A tip on your tipple!

Nutrition Team

‘Tis the season to be merry and full of cheer, and we all know what that entails. From office parties to family get-togethers, most events over the holiday period are overflowing with more than one type of Christmas spirit, not to mention Christmas beer and wine! While there are safety issues surrounding drinking at Christmas - leave your car keys at home - there are other facts about alcohol that may be news to you.

Safe levels for men

There’s little risk if you drink between 3-4 units a day but drinking more regularly will lead to health problems in the long term.

Safe levels for women

It’s safe to drink 2-3 units each day but regularly drinking more than that can be harmful over time.

Measure	Alcohol Units
½ pint of beer, lager or cider	1
A small glass of wine (125ml)	1
A measure of spirits	1½

The figures on your figure

If you are concerned about gaining weight at Christmas time (and aren’t we all), it’s worth remembering that alcohol is pretty high in calories. Each gram of alcohol provides you with 7 calories. That’s half way between fat (9 calories per gram) and carbohydrate and protein (4 calories per gram). Your body will preferentially burn the alcohol because it’s a toxin. This means that the calories you get from the carbs, fat and protein that you eat, and that your body would normal burn for energy, will be stored as fat. This, coupled with the fact that we commonly have drinks on top of what we normally eat, means that they are providing extra calories as well.

An average pint of beer provides 150 – 200 calories

A small glass of wine will give you 100-110 calories

A measure of spirits will give you 70-80 calories

A mixer will give you around 50 calories

Downing your drink?

It’s not all doom and gloom, however. You can still enjoy your Christmas drinks by keeping a few simple tips in mind: · Mix your white wine with soda to make spritzers, a lot more refreshing and tasty too! · Keep a pint of water in front of you during the evening, this will help slow down the pace of your drinking. · Try to use a diet mixer if you drink spirits, and dilute your drink well. Salud, sante, slainte, prost? You’ll probably spend a lot of time toasting your health over the holidays…just don’t forget to take care of it too.