If there is something indisputable in spain, is that wine and beer are the kings of social gatherings. So much so, that it is estimated that each Spaniard takes an average of 52 liters of beer per year and about 27,8 in the case of wine and, with the exception of coffee and tea, few drinks generate so much division in society. For this reason it is not surprising that they are two of the most consumed alcoholic beverages in the world, even above many soft drinks. But, ignoring the preferences that we each have, which one benefits us the most when it comes to losing weight?
The first thing to keep in mind is that both beer and wine are alcoholic beverages with some harmful side effects for the body, so reducing its consumption, even if it is moderate, or directly eliminating it, is always a good option. However, if we cannot avoid them, health experts recommend not exceeding the 400 ml of red wine for a man and 300 ml for a woman. In the case of beer, that amount of alcohol translates into 700 ml for men and 400 ml for women respectively.
Health benefits of wine and beer
All of us, at some point in our lives, have heard that having a glass of wine a day can help reduce the risk of heart disease, blood pressure and diabetes. This is so thanks to the «polyphenols«, a group of substances present in plants with a high capacity antioxidant that help fight free radicals, thus reducing the risk of suffering neurological diseases o cancer. In addition, the moderate consumption of wine helps to metabolize the cholesterol more effectively.
Glass of wine and beer with various tapas
For its part, beer is rich in B1 vitaminsB3 and B6, folic acid, magnesium and potassium. Furthermore, according to the American Heart Associationthe soluble fiber it contains can help reduce the «cholesterolplace«. Also, heavily hopped beers are rich in phytochemicalsa compound that helps reduce the risk of developing piedras in the kidney.
Therefore, although wine has a great antioxidant capacity and reduces the risk of various diseases, it does not have the advantage of beer in providing a large amount of protein and minerals, so it is less relevant at a nutritional level.
What is more fattening wine or beer?
The fundamental thing when we want is lose weightis to eat fewer calories than we expend in order to reduce our percentage of body fat and thus lose weight.
Regarding weight gain due to its intake, the belief that beer makes you fat is wrongthe problem is that when you drink, you consume more liquid, but there are small differences between the two drinks, 100 ml of beer are around 50 calories, 70 in the case of wine.
Although this may make us believe that the balance is tipped in favor of beer, it is very difficult for us to consume only 100 milliliters. Therefore, if we look at the calories of a copa of beer these increases to 150 while those of a glass of wine are about 105 calories.
Finally, it should be noted that the alcohol-free beer Yes, it is a good ally when it comes to losing weight, since it has very few calories and, in addition, it does not contain alcohol, which is the substance that is harmful to our body, although many still resist consuming it.