Does Beer Really Give You A 'Beer Belly'?

If beer is your choice of poison then you must also be familiar with the term 'beer belly'. For the uninitiated, a beer belly is what you supposedly get if you over indulge in the malt beverage. It is often said that one should drink limited amounts of beer for the fear that it might give you a big belly or make you fat. This is perhaps the most common reason why those who like to stay in shape prefer other alcohols over beer. So, why does beer give you a bloated belly? And, is it just beer or do all alcohols do the same? Too many calories leading to weight gain or just water retention? What is the big hullabaloo about beer belly after all? We find out.

Beer belly is nothing but a portion of extra blubber packed around your midsection, meaning something that is causing to store fat in your stomach area. Now, drinking beer means you are consuming lots of calories, which automatically makes your tummy bigger. Basically, any kind of calorie coming from alcohols, sugary beverages, or even junk foods will have a negative impact on your belly. In fact, alcohol has always been associated with fatty deposits in the midsection. A normal pint of beer is about 150 calories, but who stops at just one; a group of friends sitting together can chug more than four pints or more per person.(Also read: 7 Foods You Must Not Eat For A Flat Stomach)

Dr. Gurwant Singh Lamba, Chief of Gastroenterology and Hepatology at Sri Balaji Action Medical institute, "It is not necessarily beer which causes belly fat. Any form of calories whether due to alcohol or excess food or sweetened beverages which go with it would cause an increased waistline." Moreover, alcohol tends to increase your appetite, so you order a bunch of fattening foods that go best with the drink- pizza, chicken wings, etc.

Additionally, beer prevents your body from burning fat. It is because your body prioritizes the breakdown of alcohol over other sources, which leads to significant amount of weight gain.

Belly fat in the midsection may only lead to numerous health hazards and has been especially linked to heart diseases."Weight gain and obesity due to any cause is associated with many diseases including heart disease, diabetes etc. In addition excess alcohol in any form whether beer or any other can seriously damage your liver, pancreas, heart and other organs," shares Dr. Lamba.

You can conveniently call it beer belly, love handles or just blubber, the fact to remember is that fat around your midsection poses many health risks. It is good to limit your beer or any other alcohol intake in order to stay healthy!