Beer Belly and Beer facts

Like most men who enjoy beer, I have a moderately sized belly. It's part genetic and part homebrew. I have been trying to lose some of it while still enjoying my favorite beverage. I recently came across an article about beer and beer bellies that I found interesting.

"Beer has no fat or cholesterol, and is low in sugar, but inconveniently does contain calories," writes columnist Dan Oliver. If Joe Sixpack were to drink a single beer a day, he would be consuming an extra 1050 calories a week, and would pack on 15 pounds over the course of a year. Since some studies suggest beer in moderation is good for you, Joe might even be in better health.

I often substitute a few beers for the evening meal, and now I find that is the exact wrong thing to do, because beer can lower blood sugar and increase appetite, which may be causing me to drink even more beer to fill my empty stomach. And to make matters worse, alcohol of any kind decreases the body's ability to burn fat by about 30%.

And, when you add to all the above that my father's side of the family has always sported large bellies, my belly may never go away.

Mental note to self: Never substitute beer for a meal again!