Is non-alcoholic beer fattening?

Making the switch from your usual order at the bar to a non-alcoholic beer can be a healthier choice. But did you know that these alcohol-free alternatives are also usually lower in calories, too?

There’s a whole range of reasons why people might want to make the switch from their go-to alcoholic beverage at the bar to a non-alcoholic beer. For many, these low or no-alcohol alternatives offer a healthier choice than their usual drinks order.

We’ve looked before at the reasons why NA beers can be a better choice for your health. The reasons range from better liver health and reduced risk of diseases such as cancer, as well as more day-to-day benefits, including getting a better night’s sleep and fresher skin. 

Another important factor that might sway your decision to try a non-alcoholic beer is by thinking about the calorie count. Usually, non-alcoholic beers tend to be much lower in calories. Although they aren’t completely calorie-free, this means that many of these non-alcoholic beers can be less fattening than your typical tipple.

If you’re looking to shift a “beer belly”, maintain a healthier weight, or if you’re simply looking to make some healthier choices, then opting for an alcohol-free beer with fewer calories can help.

Let’s take a look at what it is that makes a non-alcoholic beer less fattening and a healthier option.

What is non-alcoholic beer?

Put simply, non-alcoholic beer is a beer that has been brewed so that it contains no- or very little alcohol. Brewers can make these drinks in several different ways, but their aim is basically the same: to replicate the taste and look of a regular beer, but without any of the alcohol.

Whereas your typical beer will contain around 4-5% ABV (alcohol by volume), a non-alcoholic beer will contain no-more than 0.5% ABV. This is the maximimum amount of alcohol by volume a drink is allowed to contain to be classified as non-alcoholic. If it’s a low-alcohol beer, the percentage will be different again.

These beverages will have no more than 2.5% ABV. Remember, a beer can only be sold as “alcohol-free” if it really does contain 0.0% ABV. If you’re looking to cut out alcohol altogether for whatever reason, then it’s best to keep these figures in mind.

Although regulations in the UK and US do not require non-alcoholic beers to be completely alcohol-free, they will always contain significantly less than regular beers. We’ve looked into the differences before, so you can find out more about how much alcohol might be in your non-alcoholic beer here.

These non-alcoholic and alcohol-free alternatives are becoming an increasingly popular choice, too. This isn’t just a seasonal ‘New year, new you’ or ‘dry January’ increase, either. As brewing heavy-weights such as Heineken continue to respond to their customers’ demands for healthier options, the market for non-alcoholic varieties of popular beverages is set to grow and grow into 2023 and beyond. 

Calories and carbs – what’s in your non-alcoholic beer?

When it comes to asking if something we eat or drink is healthy for us, it’s important that we’re clear on what we mean by this. We know that non-alcoholic beer has significantly less alcohol than regular beer, but how else do these drinks compare?

When it comes to regular and non-alcoholic beers, this means we need to consider two important factors: calories and carbohydrates.

In general, alcohol contains roughly seven calories per gram. This means it’s almost as calorific as pure fat! Or, to put it another way, a typical pint of lager has around the same number of calories as a packet of crisps. In other words, if you are trying to lose weight, you’ll want to think about what you’re drinking just as much as what you’re eating.

As a general rule, a non- or low-alcohol alternatives will have less calories purely because they have less alcohol. It’s easiest to see this by comparing two different drinks.

For example, a small bottle of Carlsberg lager (330ml) weighs in at 122 calories and 3.8% ABV. By contrast, the same size bottle of Carlsberg’s 0.0 alcohol-free lager (0% ABV) has just 73 calories! Making the switch from the alcoholic drink to the non-alcoholic can save you 50 calories straight away. 

You’re probably already familiar with carbohydrates. These are an important part of our diet and provide the energy that our bodies need to function.

They can be found in all sorts of foods and drinks, and in many different forms. Some of these can be better for you than others, and they might be something we look to limit if we’re watching our waistlines.

When it comes to brewing beers, however, carbohydrates are pretty essential. Both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beers contain carbs, typically from the malts, hops, and barely used in the brewing process. 

In fact, whilst non-alcoholic beers tend to be lower in calories than regular beers, they can still be high in carbohydrates. This is because sugars (a type of carbohydrate) can be added to non-alcoholic beers during the production process. These additives are used to restore flavour to the beverage that might have been lost when the alcohol was removed. 

Check the stats

Non-alcoholic beers can be less fattening because they’re lower in calories than regular beers. However, they can also contain relatively high levels of carbohydrates, depending on the brewer and the brewing process. What is a drinker to do?

Fortunately, non-alcoholic beers are required to display their nutritional information on their labels. This means customers can see exactly what’s in the drink they’re choosing. The labels can help you make the right choice for your particular health goals.

For example, you might be pleasantly surprised to pick up a bottle of Weissbier Alkoholfrei by Erdinger to discover that it has folic acid and vitamin B12. However, if you check the nutritional label closely, you’ll also see that it has 125 calories  per bottle. Not only is this more calories than the Carlsberg non-alcohlic lager above, but it’s more than the regular beer too!

If you are thinking of making the switch to alcohol free beers to help you cut the calories then remember to check those labels - after all, not all non-alcoholic beers are brewed equal.

Non-alcoholic beers: a healthier choice?

Most people who have ever tried to shift a few extra pounds by keeping an eye on their calorie intake are sure to know just how many extra calories are waiting in a glass of beer or wine. Making the swap to non-alcoholic drinks, which are generally much lower in terms of calorie and carbohydrate content, may help with any weight loss plans.

We’re not going to lie to you, though. Making this change alone isn’t likely to help you reach all of your goals. It’s better to incorporate non-alcoholic beers as part of a healthier diet and exercise.

There may also be another benefit that scientists have recently discovered. Experiments have shown that drinking can stimulate the brain’s hypothalamus (which controls hormones). It’s these hormones that can cause the appetite to spike.

In other words, there’s likely a chemical reason why a few beers might suddenly lead to you feeling peckish. Making the swap to non-alcoholic drinks will not only help you limit the number of calories you consume in drink, but it might even help you avoid making poor food choices as well!

Really, there’s no doubt about it: swapping from regular beer to an alcohol-free alternative is better for your health.

Not only are non-alcoholic beers less fattening but making this change will significantly reduce your alcohol intake. Making efforts to consistently reduce the amount of alcohol you consume on a regular basis can cut your risk of the diseases associated with excessive alcohol consumption, including various cancers.

Non-alcoholic beers might not always be the best option – and there are some cases where it’s better to abstain completely – but they’re definitely a healthier option than regular beers. 

If you’re interested in exploring some alcohol-free alternatives, you can read some non-alcoholic beer reviews or explore some of our refreshing alcohol-free recipes.