Does Alcohol Help You Lose Weight?

According to new research, alcohol may actually aid in weight loss when consumed with nuts and other nutritious bar snacks. According to studies, foods high in protein absorb alcohol without causing pot bellies and love handles.

Other items that go well with alcohol include dried or fresh fruit, olives, popcorn, cocktail onions, deli meats, cheeses, raw vegetables, and dips. According to research from the University of Sydney, drinkers who chose them generally consumed fewer calories than those who abstained from alcohol totally. The number increases, though, if you choose processed snacks like potato chips, pigs in a blanket, cookies, or other fatty foods.

Alcohol fuels the urge to snack, yet it need not result in weight gain. The "aperitif effect" has been used to describe it. 9,341 Australians form the basis of the findings. Participants came from the largest and most complete study of its kind, the Australian National Nutrition and Physical Activity Survey. People who drank alcohol generally ate more savory dishes.

According to a statement made to SWNS by senior author David Raubenheimer, a professor of nutritional ecology at the University of Sydney, "this was related with decreased energy intake in some, but higher energy intake in others."

Do those who drink alcohol eat fewer calories?

The majority of participants—about two-thirds—opted for protein-rich but low-carb and fat items including lean meats, poultry, fish, seafood, nuts, and legumes. Analysis revealed they consumed 1,749 calories per day on average, including calories from alcohol. This was 451 less than the 2,200 accumulated by the non-drinkers and 577 less than they need to maintain their current weight.

The remaining third chose foods that lack protein but yet have an "umami" flavor, such as potato wedges, pigs-in-blankets, processed meats, garlic bread, and spring rolls. They typically ate 3,051 calories, which is 813 calories more than their EER (estimated energy requirement). It raises the risk of obesity over time.

According to senior author Dr. Amanda Grech, a postdoctoral research researcher at Sydney, alcohol is known to boost hunger, especially for savory foods, a phenomenon known as the "aperitif effect." According to recent studies, drinking alcohol causes levels of FGF-21, a hormone that enhances hunger for protein and decreases taste for sweets, to rise. Protein is also known to have a satiating effect. We wanted to know if people choose more protein-rich savory foods when drinking alcohol and, if they do, if it causes them to consume fewer calories overall despite the fact that the alcohol itself has more calories.

‘Nutritional Geometry’

Alcohol has a lot of energy. However, there is conflicting evidence that it causes weight gain. The most recent study is the first to consider other dietary factors.

Professor Raubenheimer and his associates employed a method they created themselves dubbed "nutritional geometry." It deconstructs the diet's multidimensionality, allowing for the simultaneous observation of several elements.

Each person's 24-hour food and drink intake as well as the overall amount of energy it contained were recorded in the data. Additionally, it included data on the percentages of protein, fat, carbs, and other nutrients. 40% of the volunteers had ingested alcohol.

The results, according to the researchers, show that drinking does not inevitably result in weight gain despite its high sugar content. However, low-protein, high-fat snacks are widely available and reasonably priced in the contemporary context. Therefore, it's possible that alcohol is a factor in the obesity epidemic.

"Make sure you choose healthy lean protein sources while drinking alcohol and your appetite is increased, such as lean red meat, poultry, fish, or legumes and resist the impulse to nibble on low-protein, savory snack items," advises Grech. "This will make sure that your protein cravings are met without expending too much energy, which could result in weight gain. Above all, follow the alcohol consumption recommendations because it has health hazards in addition to weight gain and obesity.

The researchers advise those who want to consume alcohol in a healthy way to do so before snacks rather than in place of meals. A portion of cheese (40g), unsalted almonds, chickpeas, and veggie sticks with freshly made tzatziki or hummus are all acceptable snacks.

The research results were presented in Melbourne, Australia at the International Congress on Obesity.