Trendy Bytes: Alcoholic Energy Drinks

  Photo credit: erix! (Flickr)

Jaeger Bombs and Cherry Bombs...I imagine you may have heard of these popular mixed drinks. They're a fusion of energy drinks and alcoholic beverages that have been all the rave with young party goers for years.  But have you heard of Four Loko and Joose?  These are a couple of the up and coming pre-mixed alcoholic energy drinks.  I only recently learned of them at the grocery store checkout when the checker and bagger were discussing their experiences with these caffeinated brews. Both admitted that the alcoholic energy drinks were quite "intoxicating" and could really "mess you up" in their words.  Hearing this was not breaking news to me. I knew people, especially young adults, often combine energy drinks with alcohol.  An estimated 54% of young energy drink users mix them with alcoholic beverages and a whopping 73% admit that they consume several energy drinks at a time with alcohol.  After learning about these drinks, I decided to take myself on a fact-finding mission to find out the truth about these caffeine-spiked cocktails.

Fact #1:  You might want to think of these drinks as beer on steroids. Serious.  Most of the caffeinated alcoholic beverages currently on the market weigh in at 6-12% alcohol. For comparison's sake, most beers average around 4-6% while wine averages about 12-15%.  Sounds fine except that the typical serving size for the caffeinated brews is about 24 ounces.  Depending on the alcohol content, that could be the equivalent of having 4 beers! 

Fact #2: These drinks are likely loaded with calories, mostly empty ones.  I say likely because nutrition information, such as calorie or sugar content, are not currently required according to alcohol labeling regulations.  However, I'm not surprised that one source indicates that one can of Four Loko contains up to 660 calories and 60 grams of sugar.  I can believe it given that energy drinks are a known source of significant amounts of added sugar while alcohol contributes 7 calories per gram. (For a frame of reference, fat provides 9 calories per gram while carbohydrate and protein provide 4 calories per gram.)

Fact #3: A typical serving may contain the caffeine equivalent of a Venti Starbucks Coffee, which is about 415 mg. As for my efforts to find out just how much caffeine these bad boys contain, we'll just say that I'm still waiting on an answer from the actual companies.  They often contain ingredients, such as caffeine, guarana (more caffeine), ginseng, and taurine, that are typically found in regular energy drinks.  So what affect does that amount of caffeine have on a drinker?  The jury is still out on that question, so  concern has been raised recently about the safety of consuming these additives, especially caffeine, with alcohol.

Fact #4:  Alcoholic energy drinks may leave one with more of a buzz than they bargained for.  These concoctions appeal to young party-goers who want to maintain the energy to party all night long and feel less drunk while doing so.  However, just because these drinkers feel less drunk does not mean they actually are less drunk.  Early research suggests that while those who combine alcohol with energy drinks believe they are less intoxicated than they are, they still exhibit deficiencies in performing certain physical and visual tasks. Also, caffeine appears to have no significant affect on blood alcohol concentration (BAC) for imbibers of caffeinated alcoholic beverages. Meaning that if a person drinks X number of drinks, their BAC will still increase accordingly.  Some worry that if  consumers of caffeinated cocktails perceive themselves as being less intoxicated than they actually are then they may be at greater risk of alcohol-related health problems, including alcohol poisoning.  In fact one study found that drinkers who sipped on a duo of alcohol and energy drinks were not only more intoxicated when leaving a bar, but they were also far more likely to intend on driving afterwards compared to those who consumed alcohol alone.  Scary!

Don't be surprised if you start hearing more about these commerically-prepared alcoholic energy beverages as the controversy appears to be picking up some steam since some government officials are looking for more regulation in this area.  What do you think?  Do we need more regulation? More education? Or are these drinks no worse than say a rum and Coke or an Irish coffee?

10 summer drinks that you might want to re-think

Photo courtesy of Robert S. Donovan (flickr)

With the onset of summer, we often look for ways to feel refreshed ...a trip to the beach, a dip in the pool, or sometimes a nice, cool drink.  While some of those beverages can help us beat the summer heat, others can bust the calorie budget. When it comes to those summer libations, you may want to ask yourself this question first: "Do I want to drink my calories or do I want to eat them?"  Why should you ask this?  Some studies suggest that calories in beverage form may be better at satisfying our thirst not our hunger.   For instance, Barbara Rolls, author of The Volumetrics Eating Plan, conducted a study comparing subjects' satiety levels and energy consumption at meals following consumption of a whole apple, applesauce, or apple juice.  Which one do you think enhanced satiety and curbed energy intake the most?  The whole apple!

Check out these 10 higher calorie summer refreshments and their lower calorie alternatives. 

Iced espresso drinks:  One Grande Iced Caffe Mocha from Starbucks will set you back 320 calories, 17 grams of fat (mostly saturated), and 28 grams or 7 teaspoons of sugar.  Just play 36 minutes of beach volleyball and you've got the calories covered.  The Alternative?  Go for it but request nonfat milk and no whipped cream.  You'll save yourself 150 calories and 14.5 grams of fat, and you'll still get 9 grams of protein and 20% of the Daily Value for calcium.

Lemonade:  One cup of lemonade will rack up about 130 calories and 33 grams of sugar, the equivalent of almost 15 Hershey's Kisses.  The Alternative?  Twist some citrus, like lemon or orange, into a tall glass of ice cold water.  You could also consider adding fresh berries or apple, pear slices, or cucumber slices to your water.  Eat the fresh goodies afterwards, and get a nutritional boost!

Margarita: A 10 ounce mango margarita will deliver about 740 calories and 56 grams (14 teaspoons) of sugar.  Alcoholic beverages offer a triple whammy.  Not only are they high in liquid calories, but they can also lead to higher calorie consumption when consumed before or with meals. Alcohol also has a diuretic effect on the body, which can cause greater water loss through urination.  This loss of water (as well as the extra salt on the rim of the glass) triggers thirst, which could lead one to drink even more alcohol.   The Alternative?  A high quality tequila on the rocks with a splash of lime juice contains about 136 calories and virtually no sugar saving you a whopping 640 calories!  Pair this with a glass of water to sip on, too! 

Sweet tea: Sweetened teas can really boost the daily calorie count.  A large sweet tea from McDonald's serves up 230 calories and 59 grams of sugar or the equivalent of about 75 jelly beans!  The Alternative?  Go plain jane here.  A 32 oz unsweetened iced tea contains less than 10 calories and no sugar.  If you want some flavor, add a squeeze of lemon juice or a sprig of mint to your iced tea.  

Milkshake: Would it surprise you to find out that milkshakes can run upwards of 500 calories depending on what goes in it?  The Chocolate Turtle shake from Ruby's Diner contains 1060 calories, 33 grams of fat, and 157 grams of sugar.  Yes, you read that right!  That's more calories than a double grilled cheese bacon burger from Carl's Jr. and the sugar equivalent of 34 Oreo cookies!  The Alternative? Go for a nice tall glass of low-fat milk and make your own more nutritious smoothie at home.

Flavored and enhanced water:  Maybe it should be called Vitamin and Sugar Water since it delivers around 125 calories and 33 grams of sugar per bottle.  That's equivalent to 8 1/4 packets of sugar!  The Alternative?  Get more of your vitamins consuming a well-balanced diet and drink plain water instead.  If you need some pizazz try sparkling water with a splash of lemon or cranberry juice.

Beer:  Not all beers are created equal, but you already knew that, if you are a beer enthusiast.  Most beers average around 12 calories per ounce, but some run even higher.  Sierra Nevada Pale Ale contains 175 calories per 12 oz and the Sierra Nevada Bigfoot tips the scale at 330 calories per 12 oz.  The Alternative? Light beers serve up an average of 10 calories per ounce, but for more taste on fewer calories, you could opt for a Guinness Draught at 126 calories per 12 oz.  And remember the water!    

Energy drinks:  You're going to need these to keep up with your busier summer schedule, right?  They'll give you energy alright. In fact, Rockstar  Energy Drink will crank out a good 280 calories worth of energy and 62 grams of sugar.  That's okay, you'll just need to walk up stairs for over 30 minutes to burn that off.  Or think of it like this, that's the sugar equivalent to about 5 McDonald's baked apple pies.  The Alternative?  Look for other ways to optimize your energy levels, and if you need a mental boost, go for a cup of joe or tea instead.  Need the chill, then opt for the plain iced coffee, iced caffe americano, or unsweetened iced tea.

Pina Colada:  You might like pina coladas and getting caught in the rain, but you also might want to consider  jumping rope for at least an hour to burn off the 644 calories that come with that drink.  That's more calories than the KFC's Double Down sandwich. You know, the one with bacon, cheese, and sauce squished between two fried chicken filets.  The Alternative?  Try a virgin banana pina colada which offers 2 servings of fruit and only 130 calories per serving.

Root beer float:  It'll make you feel like you're back in the 1950's, but it'll also take you up in calories.  Sonic's regular-sized root beer float weighs in at 339 calories, 14 grams of fat (mostly saturated), and 49 grams of sugar.  You'd need to do jumping jacks for 38 minutes to burn that many calories.  Ouch!  The Alternative?  You could opt for just the root beer or just the ice cream or if you must, make your own using diet root beer and light ice cream.

What are your more nutritious summer drink alternatives?

*Calories burned doing various activities are based on 150 pound person.

Brewtrution 101

One of the things I've missed out on since becoming pregnant with Baby #2 is the occasional brew. I recently visited my home state of Missouri with my husband and when we went out for dinner, I was eager to suggest a nice local brew for him to try. Oh how I miss that Schlafly from my days in St. Louis.

I am often asked which is better -- wine or beer? My answer...there are benefits to both {in moderation}, but since wine already gets so much attention, my focus today is all about the brew. Most research results support the health benefits of beer when consumed in moderation, so I think you'd benefit from knowing what moderation means when it comes to beer. One drink is12 oz and moderate consumption is 1 drink/day for women and 2 drinks/day for men. Anymore than that and research shows that the health benefits start to decline while health risks, such as high blood pressure, stroke, obesity and breast cancer, increase.

So, what are the potential benefits of {moderate} consumption?

• A few studies suggest that beer may actually reduce the risk for heart disease and stroke. The risk reduction occurs in several possible ways. 1) Beer may help raise HDL-cholesterol (good cholesterol) and lower LDL-cholesterol (bad cholesterol) levels. 2) Antioxidants, such as melatonin and ferulic acid, found in beer may also play a role in decreasing heart disease risk. 3) A few studies have demonstrated that moderate beer consumption may help lower homocysteine levels in the blood. High blood homocysteine levels have been associated with increased risk for heart disease. 4) Some research also suggests that beer may lessen blood clot formation and inflammation of the blood vessels.
• Drinking beer may help increase bone mineral density.
  
• It may improve mental health.
• Studies show that moderate consumption may also lengthen one's lifespan as well as enhance the health-related quality of life.

So, there you have it. If you've ever wondered, now you know. Please note that I am not advising that anyone who does not currently drink alcohol to start drinking to achieve these potential benefits; however, if you do imbibe, there are numerous potential benefits to doing so in moderation.

Cheers!

*Please note that there are certain instances in which consumption of alcohol is not advised: women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant; individuals taking certain prescription or over-the-counter meds that may interact with alcohol; alcohol abusers or recovering alcoholics; those under 21 years of age; someone with medical conditions that can be worsened by alcohol consumption; or anyone planning to drive or perform activities that require skill, coordination, and alertness.