Go easy on beer during World Cup
By DPA, IANSMonday, June 28, 2010
BERLIN - Football fans have been advised not to have a beer with every starting whistle during the World Cup.
That’s not just because alcohol is bad for you at the cellular level, but because it’s packed with calories, reports a German consumer group.
Half a litre of beer contains about 200 calories, about the same as a portion of ice cream. A litre has about the same calorie count as an entire bar of milk chocolate. Additionally, alcohol causes dehydration - especially dangerous during the hot summertime.
As a rule of thumb for alcohol consumption, men should limit themselves to half a litre of beer a day or a quarter litre of wine. Women should drink no more than half that.
The group recommends healthy and refreshing alternatives like alcohol-free beer, ice cream cocktails, fresh fruit juice or water infused with citrus flavours.
Mixed alcoholic drinks are no alternative. With 5 to 7 percent alcohol by volume, they are certainly not short on intoxicants. And, even if the taste of alcohol is covered up by flavouring and liberal helpings of sugar, they keep the drink from being truly refreshing.
