Tag Archives: Beer

Remove Alcohol for Quick Weight Loss

A fast approach to weight loss is by halting drinks that can influence weight retention. Alcohol is the most social and common kind of ‘drug’ we can take, and it’s a normal part of our society and socializing to have a few drinks. We’ve been drinking alcohol for centuries from simple fermented drinks to classy wines, champagnes, and exotic cocktails. There are obvious health and social problems associated with excessive or binge consumption of alcohol, but what about its effects on people aiming for weight loss?

All alcoholic drinks contain a significant amount of calories per serving, and we often have a lot more than just one serving! But how much damage does this do for your weight loss efforts? An ideal dietary plan reduces calorie intake by 250-500 calories per day to achieve a good amount of healthy weight loss per week.  One can easily see that 1-2 drinks per day puts pay to any good nutrition plan you might follow during the day. Simply said: 1-2 alcoholic drinks can seriously halt weight loss.

Another way to look at the effect alcohol has on weight loss is to compare the equivalent time needed to spend doing fitness training to burn these calories off! An individual of average fitness level and of average weight would apply the following effort to burn off 2 alcohol servings:

Training time required to burn off calories from alcohol:

Alcoholic drink Walking Swimming Running Cycling
Beer (355ml) 30 mins 17 mins 12 mins 13 mins
Light beer (355ml) 20 mins 11 mins 8 mins 9 mins
Low carb beer (355ml) 23 mins 13 mins 9 mins 10 mins
White wine sweet (200ml glass) 40 mins 23 mins 16 mins 18 mins
White wine dry (200ml glass) 29 mins 16 mins 12 mins 13 mins
Red wine (200ml glass) 28 mins 16 mins 11 mins 12 mins
Spirits (on ice / neat) 13 mins 7 mins 5 mins 6 mins
Water 0 mins 0 mins 0 mins 0 mins

There’s a lot of work to be done if  a few (or more) drinks are consumed. Think of all the blood, sweat, tears, and hard work that can go into a great fitness session….and how easily the efforts  can be reversed by drinking alcohol!  Additionally, alcohol contains no essential nutrients and reduces the absorption of Vitamins A, D, E, K, folate, B I, and B2 by altering Biotin (B7).  Lastly, alcohol does not contribute to muscle glycogen, so you may be left short on carbohydrates (Fruits, Vegetables and Whole Grains), which you need in order to train hard.

While it is true that red wines contain a natural phenol “resveratrol”, which permits blood cells to smoothly pass each

Handful of blueberries for improved health.

other instead of sticking to one another,  consider trading in your wine glass for fiber.  Resveratrol is also found in peanuts, soy, cranberries, blueberries, and Itadori tea which maybe a good substitute for red wine and linking it to possible human longevity.

By gaining knowledge on how to improve weight loss efforts, you can begin to feel better about your own appearance and body’s health over the next week, as your initial loss can be 2-7 pounds within the first days of working towards your new objective!

By: Kimberly Crocker

References:

Beauty of Wine and Grape Juice

Vitamin “H” for Haar and Haut

http://www.completefitness.com.au/articles/nutrition/alcoholweightloss.php

Fine Wine to Table Wine…..Visit Jungle Jim’s Wine Cellar

Walking through the cultivated vineyards of Jungle Jim’s Wine Cellar, I’m excited to learn about the various species of grapes.   David Schmerr is the Wine and Beer Director of twenty-one years at Jungle Jim’s. He proudly talks about a couple of his prize Bordeaux collector wines: Opus One by Robert Mondavi and Baron Philippe; and Dominus Chateau Petrus by Christain Moueix and his team.  The history lessons on both of these winemakers is brief and intriguing.  Mr Schmerr explains how these great Connoisseurs arrived to the balance of tannins that gives the proper acid level to a glass of wine, which are derived from working with diverse fruits of the vine.

The conversation changes to the many different “Table Wines” sold at this international market.  In fact, to expedite shopping, Jungle Jim’s makes it easy to locate wines under $10. and $20. by placing them at the end of the wine racks.  A few of these wines include: Bon Anno Cabernet, an American wine from Napa Valley ($19.99); and Spanish wines, Nora, white wine ($15.) and Codice a red wine ($9.99).

David gives bragging rights to BonAnno (distributed out of Dayton, OH by the BonAnno Family), stating that,  “Bon Anno has won two Cabernet wine tastings located at Jungle Jim’s, beating out some other wines that are at the higher price points of $30-$40 wines”.  He points out, “Bon Anno is ready to drink fifteen minutes after uncorking the bottle, and you can experience the ripeness of the fruit, without the residual after taste”. 

New to consumers this year will be the introduction a Spanish wines. Spain is challenging the most popluar Cabernet’s grown and produced in California, as well as, overtaking Shiraz from Australia. “Nora” is a dry white wine from the “Albarino” grape.  This green-gold color wine tastes of honeysuckle and peach; it’s a great compliment to seafood dishes. While, Codice “is made of 100% Tempranillo grapes from old vines planted at 2,700 feet elevation on calcareous clay, a soil type common to Bordeaux”. The red ruby colors and round tannins of spanish wine “Codice”, provide a good acidic level and are compared to the $20. bottles from the vineyards of California and France.  

The wine that compliments all foods whether it’s: appetizers, seafood, meat or poultry is still Pinot Noir.  Mr. Schmerr explains, “the lighter tannins found in Pinot Noir (giving also a nod to Chianti) is great at the grill, or an evening of “surf and turf” style dinner”.  “Additionally,” he states, “Pinot Noir is the wine that I recommend for those with heart disease to drink with their meals.”  This is because Pinot Noir is high in the non-flavonoid “resveratrol” that increases HDL cholesterol levels (healthy).

New to Jungle Jim’s wine department are Organic Wines.  The Organic Wines are low to no sulfites. This is good news for those who have who have abstained from wine due to egg/fish/milk/nut allergies.  According to the Australian Wine Research Institute, “Wine may be ‘fined’ with processing aids, which are derived from eggs, fish, milk or nuts. The process of fining removes protein and other impurities from the wine, which may otherwise make the wine unstable. If the wine is made according to good manufacturing practice, there should be only traces of these processing aids left in the wine.”

Mr Schmerr has many reasons to enjoy the future prospects of his career in the Beer and Wine Industry leaving us with a closing thought. “Cincinnati has seen a sharp increase in “wine sippers” not unlike the rest of the United States.  Statistics show that the USA will lead the world in wine consumption per gallonage (not per capita) by the year 2010. ”  And with that I offer a “Toast to good health and much success.”

Recommended Wines

  1. Morbier Cheese                    Reuilly White Wine $9.99
  2. Strawberries and Peaches     Richter Reisling Piesporter Michelsberg $9.99
  3. Nuts: Walnuts Port and Almonds Sherry
  4. Dessert, Chocolate:  Brut Champagne.  Other desserts: Port or Sherry

Gift Giving      

  1. Bon Anno red $19.99
  2. Nora white $15.00
  3. Codice red $9.99                                                                       

                                                                                      

 

Organic Wines

  1. Ceago
  2. Freywine
  3. BonTerra

By: Kim Crocker-Scardicchio

For More Info on Jungle Jim’s Wine and Beer Dept. Visit the following link: http://www.junglejims.com/departments/jungle_jims_beer_and_wine.asp 

National Organic Wine List: http://www.townhallcoalition.org/resources/index.html