How many calories are in a can of beer? As the hot summer season arrives, the demand for beer consumption also increases. Do you want to have a cold beer after work or after playing sports with friends? There are many types of beer for you to choose from, each with unique flavors that you may enjoy. But do you know what you’re getting from your beer: how many calories are in a beer can and what nutrition you’re getting from those glasses of beer?
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ToggleIngredients in Beer
Beer is not just made from barley, some types of beer are also made from other grains such as wheat, corn, or rice. In addition to grains, some brands also use fruits and herbs to create unique and exotic flavors to please consumers.
While grains (typically barley), or yeast flowers in beer will provide additional carbohydrates, a small amount of vitamin B and potassium. However, you should not have the notion of using beer to provide nutrients to the body as a reason for your alcohol addiction.
Drinking beer within the limit that the body allows will bring many benefits, but if you drink too much, everything will be completely opposite. Drinking too much beer can lead to negative health conditions, such as liver cancer, cirrhosis, alcohol addiction, and obesity.
Heavy beer drinkers are at higher risk of stroke, high blood pressure, weight gain, breast cancer, colon cancer, and other health problems, many times higher than normal people.
How many calories are in a beer can?
Currently, the market is increasingly diverse with various types of canned beers with delicious and addictive flavors. Many people wonder how many calories are in a can of beer, especially those who do not want to gain weight or become obese from consuming this beverage.
According to studies, a 300ml can of beer can provide about 100-420 calories to the body. The amount of calories varies depending on the type of beer. For example:
- A can of light beer provides about 130 calories
- A can of Tiger beer on the market provides about 150 calories
- A can of Strongbow beer on the market provides about 100 calories
- A can of Budweiser beer on the market provides about 134 calories
The alcohol content in a beer can ranges from 3-40%, depending on the type of beer and the manufacturer’s recipe. Light beers typically have a low alcohol content, around 4-6%. As you can see, a glass of beer provides few calories to the body. Therefore, if you know how to drink them properly, they will bring more benefits than harm.
Does beer make you fat?
With the information above, you can answer the question “how many calories are in a can of beer?”
Containing between 100 and 420 calories, a can of beer will not have too much effect on the body, but if you consume too much, it can become a concern.
When you drink beer, it stimulates your appetite and makes you eat more, which is also the main reason for weight gain. The dishes found on the table during drinking sessions are mostly unhealthy and high in calories. The calories from beer and food will cause excess fat to accumulate more and more.
The alcohol content in beer can also halt the process of burning fat in the body. Additionally, alcohol can also cause the body to produce another type of fat called acetyl CoA. The more beer you drink, the more acetyl CoA is produced, and the longer it takes to burn fat.
For men, drinking too much beer can increase the amount of phytoestrogen in the body. This can cause hormonal changes and lead to increased belly fat. This is why men often have beer bellies.
Is drinking beer the reason for weight gain and belly fat?
According to scientific reports, 330ml of beer (equivalent to one regular can of beer) contains about 150 calories. This calorie amount is actually too little to cause an increase in body fat.
So, is drinking beer the reason for weight gain and belly fat, or is the main cause drinking without moderation?
Accumulated calories, not just from beer!
Normally, 150 calories in one can of beer would not have a significant effect on the body, but many people do not stop at one can and may consume a lot more.
Furthermore, the alcohol in beer can stimulate appetite. You tend to eat more when drinking beer, especially the unhealthy snacks that are often served with beer. This excess calorie intake, not just from the beer but also from the food, will accumulate in your body as excess fat.
Beer interrupts the body’s fat-burning process.
The body will stop burning fat when it detects alcohol in the bloodstream. Besides the concern of how many calories are in beer, when you drink beer, about 20% of the alcohol will enter the bloodstream and be metabolized in the liver. When the brain recognizes acetaldehyde and acetate (by-products of alcohol metabolism) in the body, the body will stop burning fat and focus on eliminating those by-products from the body.
To make matters worse, the body will produce another type of fat called acetyl CoA, a by-product of alcohol, which cannot be processed at the same rate as alcohol. The body can only handle about one-tenth of a can of beer per hour (15-30 ml), so the more beer you drink, the more acetyl CoA will be produced, and the longer the fat-burning process will be interrupted.
As a result, drinking too much beer can cause fat to accumulate in the body, leading to weight gain.
Contains Phytoestrogens
A study has shown that phytoestrogens in beer can alter hormones in men and increase the accumulation of excess belly fat. This is also why men tend to develop a beer belly.
How to drink beer without getting a beer belly?
To fully enjoy the benefits of beer, you should only drink one beer can per day. This is the recommended daily dose by nutrition experts.
The best time to drink beer is in the morning. Combined with a healthy and balanced diet, including plenty of fiber from vegetables, enough daily protein intake, and avoiding processed foods, your health will improve, and you won’t gain weight or have an uncontrollable beer belly.
Another tip to drink beer without gaining weight is to drink slowly. Don’t drink too fast because your body needs time to metabolize the alcohol. It takes at least an hour for your liver to metabolize one beer can. If you drink too fast and too much, your liver won’t be able to keep up, and the fat won’t be burned quickly, leading to accumulation in your belly.
As for the question “how many calories in one beer bottle,” it has been answered above. Along with moderate beer consumption and a healthy diet, regular exercise will also help your body burn excess fat caused by beer consumption. Exercising every morning or evening will strengthen your muscles, improve overall health, and prevent dangerous diseases caused by beer.
Excess calories stored in the body will accumulate as excess fat. If you don’t burn those calories in time, they will cause weight gain.
Moreover, relaxing on a massage chair to relieve stress is also a way to help your body function well, efficiently metabolize, and burn more calories.
Daily home workouts are the best way to get a toned and balanced body and an effective way to lose weight when you have a beer belly. Additionally, it helps boost your immune system and prevent diseases.
Frequently Asked Questions About Beer Drinking
Let’s answer some frequently asked questions about beer and how to drink it!
Is it good for women to drink a lot of beer?
Beer is a rich source of vitamins, zinc, and minerals. Therefore, beer has many benefits for the body, especially for women. Women often worry about how many calories beer contains. Scientists say that aside from a minimal amount of calories, 1 liter of beer provides 440 calories, equivalent to 2/3 of the value of a cup of milk. Beer contains many essential vitamins for the body. Moreover, beer helps strengthen the immune system, prevent aging, and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.
For women, the recommended daily amount of beer is no more than 1 glass of beer, which is equivalent to 330ml. Drinking too much beer at once can be harmful to your health, so don’t forget to control the amount of beer you consume to ensure safety.
Does running help improve beer belly?
Accumulation of abdominal fat for a long time can increase the risk of diseases such as heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes, angina, breast cancer, colorectal cancer, or Alzheimer’s disease. In addition, belly fat affects our appearance and confidence. Therefore, there are many methods to reduce belly fat, including running.
Many studies have shown that when running at moderate intensity (short or long distance), running at high intensity (sprinting, hill running, interval training combining running) is very effective in reducing excess belly fat. Even without changing your diet, exercising still yields high effectiveness. However, you should exercise at both moderate and high intensity to achieve the highest belly fat burning effect.
Should you eat a lot before drinking beer or not?
When drinking alcohol on an empty stomach, blood alcohol concentration may increase very quickly. The highest blood alcohol concentration is about 1 hour, then it will decrease in the next 4 hours. In other words, drinking beer when hungry can make us drunk and remain drunk longer.
On the contrary, when eating something before drinking beer, the food in the stomach helps slow down the process of beer absorption. At the same time, it speeds up the rate of alcohol breakdown and excretion from the body. As a result, blood alcohol concentration will not increase rapidly.
In fact, eating a full meal before drinking beer can also help reduce the feeling of nausea, discomfort, or headaches the next day. You will also be less worried about how many calories the beer contains because when you eat full, you will drink less, thereby reducing the amount of calories entering the body significantly!
Why does a can of beer containing relatively few calories lead to belly fat?
With the above information, you can probably answer the question “how many calories in a can of beer?” A can of beer contains about 100 to 420 calories, which will not have a significant impact on the body, but if you consume too much at once or drink continuously, it will become a concern.
When drinking beer, you will have to accompany it with food. This is the main cause of weight gain and belly fat.
In addition, drinking too much beer can make you drunk and sleepy. The amount of beer and food that is still not metabolized will accumulate fat, causing obesity. People who often drink beer, exercise less, and do not have the habit of regularly exercising are prone to weight gain and cardiovascular diseases.
How often should you drink beer in a week?
According to a study by scientists in 2016, a moderate amount of beer for human health is equivalent to one 330ml can of 5% alcohol per day for women and two similar cans per day for men.
Meanwhile, the dietary guidelines for Americans evaluate a moderate amount of beer as equivalent to 350ml. Drinking more than the recommended amount can have negative effects on health.
Although beer contains quite a few nutrients, people should not rely on the mineral and vitamin sources from this type of beverage. We should still prioritize a diet full of fruits, vegetables, grains, and lean protein.
You should pay attention to the calorie content of beer, as beer itself contains calories and nutrients. Drinking beer and eating scientifically will provide you with enough energy and nutrition to work and stay healthy without worrying about weight gain.
In essence, drinking beer alone does not cause weight gain if you drink it moderately and scientifically. You may need to drink beer due to the demands of life and work, but knowing how to drink in moderation will not only make you healthier, but also help maintain a better body shape and a better life.
Hopefully, through this article, you have learned about the calorie content of beer and ways to drink beer without causing weight gain and belly fat. Let’s lead a healthy lifestyle for good health and a healthy body shape!
John Alen was born in 1971 and is a doctor in the healthcare and psychology fields with many years of experience. He is currently working at easyhealthylive.com, a leading health and psychology blog. Having studied at Y1 National Medical University named after IM Sechenov, John Alen is using his knowledge and experience to help improve the physical and mental health of people in the United States.