With a pint being equal to a bag of crisps or a slice of pizza in terms of calories, it’s good to be aware of how much we’re drinking, especially when we’re aiming to lose weight. The NHS recommends men and women should not have more than 14 units of alcohol per week on a regular basis to avoid alcohol related health problems. You can work out your consumption using this handy calculator. Why not consider to switching to low-cal beers? Here’s 5 great lighter options:
- Tennents Light (3.5%): 66cals per 330ml
- Michelob Ultra (3.5%): 73cals per 330ml
- Brewdog Lightspeed Hazy IPA (4%): 95cals per 330ml
- Marston’s Resolution (4.7%): 88cals per 275ml
- Miller Lite (4.2%): 96cals per 330ml
The calories from the alcohol itself aren’t the only consideration. Resolve and reason can sometimes dwindle after we’ve had a few drinks, causing us to make food choices that don’t align with our aims. Low and no alcohol options have been increasing in popularity in recent years and manufacturers have upped their game in terms of taste and quality. Here are a few best seller low alcohol options to try:
- St. Peter’s Brewery ‘Without’ Ale 0.0% has a robust, malty flavour 29cals/100ml
- Brooklyn Special Effects Lager – 0.4% hoppy lager recently voted best buy by The Independent, it has a good aroma and bitter finish 29cals/100ml
- Big Drop galactic milk stout, an original from Big Drop who specialise in low/no alcohol beers. 0.5% 27.5cals/100ml
- Coast Beer Co centennial IPA, 0.0% – a hugely popular zero alcohol option 33cals/100ml
- Furstenberg Alkoholfre lager which has only 11 calories per 100ml
How can you check the alcohol and calorie levels yourself? You can usually find nutritional information on the packaging, but it’s not a legal requirement with beverages. If in doubt, check online by searching for the brand and drink name. If you’re trying to lose weight, limiting the calories you’re drinking could be an easy win. If you want to lower your alcohol intake altogether, here’s some alternatives to non-alcoholic beer:
- Tap water is cheap and cheerful and you can jazz it up with a slice of lemon, lime or cucumber.
- Low sugar/sugar free squash.
- Diet fizzy drinks.
- Tea & coffee – herbal teas are a tasty, caffeine free option to consider.
