This little tool over at the BBC calculating the calories of drinks is actually quite handy. I just learned that five pints is the same as a danish, a hot dog, a pizza slice, a couple of onion bhaji and a couple of jaffa cakes. Two doubles of hard liquor are only worth a pizza slice and one jaffa cake.
That seems reasonable and, given that this works as a tool to make sure you do not over eat as you drink, a valuable addition to the web resources we have at our fingertips. By knowing the risks posed by solid food offering only empty calories, you will be in a better position to plan your nutritional intake. Unfortunately it does not calculate the other nutritional qualities of craft real ale like the relative merits of eating two donuts, four onion bhajis and six jaffa cakes a day compared to the two drinks most medical experts recommend you have daily.
Comments
Ben - December 3, 2008 9:50 pm
Interesting concept. It's always fun to make comparisons like how many beers equal a foot long hot dog in terms of calories. Although, I don't think it will prevent me from drinking a few beers this weekend. In my opinion, if someone is that worried about calorie counting, they should do a little exercise or just stop drinking 5 beers 4 nights a week.
By the way, great blog.
Thomas - December 4, 2008 1:56 am
But what beers did I have tonight Anchor 'Our Special Ale' and Heavy Seas Winter Storm, somehow I suspect their calories are off ;-)
Alan - December 4, 2008 10:03 am
Another issue. The onion bhaji scale is not flexible enough to establish there are beers and beers.
Amy - December 4, 2008 7:52 pm
Very cute site. I don't know what a jaffa cake is. It looks like a chocolate glazed doughnut. Actually a beer and a doughnut would taste pretty good together but be even less healthy.
Alan - December 4, 2008 8:05 pm
Light pound cake cookie with orange marmalade on top all covered in chocolate. They are good.
siggy - December 7, 2008 8:32 pm
i dont think that anyone drinks beer for health reasons. they drink it to get slizzurd like a lizzard, plain and simple. if i wanted to maintain healthy calorie count i'll have a v8 eat some cheerios and exercise for weeks on end. but if i want to get faded then i'm drinkin a six pack of dead guy ale, eating as much jaffa cake as i can and smoking copius amounts of marijuana. interesting post tho.
Acai - December 20, 2008 8:42 am
But what beers did I have tonight Anchor 'Our Special Ale' and Heavy Seas Winter Storm
Acai Capsules - December 26, 2008 9:45 pm
Haha, now that is one awesome calculator. Definitely will come in handy. Thanks for sharing!
asp - January 1, 2010 3:46 pm
I used to think calories are calories, but then I saw this video: The Bitter Truth
Conclusion seems to be that if you don't want your beer turned into fat, combine it with lots of fiber and moderate exercise.
Are there high fiber beers?