2.4 grams of carbohydrates
Natural Light: Contains 95 calories and 3.2 grams of carbohydrates
Amstel Light: Contains 95 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates
Michelob Ultra: Contains 96 calories and 3 grams of carbohydrates
Coors Light: Contains 102 calories and 11.3 grams of carbohydrates
Keystone Light: Contains 104 calories and 5.1 grams of carbohydrates
Corona Light: Contains 109 calories and 5 grams of carbohydrates
Bud Light: Contains 110 calories 7 grams of carbohydrates and 1 gram of protein
Guiness: Contains 125 calories and 10 grams of carbohydrates
Beck’s Beer: Contains 143 calories and zero carbohydrates

If you want to enjoy a true Irish beer regardless of the calories, the counts look like this:

Guinness Extra Stout (7.1 oz. serving): 104 calories and 8.3 grams of carbohydrates
Killian’s (12.2 oz. serving): 163 calories and 14.4 grams of carbohydrates
Harp (12.2 oz. serving): 153 calories and 13 grams of carbohydrates
Murphy’s (12 oz. serving): 171 calories and 17 grams of carbohydrates

Drink responsibly and please do not drink and drive as you celebrate the holiday!

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Lowest Calorie Beers for St. Patrick’s Day

Soda Addiction No More

Brooke — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 06:00:08 +0000

To protect against foreign bacteria that can cause traveler’s diarrhea, the doctor suggested that while I recently traveled in Africa, I drink mainly soda. (Beer was also approved, but it is not something I drink. Water was only OK if I personally broke the seal on the bottle, which cannot be guaranteed at restaurants with wait-staff.) I had given up soda, but figured this might be the only health reason to drink soda. I was a bit concerned that I might start craving it or have difficulty turning it down again once I returned to American soil.

It felt odd to order Fanta at the first restaurant. My reaction to soda was not a thrill of return or a desire for more. It felt sugary and heavy. After just a day, I was experiencing nausea, bloating, and low energy. I felt unhealthy. What I was craving was a shower and 64 ounces of water!

Now I know just how much healthier I am without soda. It is not just about the calories. Perhaps there are things in your life that you think you are denying of yourself, but you really would not want any more anyway. Or perhaps you would find that one thing you are afraid to eliminate really is not all that fabulous if you go without it for a while.

Begin kicking this unhealthy habit with How to Wean Yourself off Diet Soda and The Health Benefits of Drinking Water.

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Soda Addiction No More

Alcohol Consumption May Strengthen Bones

Jason — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 13:00:40 +0000

While we’ve always been told to bone-up on our calcium intake to strengthen our bones, there may be an unlikely helper – moderate alcohol drinking.

A new study published in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition says that one or two drinks a day can improve your bone density. The study looked at the effect moderate drinking has on older men and women. It included 1,182 men, 1,289 post-menopausal women, and 248 pre-menopausal women, from as young as 29, to 86.

The lead researcher, Dr. Katherine Tucker of Tufts University, says that it’s not the alcohol (of course), but the high silicone content and resveratrol in beer and wine that benefit our bones. Liquor has less of a positive effect.

The key, as always, is moderation. There are things to watch for with alcohol intake. Like, if your face gets flush while drinking, it may mean… cancer? The response may signal a genetic susceptibility to esophageal cancer risk, U.S. and Japanese researchers said.

(Via: Diet Blog and Wellness.com)

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Alcohol Consumption May Strengthen Bones

Study Finds Benefits of Beer after Exercise

Matt — Tue, 17 Mar 2009 13:00:07 +0000

Beer or no beer? A study of 25 college students was performed a few years back and found that beer may have some positive influences on the body after a long tough workout. The students were split into two groups and asked to exercise in 104 degree weather. One group was given beer and the other group was given water to help them recover. The study was conducted for several months and according to the professors and scientists in charge, the students that were given beer appeared to be better hydrated than those given water. They believe that beer helps you retain liquid better than water and the carbohydrates in the beer help replace lost calories.

On the other hand, most of us exercise to lose weight and drinking beer after exercising pretty much defeats the purpose. (The average light beer has 103 calories, 5.7g carbs and 14mg sodium.) Why put empty calories back in your body after trying to burn them? I recommend drinking plenty of water while exercising and then eating a healthy meal or snack after the bout of exercise to help replenish the body. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment and I will get back to as soon as possible.

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Study Finds Benefits of Beer after Exercise

Is Healthy Beer on the Way?

Jason — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 18:00:55 +0000

Can beer be engineered into a health food? Could this be the best news in the history of mankind?

Researchers at Rice University in Houston are working on a beer that could fight cancer and heart disease. Taylor Stevenson, a member of the six-student research team at Rice, said they are using genetic engineering to create a beer that includes resveratrol, the disease-fighting chemical that’s been found in red wine. Resveratrol is also a natural component of grapes and pomegranates.

The plant-produced antibiotic is one of the main reasons behind the mysterious paradox of the health of French people; they have a diet rich in cream sauces, cheeses, and all kinds of saturated fats, and they still have lower rates of heart disease than the U.S.

The students, most of whom aren’t even legally of age to sample their creation, are in the process of developing a genetically modified strain of yeast that will ferment beer and produce resveratrol at the same time.

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Is Healthy Beer on the Way?