Alcohol

I don't know many people that don't enjoy a nice glass of vino (or two or three) occasionally. But how much should you really be having?

A little bit of booze is actually not such a bad thing. The American Heart Association recommends no more than 2 drinks per day for men, and one for women (And no, you can't bank your weeks allotment and have 7-14 glasses on Saturday night!). Drinking more than the recommended amounts has the opposite effect, and is detrimental to your cardiovascular health. So what is 'one drink' exactly?

• 12 ounces of beer
  
• 5 oz of wine
  
• 1.5 oz of spirits

However, not all alcoholic bevies are created equal in terms of health or Calories. Alcohol contains 7 Calories per gram (compared to 9 Cal/g for fat, and 4 Cal/g for protein and carbs). That definitely adds up. Unfortunately, alcohol isn't readily usable form of energy for our bodies, so it has to be converted and stored as fat before it can be used. And we all know what happens to fat if we're not burning a ton of Calories - it's staying put! As for health, red wine contains antioxidants, but white wine and many other alcohols are lacking or don't contain any. And let's not forget the mix with your whiskey... adding pop or juice to an ounce of your favourite elixir can add a few hundred Calories to each drink!

So if you're going to partake in some wobbly pops, remember to choose smart, mix with a low-Calorie mix such as soda water, and limit your intake. Be good to your heart and your waistline, and keep the adult beverages to a minimum.

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