Alcohol and Nutrition

Author: Betty Kovacs, MD, RD
Medical Editor: Melissa Conrad Stöppler, MD

• What is alcohol?
• How is alcohol made?
• How is alcohol metabolized?
• Does alcohol impact your weight?
• How does alcohol affect your blood sugar?
• Does alcohol contribute to vitamin and mineral deficiencies?
• Do beverages with artificial sweeteners react with alcohol?
• Are there health benefits to consuming alcohol?
• Which alcohol is best to consume?
• Are the drinks with caffeine and alcohol safe?
• How much alcohol can you safely consume?

What is alcohol?

Alcohol is a part of everything, from family dinners to parties, to sporting events and nightcaps. The problems associated with alcoholism are well known, but what about the impact of social drinking or a moderate intake of alcohol? Does alcohol belong in our diet, or does the risk that it presents outweigh any benefits that may be derived from consuming it?

Good nutrition can help to improve your health and prevent diseases. The nutrients that your body needs are carbohydrates, protein, fat, vitamins, minerals, and water. Some people feel that alcohol is another necessity in their diet, while others feel that any amount is toxic and needs to be avoided.

The key to determining whether you need alcohol is to understand what alcohol is and how it is processed in your body. Calories provide energy for our bodies to function. We get calories from carbohydrates, protein, fat, and alcohol. For each gram, you get a set number of calories.

The vitamin, mineral, and water content add to the nutritional value for each of these energy sources but do not provide any calories. A food is considered to be a source of "empty calories" when there are no other nutrients present besides the nutrient that provide the calories. Alcohol is considered to be a source of empty calories because it provides only negligible amounts of vitamins and minerals. Due to the fact that alcohol often replaces nutrient-rich food and directly interferes with the body's absorption, storage, and use of nutrients, it has also been called the "antinutrient nutrient."

Alcohol can also be classified as a drug. Under this category, it is the most widely used drug in the world. Approximately 10 to 15 million Americans are alcoholics or problem drinkers, and more than 100,000 deaths each year are attributed to alcohol consumption. The majority of the population consumes alcohol moderately or occasionally. The potential to become addicted to alcohol is a serious problem that warrants limitations on its consumption.

How is alcohol made?

Alcohol, also known as ethanol, is made through a process called fermentation. During fermentation, yeast breaks sugar down into ethanol and carbon dioxide. This process is done without any air present, and once complete, the carbon dioxide gas bubbles out into the air leaving ethanol and water behind. Distilled spirits, such as vodka, rum, gin, and whiskey, are fermented and then distilled to separate the ethanol from the water.

Various sources of sugar are used in these processes resulting in different forms of alcohol. The sugar from crushed grapes is used to make wine; malted barley is used to make beer; sugar cane or molasses makes rum; grain, potatoes, beets, molasses, and a variety of other plants are used to make vodka.

The technique used to make the beverage will determine the alcohol content. You will see the percentage of alcohol per volume listed on the bottle, as well as the proof of the drink. The proof of a beverage is twice the alcohol content, so a drink with 12% alcohol per volume is 24 proof. Generally, a 12-ounce glass of beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine, and a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor all contain a ½ ounce of pure alcohol and are considered one drink.