Can Alcohol Be Healthy?
Everyone loves a drink…but who wouldn’t like to be a little bit healthier, given the chance?
In this in-depth infographic, we look at what you should be opting for when given the choice; beer, cider, wine, spirits, cocktails?
So, what’ll it be…
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From our research, Carling, great straight out of the fridge, came out on top as the healthiest mainstream, non-‘light’ beer; with just 8g carbs and 188 calories per pint. Whilst there was a general trend of ‘the stronger the alcohol, the more calories there are’ throughout our research, beers and lagers seemed to buck the trend somewhat. That is, until we got to craft beers.
For example, Carlsberg – at 5.0% ABV – has less calories than Carling (182) but 18.1g carbs. Corona Extra, at a weaker 4.5%, has 254 calories and 23.9g of carbs; significantly worse for you.
However, craft beers do appear to be significantly harsher on the waistline than regular beers, with calories per pint typically ranging between the 250-300 mark, although they can reach the 400 calorie mark in the strongest of ales.
Ciders are, in general, worse for you in terms of calories and carbs than beers are. With anywhere between 225-300 calories per pint, and even more for fruit variants (other than apple), cider can be significantly worse on the gut than beer. One pint of cider contains as many calories as a sugared donut!
Wine is also quite bad on your waistline, especially if you aren’t drinking in moderation (which we’d always recommend). There are as many calories in a large glass of wine as there are in a Cornetto ice cream! The rule of thumb with wine is simple: try to go for dry, low-strength wine. The sweeter and stronger the wine is, the more calories there are. Remember, you can keep your wine perfectly chilled in one of our beautiful wine coolers.
Pure spirits such as vodka, rum, whisky and gin don’t contain any carbs; result! They also only contain between 64-80 calories per 25ml / 1oz serving. However, at 1 unit per shot, you shouldn’t drink too many of these.
The undeniably tastiest option on the list is actually the worst for you; cocktails. Packed full of taste – but also full of sugar and calories- cocktails are one of the worst investments you can make (in terms of your gut) whilst on a night out. A vodka Red Bull contains 206 calories – that’s more than a pint of Guinness!
