Beer Calories & Carbs

Beer drinking is associated with celebrations, holidays and sporting events. When beer drinkers go on a diet, they may find themselves wondering if they really need to cut back on consumption because of the carbohydrates associated with beer. This article will provide information about how many calories and carbohydrates are in a beer.

Carbohydrates are a chemical compound that helps provide the body with energy. Carbohydrates, also known as carbs, are usually found in grains like wheat and barley. Dieticians will sometimes advise people to cut back on their carb intake, because unused carbs end up being stored as fat cells inside the body.

Since one of the primary ingredients in beer is often a grain, it is only natural to find carbs in beer. Barley hops are often introduced into the beer-making process at several stages.

A study by the University of California-Davis reported that the amount of carbs and calories in beer isn't as bad as people originally thought. Charles Bamforth, a beer expert and member of the food science and technology department, claimed that beer, in moderation, could be added to a low-carb diet. Beer was considered to be fattening because of the carbs and calorie-supplying maltose that was supposedly in the beer. However, Bamforth proved that the maltose is removed during the fermentation process. He also noted that the majority of calories in a beer actually come from the alcohol.

The Department of Health and Human Services recommends that a person on a 2,000-calorie diet needs about 250 grams of healthy carbs per day, preferably from foods with natural dietary fibers such as fruit. The body usually stores any excess glucose in the form of fat. Among the brands with the most carbs is Anchor Steam, carrying 16 grams and 150 calories per 12-ounce serving, according to the Beer 100 website. The Flying Dog Brewery offers two beers relatively high in carbs: Gonzo (18.6 grams, 269 calories) and Horn Dog (18.8 grams, 314 calories). But the New Belgium brand appears to have the most carbs per serving at 25. It has 205 calories.

For a beer to be listed as low-carb, it must have less than 7 grams per serving. Miller Genuine Draft has a brand called "64" because it only has 64 calories per serving; its carb content is 2.4 grams. Budweiser Select is less than 100 calories per serving, with 3.1 grams of carbs in each bottle. Coors Light clocks in at 5.3 grams of carbs and 104 calories per bottle.