Alcohol no better than soda calorie-wise, study says

SPRINGFIELD, Mass. (WWLP) - Alcohol is just as bad for you as soda when it comes to watching your weight.

A new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study finds that alcohol has just as many calories as soda. A drink of soda has about 6% of the calories you should consume in a day’s time, while alcohol has about 5%.

Baystate Medical Center Clinical Dietitian Alison Roy says that there are a few options to limit the amount of calories in your drink.

“If you choose some sort of low-carb ultra type of a beer, that might be a better choice for you if you're watching your calories and trying to keep diabetes and triglycerides at bay. However, if you choose say a 6-oz glass of wine, you're still getting a super high caloric intake,” Roy said.”

A 12-ounce can of regular Coca-Cola has 140 calories, the same as a comparably-sized can of Budweiser. A 5-ounce glass of wine has about 100 calories.