Alcohol calories almost the same as ‘pure fat’

A celebrity personal trainer is warning average drinkers to be wary of their alcohol intake after compiling a revealing chart showing alcohol contains almost as many calories per gram as pure fat.

A celebrity personal trainer is urging “average drinkers” to be wary of their alcohol intake

Arizona personal trainer Lucas James has compiled a chart depicting the number of calories hidden within alcoholic beverages, which shows alcohol has seven calories per gram – nearly equivalent to pure fat, which has nine calories per gram.

This is compared to protein and carbohydrates, which both contain just four calories per gram.

Furthermore, the chart shows overall alcohol accounts for 10% of the daily calorie intake in adults who drink in “moderation”, which equates to two standard drinks per day for men and one standard drink per day for women.

A standard drink is defined as 1.5oz of a spirit, 12oz of beer or 5oz of wine.

To help consumers better understand how many calories they are drinking, the chart compares cocktails and other tipples to well-known fatty foods.

For example, a spirit and coke has the same calories as a blueberry muffin, a Pina Colada is the same as a doughnut, 50ml of liqueur equals two sausages and a Frozen Margarita is similar to a cheeseburger.

James explains on the chart how “moderate drinking” can soon lead to weight gain: “The body can’t store alcohol, so it metabolizes it right away.

“Since the alcohol becomes a priority in the metabolic process, your body won’t metabolize other fats and sugars as efficiently, ultimately slowing your metabolism down over time.”

James continues to advise consumers to swap sugary, frozen blended mixers in favour of club sodas, fresh fruit and tonic water low-calorie options.

Last week, the Royal Society for Public Health made fresh calls for calorie information to be displayed on alcohol bottles in a bid to combat the impact alcohol has on obesity, a move that sparked controversy from an advertising body.