Photo: Cultura RM\Stephen Lux.
I’m thirty-four years old and have only recently realized that I’m getting old. I thought I was a superhuman who could do anything and not gain weight, get sick or hungover. In the past few years I have slowly come to terms with the fact that I’m not in my twenties anymore. I’ve lost twenty pounds in the last six months. This was done mostly from running, lifting weights, doing crunches and eating well. On top of that, I cut down on my beer consumption considerably. I was probably enjoying 4-6 beers per week and now I’m closer to 0-2.
When I do drink beer, I’m not likely to worry about calories or carbohydrates. That’s the benefit of only drinking one or two beers per week. If you don’t want to cut down on your imbibing, you can still make healthier choices. Your gut will be happier for it. Beer bellies are fun to look at and a great spot to rest a beer, but we’d all rather have a six-pack than a keg.
You don’t have to drink Michelob Ultra, Miller 64 or Bud Select 55 to feel like you’re making healthy beer choices. There are many other tasty, low cal, low carbohydrate options available. These are some of the best healthy beers:
The Light Beer Stigma:
You don’t need to be afraid of the word “light” on your beer can. Although usually lower in alcohol and lower on flavor, there are still great light beers available. Feel free to drink a few of these bad boys. Two of most of these are equal to one regular beer.
Beck’s Premier Light
- Calories: 64
- Carbohydrates: 3.2 grams
- About Beck’s Premier Light
Yuengling Light Lager
- Calories: 99
- Carbohydrates: 9 grams
- About Yuengling Light Lager
Amstel Light
- Calories: 95
- Carbohydrates: 5 grams
- About Amstel Light
Sam Adams Light Lager
- Calories: 119
- Carbohydrates: 9.7
- About Sam Adams Light Lager
Miller Light
- Calories: 96
- Carbohydrates: 3.2
- About Miller Light
Heineken Light
- Calories: 99
- Carbohydrates: 6.8 grams
- About Henieken Light
Coors Light
- Calories: 102
- Carbohydrates: 5 grams
- About Coors Light
Bud Light
- Calories: 110
- Carbohydrates: 6.6 grams
- About Bud Light
The Healthy Non-Light Beers:
You don’t always need to grab for the lighter option. Although slightly higher in calories and carbohydrates, these beers are also higher in flavor and alcohol. Just like in life, everything is a give and take. Drink less of these if you still want to keep your boyish figure.
Rolling Rock
- Calories: 116
- Carbohydrates: 8.8 grams
- About Rolling Rock
Guinness Draught
- Calories: 126
- Carbohydrates: 10 grams
- About Guinness Draught
Pacifico
- Calories: 135
- Carbohydrates: 12 grams
- About Pacifico
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
- Calories: 175
- Carbohydrates: 14.5 grams
- About Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
Abita Purple Haze
- Calories: 128
- Carbohydrates: 11 grams
- About Abita Purple Haze
The Healthy Ingredients Beers:
These beers might not specifically fall under the low calorie, low carbohydrate umbrella. But, they are here for their healthy ingredients.
Left Hand Good Juju
This beer contains ginger root. It is well known for its health benefits including: helping with digestion, reducing muscle pain, it’s an anti-inflammatory and it helps with nausea and motion sickness. This last benefit might be helpful the day after drinking a few of these.
Magic Hat #9
This was already one of my go-to summer beers. It’s a tasty, fresh pale ale that contains a subtle hint of apricots. The benefits of apricots are: the regulation of cell growth, immune system strengthening and lower blood pressure.
