Most 12-ounce beers have 5 percent alcohol and that equals 5 SmartPoints. The typical 16-ounce draft pint contains 6 SmartPoints.
Beer bellies where do they come from? “In general, alcohol intake is associated with bigger waists, because when you drink alcohol, the liver burns alcohol instead of fat,” says Michael Jensen, MD, an endocrine expert and obesity researcher with the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn. It's all about portion control when it comes to a night out or a nightcap in.
From the myWW website:
“If folks get fat from drinking beer it's because their total calorie intake is too high and they're not working it off,”
Charlie Bamforth, Ph.D., professor, Department of Food Science and Technology, University of California, Davis
How Many Calories Are in a Beer?
Alcohol is calorie-laden, it has seven calories per gram. That's almost as much as fat, which has a whopping nine calories per gram. Beer has as many calories as any other alcohol. “The most significant source of calories in beer is the alcohol itself,” says Bamforth, “The stronger the beer, the more calories.”
A regular beer has about 150 calories on average. A Lite beer will have anywhere from 50-100 calories on average. Head over to VeryWellFit to see the article they wrote breaking down the calories of some of the most well-known beer brands.
Alcohol is calorie-laden, it has seven calories per gram.
You can also try low-calorie non-alcoholic beer.
How Many Points Are in a Beer?
We have seen hundreds and hundreds of beers. We have a few of the favorites listed by points, so you can enjoy a beer or two and still stay on track. (Based on 12-oz servings.)
- Most 12-ounce beers have 5 percent alcohol and that equals 5 SmartPoints.
- The typical 16-ounce draft pint contains 6 SmartPoints
- Most 12-ounce “light” beers are 3 SmartPoints*
- A 16-ounce pint of light beer is 4 SmartPoints
- A 12-ounce non-alcoholic beer is only 2 SmartPoints
3 Point Beers
- Heineken Premium Light
- Coors Light
- Grolsch Light
- Miller Lite
- Milwaukee's Best Light
Beers Over 5 Points
- Molson Canadian
- Samuel Adams
- Foster's
- Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Non-Alcoholic Beers 2 Points
Heineken 0.0
Brooklyn Brewery Special Effects Brooklyn, NY
BrewDog Stout AF Columbus, OH
Clausthaler Dry-Hopped
Athletic Brewing of Stratford, Conn. Run Wild IPA
From the oldest brewery in the world Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier Alkoholfrei
Can Beer Lower Your Risk of Heart Disease?
Studies such as the one mentioned on CardioSmart.org show that moderate drinking may help lower the risk of heart disease, in older men and women. Moderate means 1 drink for women per day. (For men it’s two.) Drinking more than one or two a day can increase your health risks instead of lowering them.
So can a cold beer fit into your daily meal plan? A resounding yes, as long as you check the labels before you drink, and drink in moderation 🙂
Don't Follow The Light
What is a “lite” beer? Since there is no legal definition for beer companies it can mean anything. This means that the brewer could mean the beer is lighter in color than other beers he brews or lighter than steel or anything other reason they could come up with. Look for the percentage of alcohol. Remember 5% = 5 points
Look for “low carb” on the label
If the label reads “low carb,” the beer must have less than 7 grams of carbs per serving. But any beer can say that it is “reduced carbs” or has “lower carbs” on its label, just as long as the brewery makes a beer that has more carbs. Hmmm so make a beer that is slightly lower in carbs and you can put it on the label.
Share a glass
A different approach that will save you some points. Pour a beer into two glasses as you would with wine, share a beer with a friend or loved one and your last sip like your first will be cold and refreshing. And half the points.
Low Point Snacks to go with your Beer
Drinking makes up munch. Munching on salty snacks or even peanuts will cause the points to add up quickly. Take a moment before the drinking starts and prepare for the munching. Keep the right stuff on hand. Here are a few alternatives to stock up on beforehand. For more ideas check out my snacks post.
- carrots (Zero points)
- pretzels 1oz (3 points)
- celery sticks (0 points)
myWW Low Point Alcoholic Drinks
If you are looking for something a bit stronger or just want a change of pace. I have created some fantastic myWW friendly alcohol drinks. The drinks give you ideas of how to make yours lower in points and still get that delicious flavor you crave. 🙂
How to be Successful on myWW
- mindset: this isn't a diet, don't let yourself feel deprived. Eat your points or Bites!
- tracking: I track everything, even zero point foods
- portion control: this is on my fridge to keep me mindful
- persistence: I wrote this poem about never giving up
- planning: I use meal plans and freezer cooking often
- support: I'm in my low point recipe Facebook group daily
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