Drinks not as fattening as people think
By: JimOldfield
July 15th, 2012
Now for the good news… beer’s not half as fattening as most of us think!
A new survey has shown that both men and women overestimate the calorie content of our favourite drink… while 55 per cent of those questioned had no idea of the number of calories in typical drinks.
The ComRes survey, carried out for the British Beer & Pub Association (BBPA) revealed that just one in five people (19 per cent) correctly estimated the calorie content of beer, compared to wine, where one in four (25 per cent) got it right.
ComRes discovered that women were significantly more likely to overestimate the calorie content of drinks such as beer, wine and even orange juice.
But the reality gap was widest between the sexes when it came to beer – with some 74 per cent of women overestimating its calorie content, compared to just 60 per cent of men.
Interestingly, the accuracy of calorie counting also varied geographically – with 79 per cent of Scots and 73 per cent of south-easterners significantly more likely to overestimate the calorie content of beer than those in North of England (60 per cent) – of whom some 28 per cent actually got the figure dead right!
To add to the calorie-counters’ joy, the survey pointed out that beer also contains absolutely NO fat or cholesterol, and is low in carbohydrates.
BBPA chief executive Brigid Simmonds said: “If you’re trying to cut down on calories and keep track of units during the UK’s Summer of Celebration, beer in moderation, particularly lower strength beer, is a great option”.
Here are a few examples of the alcohol calorie-count:
● Half a pint of 2.8 per cent bitter contains just 80 calories
● Half a pint of 4 per cent lager contains 96 calories
● A 175ml glass of 12.5 per cent red wine contains 119 calories
● A 175ml glass of 12.5 per cent white wine contains 131 calories
Hand-Pumped link:
www.beergenie.co.uk
