Alcohol—The anti-nutrient?

by Terri west

You work hard and you play even harder, so why not treat yourself to a little nip every once in a while? After all, a few drinks can’t hurt...or can they?

Did you know that alcohol not only impairs you, but it impairs nutrient digestion and it’s fattening, too? Alcohol contains seven calories per gram. Not only do these calories add up, but the alcohol slows your metabolism while also slowing down the process of protein, carbohydrates and fat, the main nutritional components necessary for your daily diet. Even if you eat right, with the sufficient amount of these nutrients, your diet quickly becomes counterproductive when you combine it with alcohol.

When you’re out with friends having fun and enjoying a good time, it can be difficult to minimize how many drinks you have. Before you know it, you’ve chugged four or five drinks, all the while slowing down your metabolism which you’ve worked so hard to boost during your workout. Then there’s the after-party feeding frenzy. You feel the munchies coming on at 2 a.m. after you’ve left the bar, so you head to the closest 24-hour fast-food joint. Danger lurks as you inch up to the window, prepared to place your order. You’ve already rationalized to yourself that you don’t do this every night, so certainly this fat-filled, high-calorie, late-night meal can’t do that much damage. Wrong! What you will experience is an insulin spike.

Insulin is a hormone secreted by the pancreas in response to detected increases in blood sugar. Do you wonder why you get the munchies after you’ve had a couple of drinks? The insulin spike causes the fat stores to open up for depositing of the excess calories. Fruity cocktails like margaritas and cosmopolitans—because they’re so tasty—lead to over-consumption, which leads to hundreds, even thousands, of extra calories depending on your drinking habits.

You are probably aware that alcohol is most likely directly related to the destruction of nutrients in the liver. Excessive consumption of alcohol can lead to liver disease.

If you are going to drink, do so in moderation and drink responsibly with regard to your diet. Take along a designated drinker who can monitor what your group is drinking. Sweetened sodas and juices in your drink tend to make you crave even more sugar. Instead, vie for diet tonic mixed with vodka or gin, or a dirty martini. Note that dry red wines typically have fewer calories and carbohydrates than dry white wines.

When you drink, it’s okay to have fun, but try to maintain sobriety so that you don’t lose sight of all the hard work you’ve done in the gym and on your diet; sustaining nutrients helps to sustain muscle.

And remember, drink plenty of bottled water while consuming alcohol to combat a hangover.

More info: terriwest.com