| What happens when we go out? How do we | | | | analysis techniques have become well advanced in |
| control our energy intake if we have a business | | | | only the last few years it has allowed us the |
| lunch in a restaurant or attend a friend's party at | | | | luxury to 'see' what happens to alcohol. |
| the local pub? | | | | Only 5 per cent gets converted to fat. Relief, you |
| We've been told that it is okay to eat most | | | | may say! If you consume only two drinks, which |
| foods as long as we eat them in moderation. | | | | contain 24 grams of alcohol, then only 1.2 grams |
| When was the last time you ate in moderation | | | | of this get converted into fat. What happens to |
| when you were at a restaurant? Probably never? | | | | the other 95 per cent of alcohol in our two |
| Why? Moderation does not come into our | | | | drinks? |
| thoughts when we dine out or grab some | | | | Alcohol is converted to a substance called acetate |
| takeaway, because what dominates our thoughts | | | | in the liver and then released into the bloodstream. |
| is 'value for money', a common theme in the | | | | In fact, 80 per cent of alcohol you drink is |
| etiology of energy density and weight gain. | | | | converted to acetate. From our two drinks, |
| There is also the social and even cultural aspect | | | | nearly 19 grams would be re-released into the |
| of dining out. When the party is in full swing, and | | | | blood stream as acetate, over a period of a few |
| after a glass or two of red, you say to yourself, | | | | hours, as alcohol can only be broken down at |
| the diet starts on Monday. You are out to have | | | | about 10 grams per hour. This acetate then |
| fun, and cutting back or cutting down on food is | | | | travels to the muscles where it is burned as fuel |
| not fun! | | | | for moving muscles. |
| Once again consider the last time you ate in | | | | This all sounds quite simple, but the real problem is |
| moderation when you dined out at a restaurant. | | | | that acetate is a potent inhibitor of the release of |
| Did it mean that you ate so much that you could | | | | fat from our fat cells. When acetate enters the |
| barely walk, or did it mean that you just did not | | | | blood stream, lipolysis (the release of fat from fat |
| go back for your third helping of food? | | | | cells) is ceased. To make matters even more |
| Did it mean that you ate less food but made up | | | | unfavorable, when acetate is released into the |
| for it in the alcohol department, drinking four | | | | blood stream, any fat already in the blood (which |
| glasses of red wine instead of two? Did it mean | | | | is being used for muscles and tissues around the |
| that you ate less but instead drank three glasses | | | | body for energy) is pushed back into fat cells. |
| of beer instead of two? | | | | We burn a lot less fat when we drink alcohol. Up |
| Although there are numerous reputable studies | | | | to 60 per cent less fat enters the blood stream, |
| that suggest that having a drink is beneficial to | | | | and the body decreases using body fat by 80 per |
| our hearts, we need to watch we do not overdo | | | | cent. Instead of burning body fat for energy, the |
| it. Too much of a good thing can become harmful | | | | body burns the alcohol byproduct acetate. |
| to our health and causes weight gain. | | | | Some studies prove that the decrease in the use |
| Every time a study about the health benefits of a | | | | of fat for energy is almost balanced by the |
| glass of alcohol appears it tends to reinforce | | | | body's burning of acetate. In understanding this, |
| people's excuse to drink: if one glass is good, | | | | we understand that the type of energy we want |
| three must be even better. | | | | our body to burn for weight loss is important. We |
| Have you ever wondered how having just one | | | | certainly do not want energy from alcohol being |
| drink, which we know is good for our health, | | | | burnt at the expense of energy from fat, |
| impacts on fat metabolism? Have you ever | | | | carbohydrate or protein! |
| stopped to consider that even two standard | | | | Having the body burn acetate (energy from |
| drinks of alcohol may impact in a negative way | | | | alcohol) instead of burning energy from fat from |
| when it comes to weight loss? | | | | our body's fat stores means we are clearly |
| Would it surprise you to know that we have had | | | | consuming the wrong food, resulting in the body |
| great weight-loss results, 40 kilograms or more, | | | | burning the wrong type of energy. Burning energy |
| just from people cutting out their alcohol | | | | from alcohol instead of from fat will only lead to |
| consumption? First, let's remember that 1 gram of | | | | an enhanced weight gain. |
| alcohol has more energy than either 1 gram of | | | | This process continues until all the alcohol is used, |
| carbohydrate or 1 gram of protein. For each gram | | | | and it can take over 10 hours for a big night, |
| of alcohol, there is 29.4 kj of energy. | | | | depending on how much you drink. Despite this |
| Alcohol does not require any digestion, so it is | | | | new use of acetate for energy, the body still |
| quickly absorbed from our stomachs and small | | | | burns carbohydrate. In fact, the amount of |
| intestine. Most people will tell you that alcohol then | | | | carbohydrate found in the blood (as glucose) does |
| gets converted to fat. This is incorrect, and as | | | | not change while alcohol is being metabolized. |