The calories in alcohol can make you fat but it depends on how much you drink.Research has shown that when your body has a sudden intake of calories, it is looking for more of the same. That is why we want another drink or something to eat. That is also why restaurants suggest a drink before meals, an aperitif, to rouse our appetite. These are the times we can build stomach fat - the eating and drinking process. If we do it too often then we will get fat.

Generally, when we drink we are mixing socially. We are in a relaxed frame of mind, one drink helps us relax more and it triggers the need for another drink - or food. If we drink before a meal, which is common, our appetite is roused and we are ready to eat. This means we can find ourselves drinking and eating more than we normally would. This is as it should be, mixing socially and sharing a drink. If we are eating and drinking to much too often, then it becomes a problem. It also depends on what we are drinking and eating.

Some Drinks Make You Fatter Than Others

Not all alcoholic drinks are created equal in the fat-making stakes. Some drinks have additional fat producing qualities because of the carbohydrates in them. In red wine and dry white wine the sugar is turned into alcohol, so they have few carbohydrates. Sweet wine has more carbohydrates, and wines like sherry and port have more still. Of course, beer and lager are very high in carbohydrates, and cider is not far behind. Drinkers of whisky and spirits will be pleased to know there are virtually no carbohydrates present. All this makes sense, because the sweeter the drink the more sugar would be present and sugar is a carbohydrate.

Do We Have To Give It All Up?

I certainly hope not - I do like that glass of red wine with the evening meal and I am sure I am not alone. It just means we have to be aware of what we are drinking in exactly the same way we need to be aware of what we are eating. Too much of anything, even healthy food, can make you fat. The same goes for alcohol. There is no reason why a moderate amount of alcohol with its physical, emotional and social benefits cannot form part of a healthy diet and lifestyle.