Men constantly joke about having that “old beer gut.” That big tire-shaped lump where your lean 6-pack may have formally resided. While men joke and complain, they still can’t get away from their love of beer. If you ask one of these men jokingly how beer makes you fat, you might get partial answers or nothing at all. There is a scientific reason why beer is fattening and it may not be exactly what you imagined.

There are a number of factors that come into play when considering why beer is fattening. The first factor is that beer contains alcohol. Alcohol has been shown to prevent the metabolism from working properly and, more importantly, to slow down the metabolism. Even a minimal amount of alcohol can slow down your metabolism for several days. During this time, food that would have been used for energy is stored as fat. Not only do you gain weight, but alcohol consumption prevents many of the vitamins and minerals that are necessary for our metabolism to function properly.

When people consume beer, in many cases it is up to a dozen at a time, and even more. A good number of drinkers can’t even remember how many they drank when they woke up the next morning. One thing you need to consider is exactly how many calories you are potentially consuming at one time. Per 12 oz. A can of beer can consume between 100 calories, as in light beer, and up to 200 calories or more, in regular beer. If someone drinks 6 beers at a time, for example, they are consuming between 600 and 1200 calories simply by drinking beer! People who love to go out and drink most of the weekend can gain 1 pound of calories simply by drinking.

There is also the food and beer association. Many people who drink are also hungry for high-fat foods. Pizzas, cheeseburgers, and such foods are often craving to drink. Alcohol also lowers blood sugar in many people. When your brain begins to get the message that your blood sugar is low, it makes you crave foods that are high in sugar, resulting in more unnecessary extra calories.

While beer is considered the big culprit when it comes to alcoholic beverages, the fact is that all alcohol, regardless of whether it comes from beer, wine, or spirits, has a negative effect on your metabolism and actually promotes weight gain. . Beer is often the target bad guy because it is the type of alcohol that is most drunk in large quantities. Its high calorie content also has a role to play. Suggesting that a man give up beer is a crazy suggestion, but reducing beer consumption in addition to drinking light beer instead of regular beer may be a step in the right direction to say goodbye to that beer belly.