What this means is that beer can make you gain weight by affecting your body’s ability to burn fat. Plus, it stimulates appetite and may increase your food intake. Another drawback is that some types of beer contain added sugar, which can significantly boost the calorie count. Root beer, for example, delivers over 200 calories and 52.3 grams of carbs per can (via MyFoodData). Some varieties boast up to 320 calories per serving (12 ounces), according to the Center for Science in the Public Interest.
This is thought to be because men tend to drink more heavily than women, perhaps up to three times as much (7, 20, 21, 22). For example, people who drink moderate amounts of beer may also have healthier lifestyles than those who consume larger amounts (7). Even people who are at a normal weight have an increased risk of health problems if they have a large amount of belly fat (13). Alcohol may have various effects on your health that link to weight gain.
Several experimental studies have been conducted to examine the short-term effect of alcohol intake on feeding behavior and appetite control 3•, 5. In these studies, alcohol appears to have no effect on appetite, or to increase appetite 5. However, to date there have been few intervention studies conducted to experimentally examine the effects of regular alcohol intake on weight gain or obesity in humans.
Most heavy drinkers will develop a hefty beer gut or wine tummy. But even if you don’t consume massive amounts of alcohol, you could still be subjecting yourself to serious weight gain. Engaging in healthy habits every day can help offset alcohol weight gain.
Aim to drink a glass of water between alcoholic beverages to reduce dehydration and help curb excessive drinking. This habit not only keeps the calories in check but also assists your body in metabolizing alcohol more efficiently. If you’re looking to lose weight, you may not need to cut out alcohol completely. But cutting back on your alcohol intake can have plenty of health benefits either way. And from what we know, it won’t exactly hurt your weight loss journey. If you do plan to drink, there are ways to reduce your intake of calories and stay healthy.
Ensure you eat a hearty meal before going out, and keep healthy snacks on hand if you get hungry. People who consume excess food and drinks that are high in empty calories have a higher risk of having overweight and obesity than others. Cocktails and mixed drinks often have more calories than beer and wine. For example, a piña colada has as many as 500 calories per seven-ounce serving. Weight is certainly not the only factor when it comes does drinking make you gain weight to health. Still, there are a few things you may want to know about alcohol intake and body composition if you think drinking may affect your weight.
Alcohol lowers inhibitions, and most people don’t make the wisest food choices when drinking (5). This is why we call Pizza Hut at 11 PM for an extra-large pepperoni pizza. From clinking glasses for a toast to unwinding with friends after a long day, alcohol has played a central role in shaping traditions and celebrations for centuries.
This means you will most likely store those additional calories as fat while your body is trying to clear the byproducts of alcohol calories (3). When you overindulge in alcohol, your liver, which is responsible for breaking down toxins like alcohol, can become overworked, explains Andrews. This may lead to fat buildup, inflammation and, eventually, scarring of liver tissue.
All of the available studies have examined moderate intake of alcohol, and the majority have reported results on beer and wine intake, but not other forms of alcohol 3•, 5. Crouse and Grundy 48 looked at the effect of adding 630 kcal/day of alcohol to the diets of 12 men in a metabolic unit. There were no significant changes in weight for normal weight participants over the four-week intervention study. They however noted that about half of the obese participants gained weight, with the largest weight gain being 1.8 kg 48.
Alcohol does not cause weight gain the same way eating a donut does. It impacts our decision-making, lowers our metabolism, produces additional stress, and traps us in an unhealthy cycle of binge eating and lounging. If you want to enjoy a drink but limit your alcohol intake, try subbing in some of our favorite nonalcoholic drinks and spirits, several of which are low-calorie or low-sugar.