Proven: drinking alcohol increases hunger and appetite, says study –

Scientists have discovered that, when we drink alcoholic beverages, our brain is instantly switched to “hunger mode”, which explains the increase in appetite.

After cataloging research results in mice, British scientists discovered that alcohol activates the brain signals responsible for alerting the body that we are hungry — the findings were published in the scientific journal Nature Communications.

Read more: Is alcohol making you fat?

The conclusions of this recent research, which can also be applied to human beings, prove that the act of eating more after having a few drinks is not only linked to a loss of restriction — very common in several situations in which we are slightly intoxicated; in fact, the mechanism is a neuronal response, according to information from the Francis Crick InstituteIn London.

See also: Calorie ranking of alcoholic beverages

How did the study work?

The mice were subjected, for three days, to a dose of alcohol equivalent to one and a half bottles of wine per person. The substance caused a greater incidence in the activity of AGRP neurons, responsible for regulating hunger. Result: the animals ate more than normal.

So, the researchers repeated the experiment, but with the help of another substance, they blocked these neurons. The mice didn’t eat as much as they did the first time, which suggests that AGRPs are able to induce alcohol intake.

Read more: Alert: alcohol increases hunger!

When the researchers repeated the experiment but blocked the neurons with a drug, the mice didn’t eat as much. This suggests, according to the researchers, that neurons are responsible for greater food intake after drinking alcohol.

Why Consume Less Alcohol?

The drink itself is also extremely caloric. For example, a large, full glass of wine may contain the same caloric value as a donut, i.e. 200 calories.

Denis Burdakov, one of the authors of the study, said that understanding the changes that alcohol intake causes in our body can help control obesity. Good news for us, as more than half of the Brazilian population (51%) is overweight, according to a survey by the Ministry of Health.

Sir Ian Gilmore, professor at the association Alcohol Health Alliance UKmade an alert for people to become aware of the impact that the substance can have on each individual’s diet and the risks associated with its consumption.

“Alcohol is responsible for more than 60 diseases and those who consume it put themselves at even greater risk when they combine it with an unruly and excessive diet. Especially since when people drink they are more likely to make less healthy food choices,” says Ian. And he completes: “So much so that alcohol and obesity are responsible for 90% of deaths related to liver problems. The substance is also twice as toxic to the organ in very obese patients.”

Read more: Holiday parties: Minimize the effects of alcohol in the diet

sip by sip

Check out the calories of some alcoholic drinks below:

Fruit smoothie with condensed milk: 504 cal in 1 cup/200ml

Liquor: 115 cal in 1 serving/50 ml

Lemon Caipirinha with cachaça and sugar: 263 cal in 1 cup/200 ml

Lemon Caipirinha with cachaça and sweetener: 182 cal in 1 cup/200 ml

Lemon Caipirinha with vodka and sugar: 310 cal in 1 cup/200 ml

Strawberry Caipirinha with sake and sugar: 282 cal in 1 cup/200 ml

Strawberry Caipirinha with sake and sweetener: 182 cal in 1 cup/200 ml

See also: What happens when you go 1 month without alcohol and sugar

Beer: 151 cal in 1 can/350 ml

Light beer: 82 cal in 1 long neck/355 ml

Draft beer: 180 cal in 1 tulip/300 ml

Cuba Libre: 170 cal in 1 cup/250 ml

Sparkling wine: 110 cal in 1 cup/125 ml

Gin: 60 cal in 1 serving/30 ml

Margarita: 131 cal in 1 cup/150 ml

Mojito: 250 cal in 1 cup/200 ml

Prosecco: 106 cal in 1 cup/125 ml

Rum: 110 cal in 1 serving/50 ml

Spritz: 261 cal in 1 cup/300 ml

Withdraw: 50 cal in 1 serving/35 ml

Smirnoff Ice: 240 cal in 1 long neck/275 ml

Tequila: 110 cal in 1 serving/50 ml

Whiskey: 120 cal in 1 serving/50 ml

Red wine: 107 cal in 1 cup/125 ml

Vodka: 120 cal in 1 serving/50 ml