Beer Calories Quiz: Test Your Knowledge
A beer’s label must list calories only if it claims to be a “lite” beer.
True
False
A beer’s label must list calories only if it claims to be a “lite” beer.
The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (formerly the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms) regulates the labeling of alcoholic beverages, not the FDA, and that agency does not require statements of caloric content unless the beverage is “labeled with caloric representation (such as ‘Light’ or ‘Lite’),” according to the Malt Beverage Labeling Regulations. Statements of alcohol content are also optional, unless required by state law.
All “lite” beers contain fewer than 100 calories.
True
False
All “lite” beers contain fewer than 100 calories.
An average 12-ounce “lite” beer has 100 to 130 calories, while a typical 12-ounce regular beer has 150 to 200 calories. The difference between a “lite” beer and a regular beer could be as few as 20 calories or as many as 100.
Beer is fat-free.
True
False
Beer is fat-free.
Beer, like wine, is fat-free, and it contains some helpful nutrients in small amounts, including protein, potassium, folate, vitamin B12, and selenium. However, overall beer is a poor source of nutrition, according to the 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans.
Drinking two regular beers would account for about the same number of calories as eating which of the following?
A double hamburger
A roast beef sandwich
Two slices of cheese pizza
Any of the above
None of the above
Drinking two regular beers would account for about the same number of calories as eating which of the following?
Drinking two regular beers would account for 300 to 400 calories, roughly the same amount as in a typical fast-food double hamburger, a typical fast-food roast beef sandwich, or two slices of cheese pizza.
Beers with higher alcohol content usually have about the same number of calories as those with lower alcohol content.
True
False
Beers with higher alcohol content usually have about the same number of calories as those with lower alcohol content.
Alcohol contains about 7 calories per gram, so more alcohol means more calories. Alcohol has almost as many calories as fat (9 calories per gram) and almost double the caloric content of carbohydrates or protein (about 4 calories per gram). The 2020-2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend reducing alcohol consumption if you’re trying to reduce your calorie intake.
Light-colored beers always have fewer calories than dark beers.
True
False
Light-colored beers always have fewer calories than dark beers.
The number of calories in a beer is based primarily on alcohol content, not on the color or texture of the beer. The color of the beer is determined by the color of the malt (barley processed for brewing).
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a limit of how many alcoholic drinks per day for men?
None
One
Two
Three
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a limit of how many alcoholic drinks per day for men?
The Dietary Guidelines recommend that if alcohol is drunk, it should be no more than two alcoholic drinks per day for men. One drink is the equivalent of a 12-ounce beer (regular or “lite”), a 5-ounce glass of wine, or a drink containing 1.5 ounces of 80 proof spirits or liqueurs.
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a limit of how many alcoholic drinks per day for women?
None
One
Two
Three
The Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend a limit of how many alcoholic drinks per day for women?
The Dietary Guidelines recommend that if alcohol is drunk, it should be no more than one alcoholic drink per day for women. That could mean one 12-ounce beer (regular or “lite”), one 5-ounce glass of wine, or one drink containing 1.5 ounces of spirits or liqueurs.
Which of the following has the most calories per serving?
12 ounces of regular beer
5 ounces of wine
1.5 ounces of liquor (80 proof)
Which of the following has the most calories per serving?
Per serving, beer has more calories than 80 proof liquor (about 100 calories) or wine (about 120 calories). Keep in mind that if you add juice or cola to the liquor, the number of calories could exceed the number in a regular beer (150 to 200).
Men who don’t drink beer can still develop a “beer belly.”
True
False
Men who don’t drink beer can still develop a “beer belly.”
A “beer belly” comes from excess calories, not necessarily from beer. Too many calories of any kind can lead to a beer belly. However, beer’s extra calories certainly can contribute to an increased waistline, particularly because it is easy to ramp up calories from beer or other alcoholic drinks and the foods you like to eat while drinking.
Beer has been associated with a lower risk of developing kidney stones.
True
False
Beer has been associated with a lower risk of developing kidney stones.
Perhaps thanks to its high water content and diuretic effect, beer is associated with lowering the risk of kidney stones.