2023-06-23 16:00:46
We have known for some time that alcohol is not exactly healthy for your body. Long-term or heavy drinking increases your risk of cardiovascular disease and even cancer. But is it really healthier to choose soda, fruit juice or a mocktail when you’re sitting on a sunny terrace and don’t feel like drinking water? Nutritionists Sofie Huyghebaert and Brenda Fassart look into our glass.
“It is important to nuance what ‘healthy’ exactly means”, begins nutrition and diet expert Sofie Huyghebaert of slimming studio Figura in Bruges. “We cannot express whether a product is healthy or not in calories alone. For example, a small, dry cookie may contain fewer calories than an apple, but is therefore not healthier. A glass of fruit juice contains a lot of vitamin C, but also four sugar cubes. That negates the benefit of the vitamin C, because pressed fruit loses a lot of its fiber. Fruit juices are therefore not always the healthiest option. Soft drinks contain similar amounts of sugar, but no nutrients at all.”
A glass of cola or white wine?
The difference between a cola and a glass of white wine is, among other things, the amount of alcohol in the wine. “When your liver is busy breaking down alcohol, it can’t break down fat. If you then eat a greasy snack such as nuts or chips, these are fats that you will store extra. That has an impact on your figure, so that you develop a beer belly, for example. That tip you often hear about ordering a bottle of water while drinking alcohol may sound crazy, but it really helps. Drinking water supports your liver and you will be less likely to be under the influence. In a restaurant there is a bottle of water on the table, so why not also on a terrace?”
“If you order a drink that you dilute with soft drinks, you could opt for a light drink. But because sugar slows down the absorption of alcohol, you will get under the influence more quickly with a light drink as a mixer,” warns Huyghebaert. An alcohol-free cocktail, then? “Mocktails usually also contain a lot of sugar. Alcohol-free beer is better, but not completely sugar-free. And of course there is also a difference between, for example, a 330 milliliter regional beer and a 125 milliliter glass of cava.”
Which Drinks Affect Your Sleep?
“Alcohol can dehydrate you. You will lose your focus and feel lethargic, and you can also get a headache. Some people fall asleep more easily after a glass of alcohol, but make no mistake: you sleep less deeply, so you will wake up less rested. If you have less energy in the morning, you will reach for a butter cake more quickly instead of a bowl of oatmeal.”
And what about a glass of soda or fruit juice? “They have high sugar levels and cause your blood sugar to rise quickly. But because you’re sitting at a patio table, you store those sugars instead of burning them. When your sugar level drops again, you can get a feeling of hunger and you will feel like eating foods with sugar again. How much you suffer from this depends on person to person. Some people will also find it more difficult to sleep because of the caffeine in cola, for example, while for others it has little impact.”
Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a fatty liver, but too many high-sugar drinks can lead to diabetes.
Sophie Huyghebaert
It is too short-sighted to say that a cola or fruit juice is healthier than a glass of alcohol. “Excessive alcohol consumption can lead to a fatty liver, but too many high-sugar drinks can lead to diabetes. Think of it as ‘fun nutrition’ and not ‘function nutrition’. The first category is best consumed in moderation. In the meantime, drink water to counteract its effects. For example, at home you choose sparkling water, flavored water or a jug of water with lemon. And if you are unsure about your choice on a terrace: coffee or tea is always a good choice. Light soft drinks and non-alcoholic beers, in turn, are also healthier than their ‘ordinary’ counterparts.”
How Many Calories Are in Different Types of Alcohol?
Those who watch their diet often forget to take the drink into account. How much do you get in with such an ordinary pint? “A pint contains about 110 calories,” says dietician and nutritionist Brenda Fassart. “The low-alcohol version, on the other hand, contains about 65 calories. Alcohol-free beer is indeed a better alternative. Heavy beers like Leffe and Trappist quickly add up to 200 to 225 calories per glass, and a glass of cava or champagne contains between 75 and 85 calories per glass. With wine, the number of calories fluctuates between 70 and 100 calories per glass.”
The nutritionist especially warns about the fall of the mocktails. “In many cases they contain much more sugar than alcoholic drinks. Especially since they are often made with fruit juices and syrups. A regular cocktail also quickly contains 500 calories per glass. Light drinks contain no calories, but a glass of regular soft drinks quickly contains 139 calories. That’s about the same as fruit juice. You can of course enjoy yourself on a terrace, but if you are thirsty it is better to use that well-known rule: water first, the rest will come later.”
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