AlzHighmer
Active Member
Are non fermentable sugars the ones that make us fat and or raise blood sugar levels?
Does my home brew make me look fat?
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charliehorse
Well-Known Member
That would be the alcohol that does those things. Yes. there are unfermented stuff in your beer, but, if I remember my phisology class from 20+ years ago correctly, alcohol is metabolized back into sugar (our bodies produce plenty of CO2), which is then converted into other stuff (carbs and fats) by the insulin produced by the pancreas, which is then stored up for future use. Only a small amount of the alcohol that we drink actually makes it to the brain to give us that buzz that we all like.
J187
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Hi, it's antiquated logic that alcohol metabolizes into sugar. I know you said your class was 20 years ago, so I'm not surprised that was the teaching. The reality is that most people see a drop in their glucose levels after drinking alcohol. Alcohol is broken down in the liver into acetate - which is then broken down further into CO2 and water.
To the OP... the bottom line is that excess calories make you fat. It may sound simplistic, but it's far more accurate than to think of it in terms of fats, sugars, etc. Avoiding excess sugars and alcohols will help you maintain your um, figure, by helping to curb your calorie consumption. You could avoid all the fat and sugar in the world and if you consume so much protein that you are in excess of your daily calorie needs, you'll get fatter. Sugars are carbohydrates and carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram. Alcohol is the forgotten macro nutrient and actually contains 7 calories per gram. The calorie composition of the beer you drink will reflect this, the residual sugars and alcohol will contain those calories. In addition to simple calorie consumption, alcohol and sugars have affects on fat mobilization and your metabolism in general, but it's honestly simple enough to think of your consumption in terms of daily calories unless you are an alcoholic or consume inordinate amounts of sugars on a daily basis, in which case you have other more serious problems.
Oh and yea, carbohydrates will raise your glucose levels. Sugars are carbohydrates. In fact, liquid sources of carbohydrate will raise your glucose levels faster than solids - IE, juice is faster than bread.
To the OP... the bottom line is that excess calories make you fat. It may sound simplistic, but it's far more accurate than to think of it in terms of fats, sugars, etc. Avoiding excess sugars and alcohols will help you maintain your um, figure, by helping to curb your calorie consumption. You could avoid all the fat and sugar in the world and if you consume so much protein that you are in excess of your daily calorie needs, you'll get fatter. Sugars are carbohydrates and carbohydrates contain 4 calories per gram. Alcohol is the forgotten macro nutrient and actually contains 7 calories per gram. The calorie composition of the beer you drink will reflect this, the residual sugars and alcohol will contain those calories. In addition to simple calorie consumption, alcohol and sugars have affects on fat mobilization and your metabolism in general, but it's honestly simple enough to think of your consumption in terms of daily calories unless you are an alcoholic or consume inordinate amounts of sugars on a daily basis, in which case you have other more serious problems.
Oh and yea, carbohydrates will raise your glucose levels. Sugars are carbohydrates. In fact, liquid sources of carbohydrate will raise your glucose levels faster than solids - IE, juice is faster than bread.
BigPerm
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^ what he said. +10
To add one additional point. In a healthy, properly functioning human, what you eat won't spike your blood sugar to an appreciable degree. You eat sugar, insulin levels in the blood increase, sugar is transported into your cells and metabolized. Unless you are or are becoming diabetic, this shouldn't be a problem.
Sometimes, when you eat/drink too much (of anything), your body notices this and goes into storage mode. Those excess calories become fat. This cycle continues long enough - voila, you're fat. You're best bet to avoid these things is to keep moving around and don't eat/drink to excess. But, as J187 said, the alcohol is the biggest culprit in beer due to the calorie load.
To add one additional point. In a healthy, properly functioning human, what you eat won't spike your blood sugar to an appreciable degree. You eat sugar, insulin levels in the blood increase, sugar is transported into your cells and metabolized. Unless you are or are becoming diabetic, this shouldn't be a problem.
Sometimes, when you eat/drink too much (of anything), your body notices this and goes into storage mode. Those excess calories become fat. This cycle continues long enough - voila, you're fat. You're best bet to avoid these things is to keep moving around and don't eat/drink to excess. But, as J187 said, the alcohol is the biggest culprit in beer due to the calorie load.
Alcohol is metabolized to acetaldehyde and then acetic acid and/or acetate and is subsequently excreted in the urine. None of these are sugars, which have at least five carbon atoms. Alcohol has two, so the body would have to work (burn energy) to make ethanol into a sugar (which, to my knowledge, the body can't do anyways)
Beer makes you bigger for a couple of reasons.
1.) Consuming alcohol causes your body to preferentially metabolize alcohol instead of other fuels. So if you're eating a pizza or something, the fat and carbs from the food tends to get stored because the alcohol is preferentially metabolized as the body cannot store alcohol energy.
2.) Ethanol is relatively high in energy content.
Fat: 1 gram = 9 calories
Protein: 1 gram = 4 calories
Carbohydrates: 1 gram = 4 calories
Alcohol: 1 gram = 7 calories
3.) Beers tend to have a lot of carbs and is high on the glycemic index (metabolized quickly and cause higher insulin spikes)
Beer makes you bigger for a couple of reasons.
1.) Consuming alcohol causes your body to preferentially metabolize alcohol instead of other fuels. So if you're eating a pizza or something, the fat and carbs from the food tends to get stored because the alcohol is preferentially metabolized as the body cannot store alcohol energy.
2.) Ethanol is relatively high in energy content.
Fat: 1 gram = 9 calories
Protein: 1 gram = 4 calories
Carbohydrates: 1 gram = 4 calories
Alcohol: 1 gram = 7 calories
3.) Beers tend to have a lot of carbs and is high on the glycemic index (metabolized quickly and cause higher insulin spikes)
Calichusetts
Well-Known Member
Consider this:
Most times when we drink we eat unhealthy foods, and the worst is late night binging. Workout a decent amount, eat healthy and I guarantee you will maintain or lose weight even with moderate drinking (4+ beers a day.)
I've lost 50 pounds and am in the best shape of my life...I've changed nothing but this: less fatty/greasy foods, no late night binging, and moderate workout at least 5 days a week (30 minutes of running, decent amount of situps and push ups)
I weigh less than any point in my adult life and drink regularly. I don't work during the summer so my intake has probably doubled yet I haven't gained any weight at all. My only problem is I stay up later so the temptation a late night snack goes up. As long as I avoid it I am fine.
This goes back to the simple truth already spoken about: caloric intake. You simply need to manage your calories better if you drink beer regularly or make some life changes and burn off those excess calories from drinking in addition to your healthy diet.
Most times when we drink we eat unhealthy foods, and the worst is late night binging. Workout a decent amount, eat healthy and I guarantee you will maintain or lose weight even with moderate drinking (4+ beers a day.)
I've lost 50 pounds and am in the best shape of my life...I've changed nothing but this: less fatty/greasy foods, no late night binging, and moderate workout at least 5 days a week (30 minutes of running, decent amount of situps and push ups)
I weigh less than any point in my adult life and drink regularly. I don't work during the summer so my intake has probably doubled yet I haven't gained any weight at all. My only problem is I stay up later so the temptation a late night snack goes up. As long as I avoid it I am fine.
This goes back to the simple truth already spoken about: caloric intake. You simply need to manage your calories better if you drink beer regularly or make some life changes and burn off those excess calories from drinking in addition to your healthy diet.
