The Government is increasingly concerned about the alcohol intake of the middle classes and the advisers believe that drinkers who may ignore warnings about alcohol's health risks may be persuaded to limit their intake when they realise the effect on their weight and waistline.
Two large glasses of white wine not only put a woman over the recommended daily limit for alcohol consumption but also provide her with nearly a fifth of her daily calorie allowance. A glass of white wine has the same calorie content as a bag of potato chips and a small bottle of beer has as many calories as a sausage roll, according to a report in Daily Mail.
Its latest statistics also suggest middle-aged, professionals are more likely to exceed recommended daily levels of alcohol consumption than the working class, with twice as many drinking each night of the week. Almost one in four middle-class drinkers admit indulging in 'heavy' drinking, which is deemed to be double the recommended daily limit, at least once a week.
There is an additional problem for drinkers as they tend to eat more whiule drinking. Over a third of the people interviewed admitted they are likely to eat more than they usually would or skip a healthy diet when drinking above their recommended daily limits.
Heather Caswell, of the British Nutrition Foundation, reportedly says, 'many women don't know that two large glasses (250 mL in UK) of white wine not only puts them over the recommended daily limit for alcohol consumption, but also provides them with nearly 20 per cent of their daily calorie allowance, at approximately 370 Calories.
A glass of dry white wine (150mL) contains between 90-95 calories, whereas the dry red contains about 100-105 calories, based on 12% alcohol. Higher alcohol content will increase the calorific content accordingly. In contrast a pint ( the small bottle of 330 mL) of beer contains 170 calories whereas vodka and whisky will add about 130-135 calories for a large shot of 60 mL.
The British Nutrition Foundation (and also delWine) suggests alternating wine with glasses of water, opting out of drinking in rounds and avoiding binge drinking. Two glasses (250mL, a third of the standard bottle) of wine are recommended in a day.
The calculate calorie intake from alcohol, click here. |