Messages from Martin 04 Mar 2009 01:01 am
March
Lately, I’ve seen billboards in Cincinnati advertising Michelob Ultra Beer now with reduced carbohydrates as “the smart choice.” One of the advertisements included a man and woman jogging. So is this beer with reduced carbs supposed to be good for you or supposed to help you stay fit like those joggers on the billboard? We know the truth about carbs (see posts from May 8-10, 2007 and October 10, 2007), so we aren’t going to automatically link fewer carbs with improved nutrition or health. Secondly, what does beer have to do with exercise? I do not know of any one who consumes beer for the sake of achieving any fitness or health goal. Personally, I find the advertisements misleading and ineffective. If you talk with any health professional, she/he will tell you that the smart choice is to not drink at all or to drink in moderation if you choose to drink. Alcohol is not considered a nutrient since it does not contribute to the growth, maintenance or repair of body tissue. Furthermore, alcohol can be converted to fat when total caloric intake exceeds caloric output. So in other words, there is nothing smart about reduced carb beer since alcohol has no nutritional value.
DO SOMETHIN’! (except for drinking reduced carb Michelob Ultra)
**source for information on alcohol: ACE Personal Trainer Manual 3rd edition, edited by Cedric X. Bryant, Ph. D and Daniel J. Green, page 116 – 117