Beer is fattening, but not automatically. Drinking beer can sometimes lead to weight gain, but not always. Although it is not the only factor that comes into play, your caloric intake plays a role in this regard.
Discover the reasons why beer is fattening and if there is anything you can do to avoid it:
Does the beer belly exist?
Enjoying a cold beer at the end of a long day is for many people one of those little pleasures in life that cannot be renounced. Although you don't need to stop drinking beer, there are reasons to at least use caution., since its consumption increases the risk of overweight and obesity.
Given that regular beer consumption has been associated with fat accumulation in the midsection, the beer belly is a reality. However, she cannot be blamed solely. The high-calorie meals that usually accompany it also play an important role. Let's see its causes in depth.
The causes
The first factor is your calories. A normal beer can provide 150 calories, some even 200. On the other hand, the light varieties have some less; they are around 100. These are empty calories that accumulate quickly when you take several in a row, a situation that tends to occur more with beer than with other drinks.
In the second point, beer is indirectly responsible. Beer - and in general all alcoholic beverages - tends to increase appetite, and when this happens it is not exactly accompanied by low calorie meals. Most often, team up with high-fat foods., such as fried foods and high calorie snacks.
The third and final factor that makes beer fat is related to liver function. Usually, this organ is responsible for burning fat, but when you drink beer you should burn alcohol instead. This makes it more difficult to lose weight, and even maintain it, when a person is a beer drinker.
Health Risks of Belly Fat
Whether caused by beer or other high-calorie foods, belly fat goes beyond any cosmetic problems it may or may not cause. Research has found a strong link between it and a variety of diseases, from type 2 diabetes to high blood pressure to cardiovascular disease. Abusing beer can also put your liver at risk.
Does your abdominal fat pose a risk to your health? Find out by measuring your waist with a tape measure. Wrap it just above the navel and write down the number. The red line is 90 cm for women and 100 for men. If it is higher than that measure, it is advisable to go on a diet, always under professional supervision.
Note that for the diet to be more effective, it is necessary to combine it with cardiovascular training, such as running, cycling, swimming, and even walking, if at a brisk pace.
Is beer less fattening when you are young?
The so-called beer bellies are more frequent in older people. The reason is that beer, and in general all caloric foods, tend to gain less weight during youth.
Apparently hormone levels would play a role in that matter. As you age, these decrease, which increases the chances of storing fat around the belly.
In addition, many people tend to reduce their physical activity as they get older. This forces you to consume fewer calories to maintain a balance between the calories you eat and those you burn. And including light and healthy foods in the diet is an excellent strategy. Instead, high calorie foods make weight gain more likely.
Final word
Drinking beer is not a habit that automatically leads to weight gain. In fact, there are overweight people who don't drink beer and thin people who do. The key, as in everything related to food, is to do it in moderation so as not to introduce more calories into the body than can be burned. Much of the answer to whether beer is fattening depends on whether the person is able to maintain a balance between calories ingested and burned or not.
In any case, cutting back on your intake is considered a good idea when you need to lose weight. Naturally, it is a mistake to think that to lose weight it is enough to eliminate beer from the diet. You have to exercise and keep in mind that this drink is probably not the only cause of being overweight.
If you don't want to get fat or give up beer, there are several tips you can put into practice:
- Limit the daily number
- Focus on beer as a weekly reward
- Bet on light varieties
- Accompany it with low-calorie snacks
- Take it during the meal instead of as an aperitif to ward off the temptation to accompany it with high-calorie processed foods