The secret to drinking without gaining weight: Moderate drinking and smart choices of snacks to accompany alcohol.

Drinking a little alcohol won't cause weight gain, but drinking too much will lead to obesity. Many people often drink alcohol after get off work or while chatting with friends. Many women also frequently drink beer, and the number of countries where people drink alcohol is increasing. Having a drink after work is especially comforting. Alcohol also stimulates appetite, so excessive eating will naturally lead to weight gain. People who enjoy drinking often have a higher alcohol tolerance, but this also comes with additional burdens. Alcohol stimulates appetite, so excessive eating will naturally lead to weight gain.

One gram of alcohol contains seven calories, sugar four calories, and fat nine calories; alcohol's calorie content falls between the two. The skin turning red and the body feeling warm after drinking is evidence of alcohol burning and calorie loss. Therefore, the calories from alcohol are quickly burned off, broken down into water and carbon dioxide, and excreted through urine and breath. Consequently, a relatively small proportion is stored as calories in the body. Beer contains sugar, thus increasing calorie intake. The body first uses the calories from the alcohol, and the sugar is then used to create fat. Therefore, excessive drinking can still lead to weight gain, while moderate drinking is harmless. Moderate drinking can make people feel comfortable and help relieve stress. Alcohol can be considered a lubricant in interpersonal relationships.

Adhere to the principle that alcohol is "the best of all medicines." Moderate alcohol consumption is defined as a feeling of comfort and slight intoxication after drinking. Medically, the alcohol content is considered to be 25 to 50 grams. The approximate standards for converting this alcohol content to different types of alcohol are as follows: Beer II: 500 ml (2.5 glasses); Whiskey/Brandy: 60 ml (1 whiskey glass); Wine: 160 to 200 ml (1.5 to 2 glasses); Sake II: 150 ml (1 jug); Shochu 20% ABV II: 125 ml (half a glass), 25% ABV II: 100 ml (half a glass); Vodka/Gin II: 50 to 70 ml; Plum wine II: 90 ml.

Craving alcohol every day is the first step towards developing alcohol dependence. While organ damage caused by alcohol can gradually improve with abstinence, the habit of drinking is very difficult to break, primarily due to alcohol dependence. Alcohol dependence was formerly known as alcohol poisoning (chronic alcohol poisoning). You might imagine yourself grabbing a bottle first thing in the morning and getting completely drunk-a rather extreme example. To distinguish it from "acute alcohol poisoning" (caused by excessive drinking at parties), it's now called "alcohol dependence." In other words, if you feel compelled to drink every day, that's the first step towards developing alcohol dependence.

It is estimated that there are over 2.4 million people with alcohol dependence in Japan. The male-to-female ratio is approximately 10:1, although there has been a recent trend of increasing female patients. Even more alarming is that women are highly susceptible to alcohol dependence with relatively low alcohol consumption. Men who drink five large bottles of beer daily (approximately one liter of sake or five double shots of whiskey) for over 20 years have a very high chance of developing alcohol dependence. Women who drink three or more large bottles of beer daily are likely to develop alcohol dependence within about five years. This is because the female hormone estrogen inhibits alcohol metabolism; therefore, women's alcohol metabolism is slower, making them more prone to intoxication and alcohol dependence. Even women who are heavy drinkers can encounter problems when competing with men in terms of drinking capacity.

Human tolerance to alcohol varies greatly from person to person because everyone's constitution and alcohol metabolism are different. If someone who initially has a low alcohol tolerance drinks gradually, their body will become accustomed to alcohol and gradually be able to tolerate it. However, don't be happy to think, "I can drink now!" People with a high alcohol tolerance can adjust their alcohol intake to suit their needs, and those who gradually develop a higher tolerance tend to increase their alcohol intake. At the same time, this type of person is more prone to oral, esophageal, and colorectal cancers if they drink excessively. Regardless of your alcohol tolerance, you must drink in moderation.

The problem lies in continuous daily drinking. This leads to significant harm from alcohol, and increased alcohol consumption negatively impacts health. When discussing the harmful effects of alcohol, most people first think of liver damage. In fact, after drinking, alcohol enters the bloodstream and, once it attacks the stomach lining, easily causes gastritis. Alcohol produces fat in the liver and inhibits the action of enzymes that break down fat; when fat accumulates in the liver, fatty liver disease is likely to develop. If the amount of alcohol consumed exceeds the liver's detoxification capacity and drinking continues, it may be impossible to quit, potentially leading to alcoholic hepatitis, cirrhosis, or even liver cancer. Alcohol also affects calcium metabolism, causing fragile bones and accelerating osteoporosis. Alcohol also raises blood pressure and increases the risk of heart disease. It also affects brain and nerve cells; long-term heavy drinking can cause brain atrophy and alcoholic dementia. Recent expert warnings also include pancreatitis and fatty liver, which are typical symptoms easily produced by combining alcohol with high-calorie foods.