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The addition of caffeine in  alcoholic drinks such as alcopops appears to harm the drinker's judgment more than drinking alcohol on its own. Caffeine is a stimulant that increases the heart rate, blood pressure and in some cases cause heart palpitation and irregular heartbeat. Caffeine also leads to headaches, agitation, stomach problems and abnormal breathing. It's the equivalent of an adrenaline rush. Whereas alcohol on the other hand is a depressant, it slows down the functioning of the brain and prevents the consumer from walking, talking and thinking clearly. The combination of those two substances do not cancel each other as caffeine in alcopops mask the body’s natural ways of letting you know you’ve consumed too much alcohol, therefore, people tend to drink way more than they should. This excessive consumption eventually leads to liver damage.

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It has been led to believe that manufacturers of alcopops have been adding immense amounts of sugar to their alcoholic beverages to mimic the taste of popular energy drinks to attract a younger market audience for their product.
This has led to public concern as the NHS recommends that your daily sugar intake should not exceed 50g , however in just one bottle of various alcopops there is as much as 5 teaspoons of sugar. While 1 teaspoon of sugar is equivalent to about 4 grams that means I just 1 bottle that is 20g of sugar .

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It's no secret that alcohol, whether it's a pint of beer, a glass of wine or a dram of whisky, contains calories but has no nutritional value, hence the term "empty calories". But are you aware of just how many calories your favourite tipple sets you back?

On April 6 2022, new legislation regarding displaying calories on menus came into force, applying to large businesses such as takeaways, restaurants and cafes. However, there are some exemptions to this new law, including food that is only on a menu for 30 days of the year or less and all alcoholic drinks above 1.2% ABV.

This exemption means that the health implications of a trip to the pub or bottle of wine with dinner comes down to guesswork.

This comes after the Commission on Alcohol Harm highlighted in its 2021 report on calorie counts for alcohol that people who drink regularly get nearly 10 per cent of their daily calorie intake from alcohol, contribute to the ongoing obesity crisis.

Though it can be difficult to find out the exact calorific content of your favourite stout, it is possible to take an educated guess. The calorie content of alcoholic drinks is largely dependent on sugar/carbohydrate content and alcohol percentage. Alcohol has more sway as it contains more calories per gram than sugar (7g compared to 4g). So you may be surprised to hear that spirits, classically thought of as a more calorie-conscious choice than beer or cider, might contain equal or larger numbers of calories than lower-alcohol drinks. When in doubt, opt for the drink with a lower ABV (alcohol by volume).

It's not just about the drink itself, either. The food we eat while drinking (or, of course, after a night of drinking) tends to be higher in fat and sugar, contributing to higher cholesterol, higher blood pressure, high blood sugar levels and weight gain.

Though cutting down on the number of alcoholic drinks you have throughout the week is the most effective way to control the number of 'empty calories' you consume, it's easier said than done, particularly now it's summer. So how to keep slim while enjoying a summer cocktail or two?

It helps to have an idea of which drinks are particularly high in calories, and which you can easily switch to a lower calorie option. Here are the rough calorie contents to some of our favourites to help inform your choice next time you raise a glass.

Beer and cider

The calorie content of beer ranges depending on the type; Drinkaware estimates the average pint of beer (ABV 4%) contains 182 calories. A pint of higher-ABV beer such as ale or stout, however, can set you back 250 calories or more - the same as a Mars bar.

Cider, due to the higher sugar content, is slightly higher in calories than beer, with an average of 215 calories in a 4.5% ABV pint.

Healthline suggests that one pint of regular beer contains an average 12g of carbs but 0g of sugar. Non-alcoholic beer, however, usually contains 28.5g of carbs as well as 28.5g of sugar.

But the sugar content can also vary per label as Foster's contains 2.7g of sugar per 100ml, meaning one pint contains just over 13.5g - nearly 27 per cent of your recommended daily sugar intake.

Wine

Both red and white wine have similar nutritional profiles, despite popular belief that red wine is more calorific than white. A 175ml glass of wine (ABV 13%) contains around 160 calories - slightly fewer than a bag of Walkers Ready Salted crisps - with a large measurement (250ml) containing roughly 225 calories. A 175ml glass of wine with an ABV of 12%, by comparison, contains around 133 calories.

There are thought to be around 0.8g of sugar in a medium-sized glass of red wine and 1.4g in white wine, which is almost the equivalent to the quantity in a single slice of white bread.

If you want to watch your calorie intake but still enjoy a glass, look for lower ABV wines, of which there is a growing number by quality producers.

Sparkling wine

Champagne, prosecco and other sparkling wines are slightly lower in calories than red or white wine. A 125ml glass of champagne contains around 89 calories, while prosecco contains around 86; the equivalent of a chocolate digestive biscuit.

One glass of prosecco is also estimated to contain around 1g of sugar which has led some to brand it as "one of the more diet-friendly alcoholic drinks".

Spirits

Again, the calorie content of spirits differs based on the alcohol and sugar content. A single shot (25ml) of rum contains 61 calories, while a shot of cream liqueur contains around 80, and a shot of gin around 97.

One of the most calorific spirits is, surprisingly, vodka, which contains, on average, 110 calories. This, of course, is due to the alcohol content of vodka, which can range from 40% upward; the strongest vodka available to purchase in the UK is Balkan 175, which has an ABV of 88%.

Spirits on their own contain very little sugar, (almost 0g), but combined with other drinks, the sugar content rises drastically.

For example, vodka mixed with around 250ml of cranberry juice contains around 30g or 7.5 teaspoons of sugar and rum mixed with 250ml of cola bumps the sugar content up to around 27.5g or seven teaspoons.

Cocktails

If you think spirits are bad, then cocktails are the mother of calorific drinks. Most cocktails consist of one or more spirits, plus juices, sugar syrups and flavourings, with some totting up totals higher than a pint of stout.

A simple martini, made from gin or vodka, vermouth and ice, contains anything up from 120 calories. But a pornstar martini, a popular cocktail made from vodka, passion fruit liqueur, sugar syrup and sparkling wine, contains roughly 225 calories per drink. Even higher is a long island iced tea, a concoction of vodka, tequila, light rum, triple sec, gin and a splash of cola, which can contain upward of 280 calories, or the rough equivalent of a McDonald's cheeseburger.

To cut down on calories, keep your cocktail simple. The fewer alcoholic ingredients, the lower the calories and sugar (and the less severe your hangover).

Alcopops

A favourite among younger drinkers slurping on neon-coloured drinks on a night out, alcopops are both high in sugar and alcohol, making them a particularly high-calorie option. A 275ml bottle can contain anything between 170 calories and 230; a 330ml bottle of Smirnoff Ice contains roughly 228 calories, or two slices of buttered toast.

Does alcohol cause weight gain?

Alcohol can make you gain weight, not just because of its calorie content but also because, after drinking, your body focuses on breaking down the alcoholic units as opposed to burning fat.

Consuming too much alcohol can also cause severe damage to your liver which can then affect its ability to metabolise and store carbohydrates and fats.

And additionally, alcohol can leave you feeling hungry and can result in you making poor food choices.

What is the recommended alcohol intake in the UK?

The current guidelines state that both men and women should not consume more than 14 units of alcohol a week on a regular basis . This is the equivalent to six pints of average-strength beer or 10 small glasses of low-strength wine.

The NHS also advises to spread your drinking over three or more days if you regularly exceed 14 units a week.

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From wine to beer, which alcoholic drinks are the worst for sugar and calories?

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It's no secret that alcohol, whether it's a pint of beer, a glass of wine or a dram of whisky, contains calories but has no nutritional value, hence the term "empty calories". But are you aware of just how many calories your favourite tipple sets you back?

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In an attempt to reduce the consumption of alcopops and alcohol related hospital visits from young people the Australian government taxed the pre-mixed beverages. In 2008 former prime minister Kevin Rudd placed a 70% tax increase on the sweet alcoholic drinks in an attempt to deter younger people from buying it . However this plan back fired , although the consumption of the drinks fell by 31% between 2008-2011 it didn't decrease the hospital visits of alcohol related injuries for people between 15-29. Once prices went up for the pre-mixed drinks , younger drinkers went on to harder, cheaper drinks , most likely spirits hence the back fire in the plan to stop young drinker

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AUSTRALIAN drinkers have spent $4.5 billion in &quot;alcopop&quot; taxes that have failed to curb teen binge drinking.

A federally-funded study to be released today reveals the tax has not dinted the number of teenagers and young people with alcohol-related injuries.

Former prime minister Kevin Rudd slapped a 70 per cent tax increase on pre-mixed drinks - dubbed "alcopops" - in 2008 to try to curb binge drinking.

But a new University of Queensland analysis of 87,665 alcohol-related visits to hospital emergency departments over three years has found the tax made no difference.

"The premise was that this tax would reduce alcohol consumption among young people, as teenagers of both sexes prefer pre-mixed drinks over other forms of alcohol," the researchers concluded.

"The increased tax on `alcopops' was not associated with any reduction in hospital admissions for alcohol-related harms in Queensland 15-29 year-olds."

The lead researcher, UQ School of Population Health professor Steve Kisely, said young people had turned to other types of drink.

He said some bottle shops began taping bottles of soft drink or fruit juice to bottles of spirits, once the tax came in.

"If teenagers are looking for a good time and find their favorite tipple of alcopops has doubled in price, they're not going to go home and have a hot mug of chocolate," he told News Limited yesterday.

"They're going to find something else ... it's generally spirits.

"People are falling over and breaking limbs, hitting their heads, getting into fights and having traffic accidents."

The UQ analysis will be presented at the Royal Australian & New Zealand College of Psychiatrists in Sydney today.

An analysis of the federal Budget papers reveals that Australians have paid $4.5bn in "alcopops" taxes since 2008/09.

They are forecast to spend $960m next financial year, and $1bn in 2014/15.

But the tax collected in the past three years has fallen $411m short of forecasts made in the 2010/11 budget.

Actual revenue fell $60m short in 2010/11 and $121m short in 2011/12 - while the forecast for this financial year has been lowered by $230m.

Australian Bureau of Statistics data shows drinkers have switched from pre-mixed drinks, such as rum-and-coke, to pure spirits since the tax was introduced.

Consumption of pre-mixed drinks fell 31 per cent between 2008 and 2011, the latest data shows.

But Australians drank 20 per cent more in pure spirits over the same period.

Professor Kisely suggested that alcohol taxes be raised across the board, and that bottle shops and pubs enforce age limits for drinkers.

"The problem with targeting one particular drink is that people will go and find something cheaper," he said.

"Maybe look at pricing across the board."
ALCOPOP TAX REVENUE
What the 2010/11 Budget papers predicted .... and what was collected

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AUSTRALIAN drinkers have spent $4.5 billion in "alcopop" taxes that have failed to curb teen binge drinking. A federally-funded study to be released today reveals the tax has not dinted the number of teenagers and young people with alcohol-related injuries.

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Alcopops are predominately marketed to younger female consumer. the bright colour along with the sweetness which hides the distinctive (nasty) taste of alcohol. The disguised taste makes it easier to drink in repetitive and large quantities. Introducing young people to binge drinking habits.

Some say that alcopops have been described as a gateway beverage for young people to become addicted at a young age, which brings lots of health problems later in life.
Buying alcopops may be more convenient for those under the legal age of 18, as alcopops with their colourful looks can be concealed easier compared to a spirit drink.
Alcopops are relatively cheaper when comparing them to the stronger alcohols.

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One unit of alcohol ?
1 unit is 10ml or 8g of pure alcohol

Alcopop unit
WKD Blue 700ml 2.8 units 4%
Breezer

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has been led to believe that manufacturers of alcopops have been adding immense amounts of sugar to their alcoholic beverages to mimic the taste of popular energy drinks to attract a younger market audience for their product.
This has led to public concern as the NHS recommends that your daily sugar intake should not exceed 50g , however in just one bottle of various alcopops there is as much as 5 teaspoons of sugar. While 1 teaspoon of sugar is equivalent to about 4 grams that means I just 1 bottle that is 20g of sugar .
 

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Enabling minimum prices for alcoholic drinks in Scotland would have Advantages and Disadvantages.

Some of these advantages are;
The health of the alcohol consumers will improve as the higher prices of alcohol would discourage them of drinking.
It can discourage young drinkers from overconsumption of alcohol.
It will have a positive effect on the more ‘upmarket’ alcohol brands and pubs. People may go out to a pub and spend there, rather than spending on cheap alcohol from supermarkets.
Anti-Social behaviours that are usually caused by the overconsumption of alcohol would decrease.

Some of the disadvantages are;

The minimum price is highly regressive and will affect those on low incomes.
It will be an easy way for supermarkets to increase their profit.
A higher minimum price could encourage people to switch to potentially dangerous home brews and replacement alcohol. This is potentially dangerous as it leaves people exposed to alcohol of an unknown quantity and composition.