Beer, the Diet Drink!

Photo: Andrew Fox / Alamy

From the department of trying a little too hard to be convincing, I bring you this news from Britain - home of the svelte beer drinker:

"Nutritionist Dr Kathryn O’Sullivan, who carried out [a] review of the scientific [evidence], believes that swapping beverages for beer may actually be a sensible way to diet"

Um...okay. I always suspected that drinking lots of beer would make me slim and health, thank goodness I was right all along.

Although the industry-sponsored research may seem incredible to some it in fact adds to an emerging body of thought that the beer belly is a myth.

Beer has fewer calories per 100ml than wine, spirits, and even orange juice, it is claimed.

“Unfortunately beer has this image as a high-calorie, high-fat drink,” Dr O’Sullivan told The Times. “It is very unfair.”

If you consume huge amounts of beer you will gain weight, but the same is true for those who glug wine by the gallon.

The report “Beer & calories; a scientific review” points out that the drink contains vitamins, fibre, and antioxidants and minerals such as silicon which may help to lower your risk of osteoporosis.

Although Dr O’Sullivan does not dispute the evidence of the effect of excessive alcohol consumption on increased mortality and morbidity, she argues there is a growing scientific support that moderate consumption of beer can be associated with health benefits.

It is good to know my protruding belly is a result of all of that broccoli my wife makes me eat!

Actually, there is one bit that is interesting - wine has more calories than beer!  Oops, that is per 100ml not per serving...dang.  Okay so I'll I have to do is dink beer from a wine glass....

So let's cut to the chase: swapping types of drink to save on calories only makes sense if you stick to the same quantities which is really an absurd and tortured result. But you have to admit, having two shot glasses worth of beer when you go out drinking is probably a decent way to keep off the pounds.